Development

LETTER: Resident Supports Residential Design Standards

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To the Editor:

Mr DiMascio’s letter that posits Residential Design Standards as a property rights issue and a function of big, bad government is a Red Herring. What is a Red Herring? It is a distraction, a false lead. I’d guess that the rest of us are happy that drivers, doctors, and restaurants are licensed; that zoning won’t allow a drive-through eatery on a row of two family houses; that dogs have to get rabies shots; that day care centers are inspected. It’s a trade-off when we choose to live in community, on streets with neighbors, and share civic space with others.

Arsenal on the Charles

Branch Line Restaurant Brings Together Best of Watertown Food Scene

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As a child growing up in Watertown, Andrew Holden saw the Arsenal complex as a forbidding place behind a big fence. Now, he has helped open up a new restaurant, Branch Line, which he hopes to bring many people to the Arsenal on the Charles to enjoy some food and drink – some of it from sources right in town. Holden, the owner of Branch Line, has worked with the owner of the restaurant at Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square. It offers the style of food found in places like Italy, France and Greece, featuring dished prepared on a rotisserie as well as in a wood-fired grill. To begin with, the rotisserie will be used to make chicken, but the menu will evolve over time, Holden said.

Development

Town Holding Meeting to Discuss Ways to Preserve Neighborhoods

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Watertown residents are invited to attend “Preserving Our Neighborhoods: A Community Forum Tools Available to Preserve Neighborhood Character” on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverley Ave. 

The forum will include a panel discussion, a slide presentation, Q&A time and next steps. The event is sponsored by the Town of Watertown and the Neighborhood Advocacy Group. The town sent out the following announcement:

Our Comprehensive Plan identified preservation of the architectural heritage, character and fabric our residential neighborhoods as an important focus for Watertown’s longterm vision. In this Forum we will talk about key issues facing our neighborhoods, elements that contribute to neighborhood character, and tools available to manage residential growth and change, including: residential design guidelines, architectural preservation districts, ordinances, and zoning.

Business

Lt. Gov. Addresses Opiate Crisis, State Economy at Chamber Awards Dinner

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On a night when Watertown groups committed to stopping the opiate crisis received a Chamber of Commerce Award, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito underscored the seriousness of the crisis and the efforts being taken by the Gov. Charlie Baker’s Administration. Polito also talked about efforts to boost the Massachusetts economy and increase funding for towns and schools during her keynote address at the 42nd annual Watertown Belmont Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner Thursday night at the Belmont Country Club. The use and overdoses from opiates and heroin has become a huge problem in Massachusetts, Polito said. “It is a health crisis, not a criminal one – a health crisis first and foremost,” Polito said. The Baker Administration seeks to cut the amount of painkillers containing painkillers prescribed to people.

Real Estate

Open Houses A-Plenty Around Watertown This Weekend

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Home seekers have dozens of options this weekend in Watertown with homes priced from the $300,000’s to $1.2 million. $399,000 – 50 Watertown St. Unit 301, 4 room, 2 bed, 2 bath mid-rise, Handicap Access/Equipped, Open House: Saturday 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

$639,888 – 20 Norseman Ave., 2 unit, 11 total room, 5 total bedroom, Open House: Sunday 12-2 p.m.

$899,000 – 222 Main St. Unit 222, 8 room, 5 bed, 2f 1h bath townhouse, Open Houses: Saturday 12-2 p.m. Sunday 12-2 p.m.

$949,000 – 224 Main St. Unit 224, 7 room, 4 bed, 3 bath townhouse, Open Houses: Saturday 12-2 p.m. Sunday 12-2 p.m.

$469,000 – 58 Edward Road, 7 room, 3 bed, 2 bath cape, Open Houses: Saturday 12-2 p.m. Sunday 12-2 p.m.

$449,000 – 98 Franklin St.

Business

PowerHouse Kickboxing Holding Open House at New Studio in Watertown

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A well known kickboxing instructor has opened a new gym in Watertown, and will host an open house on Saturday. 

Konstantin Selivanov first began training in martial arts 40 years ago in his native Russia. He learned Kung Fu, Karate, Tae Kwon Do and Muay Thai. After running a martial arts club in Russia, he moved to Brooklyn in 1991. In 2004, he headed up to Boston, and opened PowerHouse Kickboxing and Fitness in Cambridge. This month, after 10 years in Cambridge, PowerHouse moved into a 4,000 square-foot space at 150 Belmont St.

Business

Tufts Health Plan Names Vice President for Business Diversity

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Tufts Health Plan today announced Juan Lopera has been appointed vice president of business diversity. In this new role, Lopera will work in close collaboration with leadership across the company’s three principal business divisions – Commercial products, Senior products, and Medicaid/subsidized plans – to implement strategies to increase Tufts Health Plan’s presence in diverse communities. Demographics across the state point to growing diversity. For example, recent census data indicates that Suffolk County now has 52 percent of residents identifying as diverse. Similarly, Worcester County is a “majority-minority” community.