Development

Athenahealth’s Proposal for Arsenal Complex Gets Good Reviews

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After years of hashing out the details of the massive overhaul of the Arsenal on the Charles complex, Athenahealth officials presented their master plan to the Planning Board Wednesday night and overall received a positive response but there were still some concerns. 

Some big changes would be made to the former U.S. Army facility on Arsenal Street, including several new buildings, some retail space, parks, bicycle and pedestrian paths and a large new parking garage on the far west end of the site. The garage, which will fit 1,623 vehicles, will stand 58.5 feet tall at the highest spot but 54 feet on the side closest to homes. It would have eight floors of parking, with two underground. The garage had been one of the major points of contention for residents living near the complex. Steps have been taken to reduce the size of the garage and lessen the impact.

Artemis Yoga

Watertown Yoga Studio Has a “Nift”-y Way of Thanking Loyal Customers

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Artemis Yoga is still relatively new in the Coolidge Square business area, celebrating six months in June, and when owner Liz Padula looked for ways to thank her loyal customers she ran across a product that is useful for her customers and helps other local business – Nift. A Nift, or a Neighborhood Gift, is like a gift card, and when someone receives one they register online and get some local choices of places to spend their Nift. The company is based in Cambridge. Padula said the concept makes sense for her. “I use it for a variety of reasons.

Development

Council Hashing Out Rules for Cutting Solo Driver Commuters

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The Town Council’s Transportation subcommittee would like to cut down the number of people driving alone to work as a way to reduce congestion on Watertown streets, but now they must figure out how to legislate that effort. The subcommittee met last week to discuss a town ordinance for Transportation Demand Management Programs.

Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon suggested a transportation demand management plan be required for any non-residential project 10,000 square feet or more, or a residential project of 10 units or more. Also, any project that generates more than 150 average daily trips (a car coming and going would be two trips), or more than 15 trips during peak hours. A Transportation Demand Management plan would need to include:

Goals and targets for trip reduction based on the new trips from a project
A comprehensive list of measures used to reduce the number of trips
A description of ways of monitoring how well the measures are controlling trip numbers
A schedule for monitoring and reporting on the TDM
Provide a list of corrective measures (including additional trip reduction efforts, incentives or penalties) if the goals are not met

Exceptions
Some uses will be exempted from having TDM plan, including land or structures for religious or non-profit educational purposes, for child care facilities and land owned or leased by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or its subdivisions. 

Councilor Aaron Dushku wanted to remove the non-profit educational exemption. “I want to make sure Harvard doesn’t come in and have it not apply to them,” Dushku said.

Real Estate

Nearly 20 Watertown Properties are Having Open Houses

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This week’s open house list has a wide range of homes to choose from. $550,000 – 7 Swetts Court Unit 7, 6 room, 4 bed, 1.5 bath townhouse, Open Houses: Saturday 4-6 Sunday 12-3

$509,900 – 212 Westminster Ave., 6 room, 3 bed, 1 bath cape, Open House: Sunday 1-3

$499,900 – 69 Galen St. Unit 5, 4 room, 2 bed, 2 bath garden condo, Open House: Sunday 11:30-1

$635,000 – 19 Wilmot St., 8 room, 4 bed, 1.5 bath single family, Open Houses: Saturday 11-1 Sunday 12-2

$339,000 – 32 Whites Ave. Unit D37, 4 room, 2 bed, 1 bath mid-rise, Open Houses: Saturday 12:30-2 Sunday 12:30-2

$749,000 – 378-380 School St., 2 unit, 12 total room, 4 total bedroom 2 family, Open Houses: Saturday 1-3 Sunday 1-3

$349,000 – 38 Duff St. Unit 38, 6 room, 2 bed, 1 bath townhouse, Open House: Sunday 12-2

$640,000 – 349 School St., 7 room, 4 bed, 1.5 bath colonial, Open Houses: Friday 11:30-12:30 Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 12-1:30

$390,000 – 290 Pleasant St.

Development

See the Latest Documents Submitted for the Athenahealth Project

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Watertown’s Department of Community Development and Planning released the following links to documents relating to the major renovation of the Arsenal on the Charles by owner Athenahealth. The company will present its plan to the Planning Board on Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Here is the announcement:

Athenahealth has submitted updated documents for the Campus Master Plan for the Arsenal on the Charles.  A staff report and supporting documents have also been finalized and uploaded. The new documents include:

Staff Report: http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19582
Design Peer Review:  http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19579
Transportation Peer Review: http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19580
Comments received as of June 9 2016: http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19581
Updated Special Permit Plans and Documents
Petitioner’s Memo on updates: http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19583
Updates Site Plan Review Narrative: http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19584
Updated Site Plans: http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19585
Transportation Improvements Proposed: http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19586
Final Draft Transportation Demand Management Program: http://www.watertown-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19587

You can also look at the entire list of documents by clicking the link to the project folder.  Please be aware that some of the files are very large and can take a long time to open so please be patient.

Real Estate

Here are the Eight Homes That Sold in Watertown This Week

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See the eight homes that sold this week in Watertown. $920,000 – 77 Summer St. Unit 77, 8 room, 4 bedroom, 3 full & 2 half bathroom, Other (See Remarks) single-family home

$527,500 – 18 Dwight St., 6 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, single-family home

$598,000 – 29 Harrington St. Unit 29, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 3 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

$563,000 – 34 Partridge St., 7 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, Ranch single-family home

Sponsored by:

$451,000 – 708 Belmont St. Unit 708 6 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

$660,500 – 107 Stoneleigh Road, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, Cape single-family home

$821,805 – 14-16 Marlboro Ter., 2 unit, 13 total room, 6 total bedroom, 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down multi-family home

$460,000 – 44-46 Carver Road East Unit 2, 7 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

Real Estate

See the Open Houses on July 4th Weekend in Watertown

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There are a few properties to look at this weekend in Watertown. $684,900 – 11 Hersom St. Unit 2, 6 room, 3 bed, 2.t bath detached, Open Houses: Saturday 1-3 Sunday 12-2

$849,900 – 8 Hawthorne St., 11 room, 4 bed, 4 bath colonial, Open House: Saturday 12-1

$994,500 – 153 Russell Ave., 8 room, 4 bed, 2 bath colonial, Open House: Sunday 12-1

Sponsored by: