Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/author/cbreitro/page/802/)
The Casey Outdoor Skating Rink is now open for use by Watertown residents, announced Recreation Director Peter Centola. The facility general schedule is 8 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., unless it is shut down earlier for maintenance, Centola said. The rink is located at 124 Watertown St. on the south side of town. Bring your own skates!
The first project to go through the town’s revamped Pleasant Street zoning, and the review by the town’s design consultant went before the public Thursday night and the reception was very positive – especially compared to past projects on the Westside corridor. The proposed Water Mills at Bridge Point mixed-use project would go at 330-350 Pleasant Street, and replace Casey Dupuis Equipment and Julian Crane properties on the south side of the street, near Rosedale Avenue. The new complex would have 20,000 square feet of retail, including a restaurant overlooking the Charles River, and 99 apartment units, according to Doug Annino, architect from Annino Inc. who is working on the project for developer Mark Coppola. (Click here to see preliminary plans). Along with the restaurant, developers hope to attract a place to get coffee, such as Starbucks, Annino said.
A Watertown woman got a shock when a masked man walked into her home in broad daylight. At about 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 12, a Prescott Street resident told police she was at home in the second story of a two-family home when she heard loud bangs from the front door, said Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn. “She heard footsteps ascending the stairs. When she came down the hallway the door opened and a man in a mask covering the lower part of his face came in,” Lawn said.
A new national sandwich shop will be opening its doors soon in Watertown Square.
Jimmy John’s will take over one of the spots in the shopping plaza where Staples used to be, at 11 Mt. Auburn St. (at the Watertown Square intersection). Jimmy John Liautaud opened his first restaurant in a converted garage in Charleston, Ill., in 1983 when he was just 19 years old. Now, the company has more than 2,400 locations in 43 states.
Alan William Brown, age 41, passed peacefully at home with his family on Jan. 18, 2016. He leaves behind his loving father, Richard W. Brown and his loving mother, Denise Beirne Brown. The grandson of Peggy and the late Matthew Beirne of Watertown and the late Richard and Barbara Brown of Wiltshire, England. He is survived by his brothers, Neil R. Brown and his wife Julie, and Phillip B. Brown and his wife Natalia.
The appeal of the Zoning Board’s rejection of a proposed hotel on Elm Street was dropped by the developers.
The appeal, filed in state Land Court in October, claimed the ZBA wrongfully denied the special permit for the 104 room hotel at 80 Elm Street when it voted it down on Sept. 30. The suit sought to annul the ZBA’s decision and claimed the ZBA exceeded its authority. ZBA members pointed to the to building being too close to neighboring properties when voting against the proposal. Earlier this month, Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon received word that the appeal had been withdrawn.
{Note: Angeline Kounelis originally sent this letter to Town Manager Michael Driscoll.}
Dear Editor;
On Nov. 24, 2015, the majority of the Town Council voted to accept the 20 percent Residential Exemption as presented in material prepared by the Town Assessor, Board of Assessors and Town Auditor for the allocation of property taxes between property classes for Fiscal Year 2016. During the presentation, it was clearly stated that single family and condominium owners could realize a savings of approximately $200. Multi-family dwellings would most be impacted with a possible five to $800 increase. These figures are now reality, and then some. Of the options that have been presented to the Town Council for consideration, for many years I have advocated for a more fair and equitable increase of the owner occupied exemption to 25 percent that would shift more of the burden to absentee landlords.
The PTO at Hosmer School will be holding a raffle for a chance to ride on a Watertown Fire truck.
The raffle will raise money for the fifth grade class at Hosmer School. Tickets cost $5 per entry. The drawing will be held in March, and you do not need to be present to win. A waiver must be signed before the date of the ride. Pickups will only be made from Watertown addresses. Checks should be made to the Hosmer School PTO.