Real Estate

More Than a Dozen Open Houses in Watertown This Weekend

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Check out all the open houses around town this weekend. $544,900 – 52 Edward Road, 7 room, 3 bed, 1 bath cape, Open House: Sunday 1:30-2:30

$320,000 – 10 Williams St. Unit 52, 4 room, 1 bed, 1 bath garden, Open House: Sunday 2-3:30

$649,900 – 35 Forest St. Unit 35, 7 room, 3 bed, 2.5 bath townhouse, Open Houses: Saturday 12-2 Sunday 12-2

$829,000 – 7 Fletcher Ter., 7 room, 4 bed, 2.5 bath colonial, Open Houses: Saturday 1-2:30 Sunday 1-2:30

$589,900 – 478-480 Main St. Unit 478, 9 room, 4 bed, 2 bath townhouse, Open House: Sunday 1-2:30

$298,000 – 290 Pleasant St.

Amphitheatre

Free Celebration for Re-Opening of Amphitheatre Along River on Saturday

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The public is invited to the Grand Re-opening kick-off show at the Amphitheatre at Herter Park, across the Charles River from Watertown in Allston. 

The event is free and runs from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 15 at the park, located at 1175 Soldiers Field Road, Boston. The free event includes a ribbon cutting, a sing-along, kids comedy, children’s music, a poetry slam, improv comedy, a percussion performance concert and a live band. Also enjoy something to eat from food trucks. For more information about the restoration of the Amphitheatre and the park go to friendsofherterpark.org.

Development

Planning Board Approves Hotel and Garage at Arsenal Yards

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After hearing complaints about the design of the proposed Hampton Inn & Suites hotel at Arsenal Yards, designers simplified the look and reduced the number of colors to be used. The Planning Board approved of the changes and voted to approve Phase 2 of the renovation of the former Arsenal Mall on Wednesday night. Phase 2 includes Building B which has retail space on the ground floor and above it a hotel on Arsenal Street with a garage as you go back from the street. When the drawings were first presented at a community meeting in May, people complained materials used were not the red brick of the historic Watertown Arsenal, and that too many colors and materials were used on the outside. Planning Board member Janet Buck said that she did not like the first rendering of the hotel.

Entertainment

Free Whale Day Open House for Kids at the Watertown Mall

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The Watertown Mall invites the public to celebrate Whale Day Open House at the mall on Friday, July 21 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.! Join instructors from the New England Aquarium at the Watertown Mall for Whale Day Open House! Using interactive exhibits, kids can learn about the intelligence and biology of many different marine mammals, as well as how researchers study them. Kids get the answers to all of their questions about marine mammals and get involved with the several different hands on activity stations. The program’s showstopper is a life-sized inflatable right whale!

Fallen Firefighter

Town Exploring Creating Memorial to Fallen Watertown Firefighter

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The corner of the street where the fire that took the life of Watertown Firefighter Joe Toscano occurred could be named in his honor, as Watertown firefighters seek to create a memorial for their fallen comrade. Tuesday night, the proposal was brought forward officially by East End Town Councilor Angeline Kounelis, who was supported by members of the Watertown Fire Department. “This past March 17 a tragedy occurred in our community, something I hope we never go through again,” Kounelis said. “It is a morning that many of us will never forget.” She proposed that the Town honor Toscano for making the “ultimate sacrifice” of giving his life in the line of duty by creating a permanent memorial.

Business

Watertown’s Celebrity Chef Joining Forces with The Talk Restaurant

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Two of the biggest names in the Watertown food scene have teamed up. Food Network featured chef Mike Fucci has become the head chef at The Talk Restaurant, the Watertown Square spot owned by Kaz and Lisa Keuchkarian. Fucci has run Chef Mike’s Kitchen catering business for many years, and has not worked in a restaurant for about 15 years. In February, he appeared on Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen and won the challenge for football food called “Fry-Day Night Bites.” Moving into a restaurant kitchen is an exciting and sudden opportunity for Fucci, who got a call on July 5 asking him if he wanted the job.

Around Town

Linx Office Building Gets Tenant with Biotech Company Relocating from Cambridge

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The office building built on the site of the former Verizon truck yard in the East End of Watertown got its first tenant with a biotech firm relocating to the spot from Kendall Square in Cambridge. According to a Banker & Tradesman report, C4 Therapeutics, which is developing treatments for cancer and other diseases that will not become drug resistant, will lease about a quarter of the 185,000 sq. ft. of office and lab space in Linx Watertown. The property was redeveloped by Boylston Properties, the group behind Arsenal Yards – the redevelopment of the Arsenal Mall – and has built the Residence Inn by Marriott on Arsenal Street.

Government

Netting at Victory Field Track Scrapped, Walkers to be Prohibited at Certain Times

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The Victory Field Committee made compromises when addressing safety of Victory Field by voting against having netting on the ends of the field, but the compromise also means that the track will be closed to walkers during certain times while high school teams use the field. When deciding whether to put up the safety netting, the Ad Hoc Committee on Victory Field Phase 2 tried to balance the needs of athletic teams using the track and turf area inside with the needs of people using field as a public park. For years the oval area has served as home to the Watertown track and field team, and the field inside the track is used by both high school and youth sports groups. The facility is also part of the Watertown park system, and the track is a popular place for residents to walk and run. A proposal by designers at CDM Smith made two years ago, when the project was first discussed, includes netting at the ends of the field to protect users of the track from flying balls – particularly lacrosse and soccer balls.