Development

Developers of Morse Street Project Go Back to Drawing Board Again

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The developers seeking to turn the commercial building that used to be home to a massage school into an apartment complex will go back to the drawing board for a second time in hopes of getting approval from the Watertown Zoning Board of Appeals. The 101-103 Morse Street project shown to the ZBA on June 28 changed from the initial proposal submitted to the ZBA in April. The number of units was reduced from 44 to 40. Three pairs of one-bedroom units were combined to make three two-bedroom units, while two more one-bedrooms were combined to make a three-bedroom unit, said owner and developer Kamran Shahbazi. 

Other changes include: adding four feet to the width driveway to make it 22 feet in total, moving the garbage dumpster from next to an abutting property to against the building, and moving air conditioner condensers from ground level to the roof of the building, said architect Gary Hendren. Board members said that they have concerns about the quality of the proposed apartments.

Government

Deadline for Comments on Arsenal Street Study Coming Up Soon

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State transportation officials will be taking input from people about the proposed changes to Arsenal Street and other streets in the area through July 10. 
Some changes proposed include redesigning Watertown Square and removing one road from the intersection, improving bus service and improving bicycle accommodations. Click here to see more information on the proposals in the Arsenal Corridor Study Final Draft. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation sent out the following announcement:

MassDOT is conducting the Arsenal Street Corridor Study in Watertown. This study has developed alternatives that are intended to improve transportation conditions on Arsenal Street between Galen Street and Birmingham Parkway. The study has proposed improvements to vehicular, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian uses of the corridor, with a targeted focus on enhancements to bus service along Arsenal Street and locations where the bus service ties into other crossing bus routes. The Draft Final Report was released in June and the project team recently hosted a public information meeting. Comments on the report will be accepted through Monday, July 10, 2017.

Entertainment

Hal McIntyre Orchestra Plays Tribute to Frank Sinatra at Free Concert Thursday

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The Hal McIntyre Orchestra, led by Watertown’s own Don Pentleton, will perform a tribute to Frank Sinatra during Thursday’s free Watertown Summer Concert. The 14 piece Big Band will play with Steve Marvin vocalist at Saltonstall Park at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 6. While the band is named after the alto saxophonist who played with the Glen Miller Orchestra, after McIntyre passed away his estate asked Pentleton to continue the tradition. Pentleton, a Watertown High School graduate, played drums with the Glen Miller Band, the Guy Lombardo Orchestra, and with Skitch Henderson, Ella Fitzgerald and comedians Phyllis Diller, Pat Cooper, Frankie Fontaine, and Georgie Jessel. He now conducts the orchestra.

Little League

White Sox Capture 2017 Watertown Little League Championship

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The White Sox won the best-of-three series over the Diamondbacks to win the Watertown Majors League Championship. 

The first game was very close because of great pitching from the White Sox’s Robbie Iannetta and Mason Lombard and the Diamondback’s Zane Davis and Daniel Tattrie, said White Sox Manager Rob Iannetta. It took two extra innings to decide this one but with 2 out and men on first and second in the 8th inning Caden Salzman came through with the walk-off base hit scoring Cam Reed to win the game for the White Sox 3-2. In game 2 the White Sox bats came alive as James Grady, Cam Reed and Mason Lombard combined for 7 hits and 5 runs, Iannetta said. The White Sox played great defense all year and this game was no exception, behind Riley Donlan’s 2 hit shutout and solid plays by Jack Kelley, Antonio Puleo, Owen Newlon, Mike Nilan, Jack Brennan and Lucas Pizzutto the White Sox won 11-0.  

Real Estate

Watertown Home Sales Include a Four-Family for Nearly $1.5 Million

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Four homes sold this weekend, including a four-family home for seven figures. $620,000 – 10 Elmwood Ave., 7 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, Bungalow single-family home

$447,000 – 186 Waverley Ave. Unit 186, 7 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

Sponsored by:

$1,465,000 – 67-69 Palfrey St., 4 unit, 22 total room, 10 total bedroom, 4 Family multi-family home

$710,000 – 35 Upland Road Unit 35, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, condo/townhouse

$456,000 – 15 Jefferson Ave., 6 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Ranch single-family home

Police/Fire

Police Log: More than $15K Charged to ID Fraud Victim, Graffiti Aimed at Police

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests
None
Incidents
June 19, 4:30 p.m.: A woman came to the Police Station to report that when she was applying for a loan she found some discrepancies on her credit report. It showed someone had opened two credit cards in her name and charged $2,000. Also, four student loans for a total of $15,000 were opened in her name, and there was a mortgage in her name for $10,000. The woman is working with the credit bureau to work out the problems.

June 19, 7 p.m.: A resident reported receiving a package from UPS and inside the person found five Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus phones inside which the resident did not order.