Business

Insurance Agency Seeks to Beat Record for Toys for Tots

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Last year, H&K Insurance Agency of Watertown collected the most items for the Toys for Tots drive, and they seek to beat it this year. The toy drive has been able to distribute over 469 million toys to less fortunate children thanks to the help of generous people. In years past, CISR, AAI Treasurer/General Manager Paul Perry and his wife, Daralyn Perry, CISR Commercial Lines Manager, have donated generously to Toys for Tots from their own pockets. They hope others will join them this year. “Helping those in need is something that we really value here at H & K Insurance,” said Perry.

Around Town

Watertown Mall Hosting Job Fair This Week

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Attention job seekers, it is time to head to the mall to find a new job. On Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25, some stores at the Watertown Mall will be holding a job fair. Whether you are looking for part time, full time or seasonal work, you can find it there.

Development

Design Standards – What They Are, What Residents Want

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More than 100 people showed up Wednesday night to find out about Watertown’s new design standards and give input about what they hope to get from them. Design standards and guidelines provide a visual and detailed explanation for how town zoning rules will work. The Town Council approved hiring David Gamble of Gamble Associates to create the new set of standards. During the meeting at Watertown Middle School – Gamble, who is also a Watertown resident – 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.

Business

Watertown Biotech Firm Gets Big Funding Boost

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A Watertown biotech company received $20 million in funding to developing targeted antigen-specific immune therapies for maladies such as gout. Selecta Biosciences Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology, received the money from new and existing investors. “Severe gout is a highly debilitating disease and just one of the potential therapeutic applications of our proprietary Synthetic Vaccine Particle (SVP) platform,” said Werner Cautreels, President and CEO of Selecta. “With a well established development path and favorable pro forma economics, SEL-212 is a great opportunity. SEL-212 is just the beginning for us, as we have identified many biopharmaceuticals, including existing and new classes of biologics such as gene therapy, where the effects of anti-drug antibodies are deleterious.”

The company has offices at 480 Arsenal St.

Development

Planning Board Debates Changes to Pleasant Street Zoning

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The Planning Board debated whether to set aside certain parts of the Pleasant Street Corridor for commercial and retail projects, or leave it open for any types of development. Last week, the board looked at proposed changes to the Pleasant Street Corridor zoning. The special zoning area was created seven years ago to encourage redevelopment of former industrial properties on the West End of Watertown. Most of the projects that have resulted have been large residential ones, some of which were criticized for being too tall and too close to Pleasant Street. The Town Council asked for changes to the zoning to encourage other kinds of projects.

Real Estate

See How Much These Watertown Homes Sold For

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Three condo and townhouses sold this week, see the sales price. $345,000 – 110 Coolidge Hill Road Unit 3, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

Sponsored by:

$511,000 – 9 Church Hill St. Unit 9, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse

$679,900 – 37 Upland Road Unit 37, 6 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, condo/townhouse

Business

Boylston Properties Discusses Plans for Verizon Building

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Boylston Properties plans to turn the Verizon Building behind the Watertown Mall into office space. The owner of large parcels on the Eastside of Watertown said it plans to turn the building at 480C Boylston St. into a 160,000 square-foot office building, according to a story on Banker & Tradesman’s website. Boylston Properties President William McQuillan said he hopes to create space for biotech or technology companies. Read the whole story here: http://www.bankerandtradesman.com/news161379.html

Real Estate

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

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Three homes sold this week in Watertown, see the details below. $585,000 – 180-182 Boylston St., 2 unit, 10 total room, 4 total bedroom, 2 Family – 2 Units Up/Down multi-family home

Sponsored by:

$521,000 – 313 Common Street Unit 2, 9 room, 4 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, 2/3 Family condo/townhouse

$560,000 – 56 Bartlett Street Unit 56, 7 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full & 1 half bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse