Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/business/page/205/?sfw=pass1702248301)
The proposed CVS in East Watertown will come back in front of the Zoning Board of Appeals for the second time on Wednesday, Jan. 28. The last time it came before the ZBA, the meeting ran about five hours and many residents spoke against having the 13,300 square foot pharmacy at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Arlington streets. Many say it is too big for the Coolidge Square area.
Check out the open houses around Watertown this weekend. $579,000 – 40 Royal Unit 40, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom townhouse, Open House: Sunday 12-1:30 p.m.
Sponsored by:
$925,000 – 75 Summer St. Unit 75, 3 bedroom, 3 full 2 half bath townhouse, Open House: Sunday 2-3:30 p.m.
Developers of the proposed Elm Street hotel met stiff resistance to their plan from East Watertown residents who are frustrated by the increase in development in their neighborhood. The 102-room, five story hotel would be one of several projects proposed or even approved on the East End of town. The “upper, mid-range” hotel would be aimed at business travelers and would go on the former Atlantic Battery Company facility at 80 Elm St., behind Target at the Watertown Mall. Developer Cherag Patel of Elm Hospitality LLC said the hotel would not be a Red Roof Inn, as had been rumored, but he could not say which brand it would be due to a confidentiality agreement. It would be similar to a Hampton Inn or Hyatt House, and would have a pool for guests, but not restaurant or meeting space.
Looking for a car to the airport or to take a group of friends to the casinos, you have a new local choice in luxury transportation. Watertown’s Darren Cummings, who has run Express Tires for 15 years, recently launched Madison Limousine Services. “I think there is a need in the area,” Cummings said. “There are not a lot of competition in Waltham, Belmont and Newton.” He looked to his family for inspiration for the name.
Get into the spirit of the season and do some networking at the Watertown Belmont Chamber of Commerce’s Holiday Party. The party will be held on Thursday, Jan. 22 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Plumbing Museum, 80 Rosedale Road in Watertown. Enjoy some great food and complimentary wine and beer. Tickets cost $25 for Chamber Members and $35 for non-members.
See the homes that sold in Watertown this week. $520,000 – 11 Church Hill St. Unit 11, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse
$380,000 – 210 Palfrey St., 6 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Bungalow single-family home
Sponsored by:
$370,000 – 119 Spruce Street Unit 1, 6 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse
$846,000 – 113 Watertown St Unit 113, 9 room, 4 bedroom, 5 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse
A number of homes have open houses in Watertown this weekend. $579,000 – 14-14A Charles St., 2 unit, 12 total room, 6 total bedroom, Open House: Sunday 1:30-3 p.m.
$925,000 – 75 Summer St. Unit 75, 3 bedroom, 3 full 2 half bathroom townhouse, Open House: Sunday 2-3:30 p.m.
Sponsored by:
$529,000 – 12 Wilson Ave. Unit 12, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom 2 family, Open House:
Saturday 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
$379,000 – 87 Fayette St. Unit 87, 2 bedroom, 1 bathrooom 3 family, Open House: Saturday 1-3 p.m.
Come and see what Watertown’s new design standards and guidelines will look like at a community meeting on Jan. 22.
The meeting – the third in the series of community meetings on the design standards and guidelines – will be held at Watertown Middle School on Thursday, Jan. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m.
At a meeting in October, consultant David Gamble of Gamble Associates explained what design standards and guidelines can do and what they cannot do. They can:
Improve the character of new developments
Articulate standards of quality
Provide Examples
Represent spatial and dimensional criteria graphically
Gamble also warned they can also go too far, and make all new buildings look the same or be too restrictive. What they can’t do is:
Regulate building use
Replace zoning or building codes
Redesign streets and public rights-of-way
Masterplan areas of the town
The town has created a website about the design standards and guidelines: http://www.watertown-ma.gov/index.aspx?NID=831
See previous stories on this subject:
Design Standards – What They Are, What Residents Want
Town Council Rejects Moratorium, Will Fast Track New Design Guidelines
Town Hiring Consultant to Create New Design Standards, Guidelines