385 Pleasant Street

Residential, Commercial Project on Pleasant Street Approved on Third Try

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Developers of a residential and commercial development of a long, thin strip of land on Pleasant Street brought their latest proposal to the Planning Board Monday night and got approval for the project. 

The project at 385 Pleasant Street includes an existing warehouse and three new buildings. It will have 53 rental units – 2 studios, 4 one bedrooms, 14 one-bedroom lofts, and 22 two bedrooms. It will also include more than 10,000 square feet of commercial space. There will be 92 parking spaces on the site. When the project first came to the Planning Board late last year, it had an additional commercial building, but Planning Board members said the development was too dense. When they returned in January, a smaller commercial building was removed and the commercial space was moved to the existing warehouse building and two stories of residential were added to that building.

Development

Planning Board Scrutinizes Pleasant Street Project, Sends it Back for Redesign

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The proposed project on a thin strip of land at 385-393 Pleasant Street ran into problems at the Watertown Planning Board, when board members had problems with the density of the project and particularly with how close some of the new buildings would be to houses behind the project. 

The Planning Board voted last week to continue the discussion of the project at the intersection of Pleasant and Rosedale Road, which proposes to have 58 apartments, townhouses and 11,500 sq. ft. of commercial space. The design team for the developers – Amstel Heritage Watertown LLC – already appeared before the Planning Board in November and brought back an altered plan that removed one of the townhouse buildings on the east end of the site. The unites were moved on top of the existing warehouse building on the west side of the project.

Development

Town Council Splits on Zoning Change for Self Storage Facilities

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A change in the number of parking spots required for a self-storage facility in Watertown received the Town Council’s approval Tuesday night, but concerns over whether such a facility was wanted in town and where it should go led to some votes against the zoning change. The proposal called for changing the formula for determining the number of spots needed at a storage facility from one spot for every three storage units, to two spots per every 10,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area. Steve Magoon, Assistant Town Manager and Director of Community Development and Planning, said under old standard a 50,000 sq.

Development

Developers Show Plans for Condo/Retail Building on Vacant Lot on Mt. Auburn St.

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Developers presented a plan for a new condominium building with space for retail businesses on the bottom that would go on what has been a weed-filled vacant lot near the Watertown Square intersection. The presentation was made Tuesday night at a Community Meeting for the project at 33 Mt. Auburn St., at the corner with Taylor Street. It would have 15 condos and about 1,960 sq. ft.

33 Mt. Auburn Street

Find Out What is Planned for Lot at 33 Mt. Auburn Street at Community Meeting

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A community meeting will be held to discuss plans for a development at 33 Mt. Auburn Street. The property is currently a vacant lot, between the intersection with Taylor Street and the 7-Eleven. Developers 33 Mount Auburn LLC propose to build a mixed-use project with 15 residential units and 1,924 square feet of commercial space at 33 Mount Auburn Street, Watertown. Meeting Date:  Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location:  Town Hall, 149 Main Street, Second Floor, Council Chamber

For more information, contact: Janovsky/Hurley Architects, Inc. – Steve Hurley and Suela Muco at 781-489-6540.

Development

Phase 3 of Arsenal Yards, with 7 Story Building, Approved by Planning Board

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The third phase of the Arsenal Yards project got the go ahead from members of the Planning Board on Thursday night. 

The latest portion of the former Arsenal Mall to be approved is Building F (see plans here), a seven story structure with ground floor retail, multiple levels of parking and topped by three stories of apartments. This is the building where a grocery store may be built, according to the design team, and will be located in the space where the bridge goes over the underpass in the Arsenal Mall parking lot. The size of the building was increased from what was proposed in the Master Plan, which required the Planning Board to approve an amendment to the Master Plan along with approving the site plan. The Board approved both unanimously. Originally the building was planned to have six stories, and be 83-feet, 6-inches tall, but the new height is 89 feet, 4 inches.

Development

Union Pushes for More Work from Watertown Developments, Help from Town Council

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Last week, a group of 40 or so carpenter union members gathered outside a construction site on Arsenal Street to make their message loud and clear – pay a living wage with benefits and follow state labor laws. Despite the building boom in Watertown over the past several years, many members of the New England Regional Council of Carpenters who live in Watertown have not gotten any work from these developments. They would like that to change, and point to cities like Cambridge and Somerville that have ordinance or resolutions pushing contractors to follow labor laws, and pay “prevailing wages” and health benefits for their workers. Not everyone believes that such an ordinance would benefit the town, however, and could dampen the hot development market. Former Watertown Town Councilor Stephen Corbett, who also develops small residential projects, said he worries that such a requirement would hurt the development market in Watertown.

Arsenal Mall

Phase 3 of Arsenal Yards Includes Residential, Retail and a Garage

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The third phase of the Arsenal Yards project will include the first of four residential buildings planned for the renovation of the Arsenal Mall. In July, Boylston Properties – the developers of the property – introduced plans for Building F (see plans here) during a Community Meeting. On the bottom floor will be restaurant and retail space, with a level of underground parking below and three levels of parking above. On top of the garage will be three floors of apartments. The design changed from the original proposal in the Master Plan Special Permit approved by the Planning Board.