Development

Planning Board Has Mixed Views on East Watertown Hotel Proposal

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A proposed hotel on Elm Street failed to get the support of a majority of the Planning Board, but the project will still move on to the Zoning Board for final approval. 
Thursday night the Planning Board heard the proposal for the 104-room hotel at 80 Elm St. – the former Atlantic Battery Company site right behind Target at the Watertown Mall. The hotel is being developed by Elm Hospitality LLC. Owner Cherag Patel said the hotel would not be full service – no restaurant open (just a breakfast area) and no meeting rooms. He could not say which franchise would run the hotel, but said it would be part of the Marriott, Hyatt or Hilton brands. The hotel has undergone some major changes since it was first brought forward at a community meeting in January.

Development

Planning Board Approves Major Apartment Complex on Arsenal Street

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The Planning Board unanimously approved a major apartment complex at the corner of Arsenal and Irving streets. The project has also served as a test case for Watertown’s design standards and guidelines. The complex, called Elan, is being developed by Greystar. It will stretch along Arsenal Street from Irving Street east to another new apartment complex, will have 282 apartments and more than 10,000 square feet of retail space. The retail will sit across a shared driveway from a planned market at the next door property – 202-204 Arsenal St.

Real Estate

Several Colonials and Two-Families Having Open Houses

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This week’s open houses include a town house that has an asking price of $1.499 million. There are plenty of others for those looking for homes in the six-figures, too. $649,999 – 87-89 Duff St., 2 unit, 10 total room, 6 total bedroom, Open House: Saturday 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

$434,500 – 34 Union St. Unit 1, 3 bed, 1 full 1 half bath 2 family, Open Houses: Saturday 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday 2-3 p.m.

$610,000 – 195 Chapman St., 4 bed, 1 full 2 half bath colonial, Open House: Sunday 12-2 p.m.

Story Sponsored by:

$659,000 – 41 Katherine Road, 3 bed, 2 bath colonial, Open House: Saturday 1-2 p.m.

$699,000 – 28 Forest St., 2 unit, 9 total room, 5 total bedroom 2 family, Open House: Saturday 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

$789,000 – 191 Edenfield Ave., 4 bed, 3 bath colonial, Open House: Sunday 12-2 p.m.

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Seeks Paid High School Interns

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The Watertown Community Foundation will pay high school students to have summer internships, and the deadline is coming soon! The Watertown Community Foundation sent out the following information:

Wanted: High School Students for Paid Summer Internships! The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) is providing four high school students who live in Watertown with the opportunity to have a paid summer internship with a local organization or company of their choice. This should help open doors for students to pursue opportunities with a variety of businesses, organizations, or agencies. It is a great way for high school kids to explore a career field of interest.

Government

Fire Chief: Contract is Biggest Obstacle to Advanced Ambulance Service

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One of the goals of the Watertown Fire Department is to upgrade to advanced life support (ALS) ambulance service, but to do so Fire Chief Mario Orangio said the town will have to settle the contract with the firefighters union. Orangio presented his budget to the Town Council Wednesday night. Watertown has eight certified paramedics in the department. The Fire Department’s budget of $8.8 million includes $95,000 for equipment required to start-up an ALS service ambulance. Currently Watertown uses an outside ambulance service for ALS service, and the Fire Department provides basic life support (BLS) services.

Elections

Tons of Potential Candidates for Watertown’s Town Council, School Races

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This fall’s Watertown Town Election could feature contested race for almost every position on the Town Council and School Committee, and possibly a preliminary election in September. With several hot-button issues in town these days – development, the firefighters contract, and the schools (among others) – dozens of potential candidates have taken out papers to run for town office in the Nov. 3 election. Town Clerk John Flynn said this is the most people he has seen interested in running for office in Watertown for several years. “It’s been a while.

Government

Forum Will Explore Ways to Improve Transportation in Watertown

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Join fellow residents, business owners, developers and civic officials to hear and question a panel of experts on the operations of Transit Management Associations (TMAs)

and learn about the opportunities and challenges for creating Watertown shuttle bus services to supplement the MBTA, according to the announcement from the Watertown Belmont Chamber of Commerce. The meeting will be held on June 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library. Speakers include experienced TMA operators from Charles River TMA, the 128 Business Council TMA, MassCommutes, and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. An initiative of the Watertown Public Transit Task Force, co-sponsored by the Watertown Belmont Chamber of Commerce. For more information go to facebook.com/WPTTF or contact Jon Bockian at jbockian@rcn.com or Megan O’Halloran at megan@wbcc.org.

Letters

LETTER: More than 80 Watertown Residents Participate in Peace Walk

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A broad coalition of community members from Watertown participated in the 2015 Mother’s Day Walk for Peace in Dorchester. According to the Rev. Amy McCreath of Good Shepherd Church and the Rev. Mark Harris of First Parish Church, 85 people, including a large number of middle school and high school students, filled two school buses that departed Watertown Square at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 11th. We marched as a group we called “Watertown Walks for Peace” in the hopes of building bridges across difference here in Watertown and supporting the wise work for justice led by others in the Boston area. We also walked to speak out about the needless and senseless violence in our schools, on our streets, and in our neighborhoods. The group raised over $2,675 to support the vital work of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, which helps families who have lost loved
ones to violence.