Real Estate

Check Out the Latest Watertown Home Sales

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Home sales continue to be healthy in Watertown even in late November. $308,000 – 85 Bradford Road Unit 85, 5 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

$237,500 – 2 Winthrop Street Unit 3, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Low-Rise condo/townhouse

$490,000 – 194 School Unit 194, 8 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

$361,000 – 22 Homer St Unit 1, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

Government

See How Much Watertown Property Taxes Will Rise

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Watertown property owners will see a increase in their property tax bills, but the overall average is bigger than most people’s reality, Town Assessor Francis Golden told the Town Council Tuesday. Residential property taxes will rise on average 6.25 percent, but he said that number includes the new apartment buildings on Pleasant Street and Waltham Street. “The 6.25 increase is the largest since I’ve been here,” Golden said. “The apartments are skewing that, so it is not realistic for most.”

For most people – 97 percent of homeowners – the increase will be around 3.28 percent, Golden said during his tax presentation (click here to see details). The Town Council approved the tax rate, as well as a shift of the tax burden from residential property owner to CIP taxes (Commercial/Industrial and Personal Property).

Real Estate

A Slew of Watertown Homes Sold This Week

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Take a look at the homes that sold this week in Watertown. $784,000 – 16-18 Richards Road, 2 unit, 14 total room, 6 total bedroom, 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down multi-family home

$829,000 – 14 Stoneleigh Cir., 10 room, 5 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, single-family home

$622,500 – 80 Stoneleigh Road, 4 room, 2 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, Other (See Remarks) single-family home

$455,000 – 76 Westminster Avenue, 8 room, 2 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, Ranch single-family home

Sponsored by:

$560,000 – 10-12 Charles Street, 2 unit, 12 total room, 6 total bedroom, 2 Family multi-family home

$520,000 – 26 Royal Unit 2, 8 room, 4 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, condo/townhouse

$373,000 – 11 Adams Street Unit 2, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

Around Town

See What a Survey of Coolidge Square Residents Found

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Two East Watertown residents decided to ask their neighbors what they thought about Coolidge Square, and particularly about the proposed CVS/Pharmacy and 65 Grove Street proposal. Here’s what they found. Janet Jameson and Deb Peterson put together an online survey and publicized it. They received 90 respondents on questions such as how often the shop in Coolidge Square, what kind of stores would they like to see come to the area and whether their streets are impacted by traffic from the square. Traffic is a big concern for residents, according to the survey, and more than half wanted improved conditions for pedestrians.

Development

Small Piece of Land Has Big Impact on Properties Near Arsenal Street

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A small piece of former railroad property is up for sale and wanted by town officials and a nearby property owner alike. Recently, the town was informed that the pieces of land, which sits next to the end of Phillips Street, was being sold by Pan American Co. The town has the second right of refusal after the state, and the Town Council debated whether to put in their statement if interest in the land. Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon said the town would like to purchase the land and may use it as part of a bicycle and pedestrian path. Right now the land is used by the Webster Trust, which owns the property that includes the Extra Innings baseball facility and other businesses including Imai, Keller, Moore Architects.

Real Estate

Take a Look at the Homes that Sold in Watertown This Week

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Here are this week’s Watertown home sales, take a look at the details. $429,000 – 16 Capitol St. Unit 16, 7 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

Sponsored by:

$412,000 – 91 Spring Street Unit 12, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

$456,214 – 97 Madison Avenue, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Ranch single-family home

Business

Beams from Demolished Watertown Building Have a Bright Future

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When the old Circle Supply building on Bacon Street was torn down, the demolition company found some diamonds among the rubble – old pine wood beams. 

While the wood looked in rough shape, it was just what Cambridge-based Longleaf Lumber wants. The beam are made from heart pine that came from the southern longleaf pine forest and was brought up to construct the building, said Marc Poirier, co-owner of Longleaf. “The building seems to go back to the 1920s, but the wood looks older,” Poirier said. “It is beautiful, dense beams. They have a lot of damage but we will saw off the waste and end up with the pearls inside.” The heart pine is prized because it is rot and insect resistance, but it has been harvested out of existence, except for some groves that have been preserved.

Development

Residents Air Concerns with Coolidge Square CVS to Planning Board

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The Planning Board heard from plenty of concerned residents about plans to transform the corner of Mt. Auburn and Arlington streets into a CVS/Pharmacy. The proposed store and parking lot would replace the gas station at the corner, the Elk’s Club and a small office building in Coolidge Square. The project would include a 13,000 square foot store – slightly larger than the one in Watertown Square – and would have an entrance on the corner and another in the back parking lot. It would add landscaping along Arlington Street and in the parking lot.