Real Estate

See How Much These Six Watertown Homes Sold For This Week

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Half a dozen homes around Watertown sold this week. $320,000 – 10 Williams Street Unit 37, 3 room, 1 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Mid-Rise condo/townhouse

$680,000 – 13 Church Hill St. Unit 13, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

$535,000 – 375 Arlington Unit 1, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

Sponsored by:

$355,000 – 12 Hersom St. Unit 12, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

$785,000 – 270 Palfrey St. U:270, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

$975,000 – 22 Hudson St.

Development

Ordinance Requires New Developments to Cut Number of Solo Drivers

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The Town Council passed regulations that would require new developments to work on reducing the number of people making solo driving trips to and from their business or residential property. 

The new Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Ordinance (see details here) applies to new projects, and at their May 9 meeting Councilors said it puts into policy a practice it has had with developments over the past few years. Some residents worried that it would prevent them from using their car freely around town. Creating a TDM plan is required for developments of 10,000 square feet or more or residential projects with 10 or more units, if the project requires a special permit and site plan review from the town. It also applies to projects that projects that generate 150 average daily trips (someone driving to and from a complex would count as two trips), or more than 15 at peak hours that current previous conditions. Plans could include steps like educating employees or residents about public transit options, providing free MBTA passes, organizing carpools and providing facilities for people bicycling to work to cleanup and dress for work.

Real Estate

Victorian on Market for $1.3 Million is Just One Watertown Open House

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The long list of open houses this week has properties ranging from the $300,000s to $1.3 million! $499,900 – 33 Howard St. Unit 2, 6 room, 2 bed, 2 bath 2/3 family, Open Houses: Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 12-1:30

$775,000 – 70 Robbins Road, 8 room, 3 bed, 2 bath colonial, Open Houses: Saturday 12-2 Sunday 12-2

$365,000 – 1 Grant Ave. Unit 1, 5 room, 2 bed, 1 bath townhouse, Open Houses: Friday 12-1, Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 12-2

$389,000 – 16 Hunt St. Unit 2, 4 room, 2 bed, 1 bath 2/3 family, Open Houses: Friday 11:30-12:30 Saturday 11:30-1 Sunday 11:30-1

$725,000 – 99 Franklin St., 7 room, 3 bed, 2 bath colonial, Open Houses: Saturday 1-3 Sunday 1-3

$249,000 – 194 Lexington St.

Development

Council Stresses Importance of Transportation Planner, Worried About Development

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The position of Transportation Planner has been discussed for years and the town has searched for someone to fill the role, but has struggled to find someone qualified to do the job. Tuesday night the Town Council stressed to Community Development and Planning Department Director Steve Magoon that they want the position filled. 

The Transportation Planner would deal with issues such as traffic, public transportation and the planned Watertown shuttle. Magoon appeared before the Council for his budget hearing. During the discussion, Councilors also worry that the Planning Department has enough resources to deal with all the development in town. Filling the Transportation Planner position has been high on Magoon’s list.

Development

Residents Question $25 Million in Improvements Proposed by Athenahealth, Town

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Watertown could get $25 million in improvements to roads, parks and paths without putting up a dime, but attendees of a meeting last Thursday were not leaping to seal the deal. 

The proposed work would be part of the I-Cubed program, in which a developer – in this case Athenahealth – bonds money from the state to pay for the infrastructure and teams with public entities – the Town of Watertown and the Department of Conservation and Recreation – to do the improvements. The bonds will be paid by the increased tax revenue going to the state from Athenahealth’s campus expansion and the additional jobs it will create. None of the money can be spent on Athenahealth’s property. Thursday night, Athenahealth officials presented the list of projects it would do with the money. They include:
$7.5 million – Arsenal Street: roadway and sidewalk improvements, upgraded traffic lights and timing
$900,000 – Sewer improvements on North Beacon Street and Greenough Boulevard
$6.3 million – Roadway improvements to North Beacon, a cycling and pedestrian path, signal upgrades
$1.7 million – Watertown Square repaving, sidewalk improvements, upgrades to traffic, pedestrian signals and timing, and realigning Charles River Road
$700,000 – Completing the improvements of the Watertown Riverfront Park on the north bank of the Charles River
$1.7 million – Greenough Boulevard: bicycle and pedestrian path upgrades, improvements to the roadway and signal upgrades (including a traffic light at Greenough and North Beacon)
$2.7 million – Squibnocket Park: adding a canoe/kayak launch, a boardwalk and river overlook, and landscaping
$400,000 – School Street/Dexter Avenue/Walnut Street: sight-line improvements and curb realignments
$400,000 – Arsenal Park: extension of the Community Path through the park
$2.7 million – Drainage and parking improvement on Talcott Avenue near the Commander’s Mansion, cosmetic improvements to the Mansion and grounds and realignment of Talcott Avenue, and possibly linking it to either North Beacon or Greenough
The I-Cubed program would be a “win-win” for Athenahealth and the town, said  Mark Blair, the company’s Manager of Environment and Construction.

Business

Four WHS Students Among Winners of Watertown Savings Photo Contest

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Twelve winners have been chosen in Watertown Savings Bank’s (WSB) Annual High School Photo Contest. More than 280 photos were submitted from 130 different students who live or attend high school in: Arlington, Belmont, Lexington, Newton, Waltham, and Watertown. The winning photographs will appear in WSB’s 2018 calendar, available to bank customers each December. A panel of judges composed of WSB staff selected the winners. Watertown High School Junior Kian Rice is the First Place Winner for Watertown Dog Park.

Development

Neighbors Fed Up With Impact of Atheahealth Construction Project

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Residents living near the east end of North Beacon Street in Watertown reached the end of their patience this week and let officials at Athenahealth know about how upset they are with the impact the company’s construction project is having on their neighborhood. Athenahealth has started construction on a new parking garage on the westside of its campus at the Arsenal on the Charles – which is the beginning of a multiphase project to expand the campus. Neighbors say cars have spilled out of the campus and are parking on North Beacon Street and side streets. Then this week construction trucks began coming up Charles River Road – normally a no-truck route – and are using a driveway that they were told would only be used by emergency vehicles. “Monday, trucks starting coming out of the curb cut and one gets stuck and State Police had to come and close North Beacon Street for 15 minutes,” said North Beacon Street resident Kathy Santoian.