Development

Council Considering Options for Arsenal Street Moratorium

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The Town Council voted to have a public hearing to consider how to approach a citizens petition asking for a moratorium on development on Arsenal Street. Wednesday night the Council heard from the petitioners, who want to put a hold on new large projects on Arsenal Street. The petition was started after some large projects have been proposed, and others appear to be in the pipeline. The Council will likely decide how to proceed with a moratorium at the meeting on July 22 at 6 p.m. in Town Hall. “Its not only time sensitive because of the petition, but also something being brought forward with all the things (projects being brought),” said Town Council President Mark Sideris.

Business

Hair Salon Owner Feeling at Home in Watertown

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Three years ago Meghan Moran decided to open her own business and moved from Newbury Street to Watertown, where she transformed a motorcycle store into a hair salon. Moran opened Alainn, 1 Louise St., and she said her business has been going strong since. She named it for the Gallic word for beautiful, in honor of her Irish heritage. “My goal is for everyone to leave here feeling beautiful,” Moran said. She cuts and colors hair, and also does some bridal services.

Development

LETTER: Resident Opposes Moratorium on Arsenal Street Developments

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All,

If you move next to vacant or underutilized industrial property you should not be surprised if the site gets redeveloped! I am NOT in favor of a one-year moratorium on the Arsenal Street redevelopment. I am in favor of reasonable refinement of the projects planned based on the Pleasant Street experience gained. Step-backs with height limitations are important. I have lived in Watertown for 25 years now.

Development

Council Discussing Making Transition Zones Between Industrial, Residential Areas

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With a tide of development hitting Watertown, a Town Council subcommittee will discuss creating transition zones between industrial areas and residential neighborhoods. Councilor Aaron Dushku made the motion to analyze and look at creating residential transition zones at last week’s Town Council meeting. The council approved the motion and the issue will be discussed by the Economic Development and Planning subcommittee. The town is in the midst of creating a Comprehensive Plan to help shape the town in the future, but Dushku said he does not think that it has fine enough detail for things such as neighborhoods. “We [the Council] got such pushback over the last few years from Pleasant Street residents, that this has been on my mind,” Dushku said in an email.

Development

Residents Start Movement to Have a Moratorium on Development on Arsenal Street

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In the wake of the Planning Board’s decision to allow a seven-story garage to be built at the Arsenal on the Charles, a effort has started to put in a moratorium to halt large buildings going up, such as the garage. The Arsenal Street Corridor effort is lead by resident Marcia Ciro, who lives on a small side street of North Beacon Street, very close to the Arsenal complex. She said the town has already had large developments along Pleasant Street that have been unpopular with neighbors. In the flyer she handed out at the Watertown Comprehensive Plan meeting she wrote:
“The Chair of the Planning Board [John Hawes Jr.] state that the 79 ft. for the Arsenal seemed reasonable given they already approved 79 ft.

Development

LETTER: Group Concerned About Future of Arsenal Street After Planning Board Vote

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TO: Michael J. Driscoll, Town Manager; Steven Magoon, Director of Community Development and Planning; Honorable Town Council; Planning Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals
FROM: Concerned Citizens Group, Inc.
DATE: 6/18/14
It is disheartening to hear the recommendation on 6/11 for current Cresset-Hanover-WS plans to move forward to Zoning Board of Appeals for consideration. After many public discussions about “learning from Pleasant St” and not wanting homogeneous, long corridors, canyonization, and projects disconnected from the surrounding contexts, etc , in addition to all the good work put into drafting a new Comprehensive Plan, we are in disbelief. Concerned Citizens Group “CCG” continues our appeal for a coordinated effort between developers/owners, Planning/Zoning, and the neighbors. As you are aware, as part of our ongoing appeal to Town, we completed a vision statement for our neighborhood four years ago (see attached). By following a similar process modeled by Athena-Boylston Properties efforts on the Arsenal Overlay Development District, an overlay for the Watertown Square end of Arsenal St corridor could also be accomplished in short order.

Development

Planning Board OKs Seven Story Parking Garage at Arsenal on the Charles

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The Planning Board gave the go ahead to the owners of the Arsenal on the Charles to build a parking garage that will be 90 feet tall. 

The parking structure will have seven stories, which will reach the maximum height of 79 feet, and then will have a “green” roof with grass or other things growing on it. This roof will increase the height to 90 feet. The roof is needed so the top floor does not have to be plowed when it snows. The garage will have about 1,800 spaces, and will allow owners athenahealth to remove the same number of spaces from ground level in the complex that stretches along Arsenal Street, said Larry Beals, architect with Beals Associates Inc. which is designing the garage and other changes in the Arsenal. When completed 94 percent of the parking will be in garages, compared to 58 percent now. Residents worried about the size of the structure.

Around Town

Tufts Health Plan Lends a Helping Hand Around Watertown

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Groups of people in blue T-shirts could be seen around Watertown last week working on a variety of projects – all part of the Tufts Health Plan Corporate Volunteer Day. More than 130 employees of the company based on Mt. Auburn Street in Watertown took part in the company’s sixth annual volunteer day. Some cleared brush and planted flowers and plants at the Commander’s Mansion and the Old Burying Place; while others painted the railing at Watertown’s Main Street Bridge, buildings at Arsenal Park and a wall at Filippello Park.  

A wall on Baptist Walk (off Mt.