Development

Find Out About New Plans for 130-Foot Building at Arsenal Yards

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Arsenal Yards provided the following information:

Boylston Properties and The Wilder Companies will hold a Community Meeting to review and update the community on the status of Building G located within Arsenal Yards. The purpose of this meeting will be to present and discuss a change in use for the building from Residential to Office/Lab. Building G, as proposed would contain approximately 140,000 sq. ft. of Lab space (a decrease of approximately 48,000 gross sq.

Around Town

OP-ED: Blow Me Down! Popeye turns 90!

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The first drawing of Popeye the Sailor, by E.C. Segar, appeared on Jan. 17, 1929. The following piece was written by Watertown resident and Popeye aficionado Fred Grandinetti:

On January 17, 1929 Olive Oyl’s brother Castor was looking for a mariner to run his ship. He came across a pipe smoking swab and asked “Are you a sailor?” The reply was “Ja think I’m a cowboy?” and Popeye was born.  In 2019 the spinach eater celebrates his 90th birthday.

Business

Biotech Company Moving into Historic Building in Arsenal Yards

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The following announcement was provided by Boyslton Properties:

Boston-based real estate developer Boylston Properties is pleased to announce that cell therapy company SQZ Biotech has signed a 63,477 square foot lease at Arsenal Yards. With 200,000 square feet of lab and office space, Arsenal Yards is meeting the demand from the life science community for lab space in the East End of Watertown. Set within an original 1800’s Arsenal historic building, with soaring 25’ ceilings, multiple boutique fitness operators, dedicated parking, and a private shuttle to Harvard Square, the new lab space is across the street from LINX, 185,000 square feet of new fully leased lab space, completed in 2018, also developed by Boylston Properties. “When you look at the needs of life science companies and the advantages that the East End of Watertown provides, it’s not surprising to see Arsenal Yards becoming the place to turn to,” said Bill McQuillan, President of Boylston Properties. “We look forward to working with SQZ and seeing the company continue to grow.”

SQZ Biotech recently completed a $72 million Series C and expanded a clinical and commercial development collaboration with Roche.

Around Town

Watertown Yoga Studio Celebrating 3 Years With Donation Based Classes

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The following information was provided by Artemis Yoga:

Artemis Yoga in the east end of Watertown is celebrating its third year of business this weekend, Jan. 19 and 20 with two days of donation-based “free” classes as an opportunity to give back to the community. 

“The staff and I at Artemis Yoga are grateful to the community that has supported our growing small business over the past three years and one of our goals of the Celebrate Open House is to give back to the community that has helped us build such a vibrant, welcoming place in the east end,” Liz Padula, the studio’s owner, said. “Yoga helps to set a foundation for life no matter your age and so we selected the Watertown Boys & Girls Club for our donation-based raffle as the Club is doing amazing work setting the foundation for their members and in particular the new Teen Center supported by the Great Futures Campaign is providing some amazing resources for our future leaders right here in Watertown. We invite the community to join us this weekend for a fun weekend of celebration!” The Celebrate Open House takes place on Saturday and Sunday Jan. 19 and 20 and classes for all levels from kids to gentle/chair yoga plus specialty classes such as introduction to meditation and yoga will be offered.

Around Town

Watertown Community Foundation Awards nearly $30,000 in School Based Grants

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The Watertown Community Foundation has awarded grants totaling $29,288.21 to initiatives supporting Watertown Public Schools. Grantees were notified just before the end of the 2018 school year. 

Grants will be implemented in spring of 2019 and or fall of 2019.  This latest round of grant making brings the Foundation’s 2018 grant distribution to $148,883. The funds distributed through the School Based Grant Program focus on solely on Watertown’s public schools to support activities that improve instruction and learning.  

2018-2019 Education Grants  

20 Watertown Education Grants totaling $29,288.21 were given to: 

Friends of Watertown Music Purchase and Repair Program District Program for This is Gore Place – 2 nd  year of local history project for third graders.  Growing and Sustaining School Garden ProgramsCunniff School for In-School Enrichment Programs Lowell School Discovery Museum Light and Laser Traveling MuseumHosmer School for International Week, Science Night, Math Olympiad, After School Learning by Design, Hosmer Connections -Motivating Materials for Purposeful Play, Hosmer Welcome ProgramWatertown Middle School for Voice and Choice in Verse, Garden Project, Social Studies Education-Using Google Cardboard, Watertown WeekWatertown High School for Courtyard Update, SPEAK Project (Sharing Personal Experience and Knowledge), College Field Trips, LEAP School Supplies Store, Graduation Night Party

For questions, please contact Jan Singer at  jan.singer@watertownfoundation.org.  

The Watertown Community Foundation, a public, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, works to build and sustain a vibrant, close-knit community in Watertown – now, and for future generations. To accomplish this, WCF raises funds from individuals, families, businesses, and foundations; awards grants to nonprofits and community projects; and builds networks of donors, grantees, program participants, and stakeholders. 

WCF Board of Directors 

David Siegel and Darshna Varia, Co-Presidents; Robert Airasian; Albrik Avanessian; Emily Barclay; Eleanor Donato; William B.  Ford;  Ashley Morris; Mary Ann Mulligan; Anthony Paolillo; Maria Panaggio-Phillips; Lora Sabin; Robert Shay; CL Tian; Elaina Themistos; Lauren Coughlin Unsworth; and Kathryn White.

Children's Entertainment

Create a Winter Craft with Watertown Families Together

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The Watertown Mall, located at 550 Arsenal St., Watertown, with Watertown Families Together will be hosting a Merry Mitten Morning event for children and their caregivers to shake off the cold January 17, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. The event will be held in the back hallway, next to the Target, across from Carter’s. The event will include crafting projects, singing songs, reading and listing to stories. This event is FREE and open for all ages. The more the merrier. About Watertown Mall

The Watertown Mall is wheelchair accessible and accessible by MBTA Bus routes 70 and 70A.

Schools

Girls Invited to STEM Camp During February Break at Minuteman

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The following information was provided by Minuteman High School:

Are you a seventh- or eighth-grade girl who likes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and wants to learn more about those subjects in a supportive, female-oriented environment? Do you enjoy doing projects that are both fun and educational? Are you interested in finding out about exciting career paths in STEM? Then register now for the Girls in STEM camp at Minuteman High School in Lexington that will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. during the week of February 19-22, 2019. Space is limited, so don’t wait!

Bicycles

MassDOT Seeks Input on Mass. Bicycle Transportation Plan

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The following information was provided sent out by MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) urges members of the public to comment on the Draft Massachusetts Bicycle Transportation Plan through January 31. The draft plan can be found online here. MassDOT is focused on making the Commonwealth’s transportation system more sustainable – to make it safe for people to choose to walk, bike, and take transit for more of their daily trips. The Plan is important because residents, members of the business community and visitors choose to use a bicycle for daily trips, choosing bike to work, to school, to run errands, for recreation or to reach transit locations. The Draft Plan defines a vision for Massachusetts in which all people have a safe and comfortable cycling option for short trips. The goal is to have a plan which presents an action-oriented strategy which will lead to increased use of trails for short trips made by bicycling. Travel on designated bike and pedestrian thoroughfares will also lead to safer conditions, helping to prevent injuries and fatalities.