Development

Meeting Planned to Discuss Renovating Verizon Building in the East End

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Boylston Properties will discuss plans to renovate and expand the Verizon building in East Watertown at a public meeting. 

The building at 480 Arsenal St., which backs up to Nichols Avenue, will be turned from a warehouse to offices. It will have a total of 185,000 square feet of office space “by carving out and adding to the existing building footprint, and inserting a floor within the existing structure,” according to the announcement sent out by Boylston Properties. Additional improvements included in the project are “connections to the Watertown Greenway, large amenity and open spaces, and a reconstructed parking field with upgraded stormwater management and infiltration systems.” The main access to the building will continue to be at the signalized intersection at Arsenal Street, according to the announcement, with a secondary access and improvements along Nichols Avenue. At the meeting on Wednesday, Feb.

Government

Recreation Department Seeks Ideas for Improving Facilities, Programs

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Recreation Director Peter Centola and his staff have begun putting together requests for next year’s budget and the capital budget and they seek ideas for ways to improve parks and programs.

Centola put out a request for input and ideas from residents this week. “Please feel free to send the department thoughts and recommendations for improvements in our recreational facilities or our programming,” Centola wrote. Messages may be sent directly to Peter Centola at pcentola@watertown-ma.gov, or call the Recreation Department at 617-972-6494.

Entertainment

Arsenal Arts Running February Vacation Workshops for Kids

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Looking for something for your children to do this February Vacation – check out the Arsenal Center for the Arts’ workshops for kids. Monster Mash runs from Feb. 17 – 20, and features Art, Theatre and Music Workshops for children in grades K-5. The program concludes with a Friday afternoon showcase. Classes are held at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St.

Business

Watertown Eatery Featured in Boston Globe’s Cheap Eats

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Looking for some take out with an Asian flare, check out one of Watertown’s newest restaurants – Cha Yen Thai Cookery. Located about midway between the Deluxe Town Diner and Sevan Bakery, the eatery opened in Coolidge Square over the summer, and features homestyle Thai cuisine. Cha Yen Thai Cookery and chef Manita Bunnagitkarn made the Boston Globe this week in the Cheap Eats column in the paper’s food section. Bunnagitkarn moved to Boston from Thailand in her teens and attended Johnson & Wales culinary school. The restaurant features a several Thai curries, grilled options, noodle dishes and a wide variety of appetizers.

Around Town

Panel Gathering to Help Boomers Make Their Next Move

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A panel of experts from five different industries will host “Helping Boomers Make the Next Move at the Watertown. The discussion will be held on Feb. 21 from 2-4 p.m. in the Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room at the library, 123 Main St. There is no charge for the information packed event. “Are you thinking about sizing down? Do you know someone who is ready to make a move? Making a move is more than just packing and moving boxes, it is about transition and preparation,” said the announcement.

Government

See an Update on the Snow Emergency, Trash Collection

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The snow emergency will continue, the Department of Public Works announced Tuesday, and the trash collection schedule will be altered. Due to the record snow fall from last week’s blizzard and Monday’s heavy snow, on-street parking will continue to be prohibited. Trash and recycling collection this week will be pushed back one day, so Tuesday pick up will be Wednesday, Wednesday will be Thursday, etc. The normal trash/recycling schedule will resume on Monday, Feb. 9.

Around Town

Place to be Creative and Learn HATCHes in Watertown

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The Watertown Library and the Arsenal Mall teamed up to create a spot in town where residents can use a 3-D printer, create electronic music and learn jewelry making. Watertown Free Public Library’s makerspace, known as HATCH, officially opened at the end of January in a storefront inside the mall, a few doors down from Dunkin’ Donuts. Assistant Library Director Caitlin Browne thanked the mall for offering the space. “If you guys did n;t open the space to us we would still be at the library waiting,” Browne said. “We had been waiting to do this for two years.”