Development

Town Council Increases Requirement for Affordable Housing in New Projects

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Developers will be required to provide more affordable housing in most residential projects built in Watertown after the Town Council’s vote on Tuesday night. The Council approved changes to the Town’s Inclusionary Zoning Requirements, but there were questions about who would qualify to live in the affordable units. Previously the requirement was 12.5 percent of the units for most areas of town, but that amount was increased for projects of 20 units or more. The requirement for projects with 6-19 unit projects will remain at 12.5 percent. Also, the income requirements change for the projects that would have to provide 15 percent affordable units. For projects of 20 or more units, 10 percent of units in a rental project (or 2/3 of the affordable units) will be for people who meet the 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) standard, and 5 percent of the units are for those meeting the 65 percent of the AMI threshold, which would be $63,800 for a family of four, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

Arsenal Street

Town Working With Developers to Fix Issues on Arsenal Street

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Travelers of Arsenal Street will have noticed the sticking point as you head west toward Watertown Square near the Lexus dealer. Town officials are working with the developers of a nearby apartment complex to fix the situation. The problem has been caused by the new raised bicycle path that runs in front of the block of businesses on that area of Arsenal Street and stretches a bit too far. The extra section causes a choke point when drivers try to turn left onto Louise Street because cars have no room to go around, said Town Engineer Matt Shuman. “The bump out was supposed to end west of Louise,” Shuman said.

Real Estate

Watertown is Full of Open Houses This Weekend

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Check out the open houses around Watertown this week. $799,000 – 63-65 Burnham St., 2 unit, 13 total room, 6 total bedroom 2 family, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30

$250,000 – 8 Riverside St. Unit 1-2, 3 room, 1 bed, 1 bath garden, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30

$379,000 – 58 Grant Ave. Unit 58, 5 room, 2 bed, 1 bath townhouse, Open Houses: Saturday 12-2 Sunday 12-2

$695,000 – 168 Sycamore St. Unit 168, 7 room, 3 bed, 2.5 bath townhouse, Open House: Sunday 12:30-1:45

$519,000 – 151 Coolidge Ave.

Development

New Apartment Complex on Arsenal Street Opens its Doors, Retail Coming

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Gables Arsenal Street, one of the new apartment complexes in Watertown, has opened its first phase, and will eventually add more buildings, including a commercial area which could have a small market. 

The complex, located at 204 Arsenal Street, opened on Oct. 15, and several of the luxury apartments have already been occupied, said Makrina Ormond, Community Manager for Gables Arsenal Street. Gables Arsenal Street will eventually have 296 units, but the first phase has 84 units, Ormond said. There is a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments and one townhouse. The complex is pet friendly – cats and some dogs – and offers amenities such as a pool, a patio with a barbecue and a fire pit, a movie theater style media room, a fitness center and a yoga and spin room, Ormond said.

Real Estate

Five Watertown Homes Sell This Week, Including One for Nearly $1 Million

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One of the homes that sold in Watertown this week fetched close to $1 million. $929,000 – 59 Adams Ave., 7 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, single-family home

$585,000 – 414 Mount Auburn St., 7 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, Colonial single-family home

$743,000 – 153 Summer St. Unit 153, 7 room, 4 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

Sponsored by:

$871,000 – 195 Watertown St. Unit 195, 7 room, 4 bedroom, 3 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

$760,000 – 34 Hovey St., 2 unit, 14 total room, 6 total bedroom, 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down multi-family home

Real Estate

See This Week’s Watertown Open Houses

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There are several open houses to choose from this weekend in Watertown. $659,900 – 64-66 Waltham St., 2 unit, 12 total room, 4 total bedroom, Open House: Saturday 12-1:30

$710,000 – 168 Sycamore St. Unit 168, 7 room, 3 bed, 2.5 bath townhouse, Open Houses: Saturday 10:30-12 Sunday 10:30-12

$479,000 – 210 Belmont St. Unit 3, 6 room, 2 bed, 2.5 bath townhouse, Open Houses: Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 11:30-1

$529,900 – 4 Bradford Road Unit 2, 6 room, 3 bed, 1 bath 2/3 family, Open Houses: Saturday 12-1:30 Sunday 12-1:30

$419,900 – 232 Edenfield Ave., 6 room, 3 bed, 1.5 bath cape, Open Houses: Saturday 11:30-1 Sunday 11:30-1

$649,900 – 199 Coolidge Ave. Unit 312, 5 room, 2 bed, 2.5 bath high-rise, Open Houses: Friday 5-6:30 Saturday 11-1 Sunday 11-1

Sponsored by:

$449,000 – 22 Paul St.

Arsenal Mall

Developers Reveal the Arsenal Mall’s New Name, Coming Before Town Soon

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The Arsenal Mall will not only be renovated and redeveloped, but owners Boylston Properties will also rename it Arsenal Yards. Bill McQuillan, principal of Boylston Properties, revealed the new name in an article in the Boston Globe. The project has been presented to the Planning Board once, but developers will be back in Town Hall on Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. to discuss traffic and transportation. The board may vote on the project that night.