Arsenal Yards

Council Has Mixed Views on Requesting More Liquor License, Most Eyed by Arsenal Yards

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The Town Council voted to send a request to the State Legislature to allow Watertown to have 15 more liquor licenses, most of which would be taken up by tenants in the Arsenal Yards development. But the vote was not unanimous. The request for the additional licenses came from the developers of the retail/residential/office project at the former Arsenal Mall. Town Council President Mark Sideris said the situation is not unlike the project at Assembly Row in Somerville. “The project became much more than they thought it would be,” Sideris said.

Government

Council Approves Funds for Design of Elementary School Projects

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An illustration of what the new Hosmer School will likely look like when completed, The view is from the east looking at the new main entrance. The Town Council approved the first major funding piece for the $170 million reconstruction of Watertown’s three elementary schools on Tuesday night. The project will be paid for within the Town’s budget, without requiring a debt exclusion to pay for the work, Town Manager Michael Driscoll said. The Council approved a loan order for $12.441 million for design services. Town Council President Mark Sideris noted that the project, and the price tag has changes significantly.

Community Development

Council Questions Staffing Level of Planning Department With All the Development in Town

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Watertown’s Town Hall. With all the development going on in Watertown, and some recent controversial projects, the Town Council wondered whether the Community Development and Planning Department has the enough staff to handle it all. The questions were posed to Director of the Community Development and Planning Department (DCDP) and Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon during the department’s budget hearing on Monday night. Development

Development has increased year after year over the past several years, and last year was the busiest, Magoon said. His department dealt with a record high 1,396 permits in 2018, up from 1,167 in 2017.

Charity

Local Stars Wow the Audience at the 2019 Dancing with the Watertown Stars

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Kellie Spillane, a Watertown Middle School teacher, and Matt Davis perform a West Coast Swing during the 2019 Dancing with the Watertown Stars. Ten competitors hit the dance floor at the Hellenic Cultural Center Friday night, but only one could take home the 2019 Dancing with the Watertown Stars trophy. The amateur dancers came from a variety of places, whether born and bred town residents, working for a business or department in Watertown, or being a Watertown elected official. Each teamed up with one of the three professional dancers to put together his or her routine. Watertown teacher Chad Foster lifts Lilia Weisfeldt during his routine at the Dancing with the Watertown Stars.

Schools

Committee to Re-Interview Project Manager Firms, Discuss Options for Lowell School

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An image of the latest plans for what Lowell Elementary School will look like after it is renovated. The School Building Committee could not choose one of the finalists for owner’s project manager for Watertown’s elementary school construction projects, so they will bring them back in for second round of interviews. At the same time, they discussed how to approach the renovation of Lowell School, and progress on the high school project. On May 7, the three finalists for the firms that will oversee the construction of the schools on behalf of the Town made presentations to the School Building Committee. The finalists — Hill, Leftfield and Skanska — were chosen from seven firms that submitted proposals.

Arrests

Police Log: Man Busted for Threatening to Use Gun, Vehicle Drives into Store

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

April 30, 4:19 p.m.: An officer patrolling on Quimby Street queried the license plate of a nearby vehicle and saw that the owner had a suspended license. The vehicle was stopped and the identity of the driver was confirmed. The 32-year-old Watertown man was arrested on a charge of driving with a suspended license, a subsequent offense. May 1, 11:19 a.m.: A shoplifter was seen taking items from Home Depot, and the person left the store.

Real Estate

See the Five Homes that Sold in Watertown This Week

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Five homes sold in Watertown this week. $305,000 – 109 Warren St. Unit 10, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Low-Rise condo/townhouse

$485,000 – 91 Evans St., 5 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Cape single-family home

$550,000 – 33 Bromfield St. Unit 33, 5 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Half-Duplex condo/townhouse

Sponsored by:

$835,000 – 22-24 Maplewood, 2 unit, 11 total room, 6 total bedroom, 2 Family multi-family home

$860,000 – 294 Common St., 8 room, 4 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, Colonial single-family home

Police/Fire

Woman Robbed at Gunpoint in Cambridge, Near the Watertown Line

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Two men robbed a woman at gunpoint in Cambridge near the Watertown line this week, according in Cambridge Police. The robbery occurred in the area of Cushing Street and Spruce Avenue at about 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, May 8, which is located across Belmont Street from Intelligentsia Coffee (in Watertown), and not far from the Star Market on Mt. Auburn Street. Officers are currently investigating after a woman reported 2 males — described as dark-skinned and wearing dark clothing — robbed her at gun point in the Star Market parking lot at 699 Mt Auburn St. The suspects fled in an unknown direction.