Around Town

Find Out More About Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

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Massachusetts State House. The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance provided the following Q&A about Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the program that was created by the Federal CARES Act. The new program provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals who are not eligible for other types of unemployment, including gig-workers, self-employed, those who have lost work hours and people who had a job offer rescinded due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Find out more information and how to apply for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program by clicking here. Frequently Asked Questions

Does the CARES Act provide benefits to workers who have been ineligible for regular or extended benefits until now?

148 Waltham St.

85 Walnut St., Old Sterritt Lumber Site Projects on Zoning Board Agenda

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A rendering of the proposed apartment complex at 148 Waltham St., the former Sterritt Lumber site. The project proposed for the former Doble Engineering property at 85 Walnut Street, and the apartment building proposed for the former Sterritt Lumber site on Waltham Street will be heard by the Watertown Zoning Board of Appeals Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The board will meet using the Zoom app, and will also be televised by Watertown Cable. The meeting will be held remotely to comply with orders related to the COVID-19 outbreak. The public will have remote opportunities for participation by joining the Zoom meeting, by phone or by sending emails. Developers of the former Sterritt Lumber site have filed for a comprehensive permit for the proposed apartment which was initially proposed as a Chapter 40B project.

Real Estate

Several Watertown Homes Sold This Week

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See the six properties sold in town this week. $742,800 – 383 School St. Unit 383, Condo – 2/3 Family, 1,908 Living Area Sq. Ft., 7 Room, 3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bathroom

$429,000 – 81 Pierce Road Unit 226, Condo – Townhouse, 874 Living Area Sq. Ft., 5 Room, 2 Bedroom, 1 Full Bathroom

$410,000 – 258 Lexington St.

Business

Town Survey Surveying Small Businesses About How COVID-19 Has Impacted Them

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The Town of Watertown has created a survey to hear from small businesses in town and how they have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The online survey asks more than two dozen questions, including when businesses seek to reopen, how the community can help them and how much revenue they have lost due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The survey was posted by Watertown Department of Community Development and Planning. The survey will be open for a couple of weeks. CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

Business

Watertown Company Developed More Accurate COVID-19 Testing Swabs

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The following announcement was created by Watertown-based Markforged:

 Markforged, the leading manufacturer of metal and carbon fiber 3D printers, today announced that it is partnering with Neurophotometrics to produce Fiberflex Rayon, a 3D printed nasopharyngeal (NP) swab for use in diagnostic testing for COVID-19. The new 3D printed swabs take just minutes to make, and in testing, they successfully detected the virus in all of the patients, while the commercial swabs reported false negatives. The team is currently producing 10,000 swabs per day, with plans to scale to 100,000 per day. “Identifying COVID-19 infected patients is the best way to slow down the spread of the disease, but we’re seeing a lot of issues with wide-scale testing,” said Greg Mark, CEO and Founder of Markforged. “There are massive shortages of nasal swabs and to make matters worse, hospitals are reporting false negatives with the current swabs on the market.”

In a collaborative effort by the San Diego Covid Research Enterprise Network (SCREEN) Initiative — a group of scientists, students, research institutions, and others in the San Diego area — Neurophotometrics, Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, the Scripps Research Institute, and the University of California San Diego designed and tested the 3D printed swabs with fifty volunteers.

Business

Watertown Business Coalition Hosting Online Coffee Connect

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The Watertown Business Coalition invites you to join its virtual coffee connect on April 22. After a general discussion, attendees will break out into smaller groups to discuss specific topics:

Working with SBA Loans, Banks and CreditorsIndependent Contractor IssuesPlanning for a RecoveryHospitality Corner: Restaurants, Caterers, Food Service, Functions, etc.Social Media & Marketing in Our Current Business EnvironmentTalk of the Town: Watertown Specific Issues & HELPING Our Community

The group sent out the following information about the event:

The Watertown Business Coalition presents:COFFEE CONNECTWednesday, April 22  |  9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.In the comfort of your own home! Watertown Business Coalition is hosting an online forum to discuss the challenges of our COVID altered reality and a path back to some level of economic normalcy. Our online forum is free to Watertown Residents and our Business Community:

Format will include:

Find a comfortable place in the home with a cup of coffee or tea! General Session run by WBC Leadership TeamChoice of up to two breakout rooms with relevant themes

Let’s get through these times together, Watertown! 

WHEN: Wednesday, April 22, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

WHERE: Your home! 

The Watertown Business Coalition was started by a group of people doing business in Watertown and town residents looking to make local connections, and to support and strengthen the Watertown business community. 

The Watertown Business Coalition invites the following groups to the Coffee Connect:

All in the Watertown Business CommunityResidents who own a business in or out of town Entrepreneurs seeking Networking OpportunitiesFormer Members of Watertown-Belmont Chamber of CommerceThose looking to connect with business owners in Watertown

Register to let us know you are coming!

Real Estate

Three Watertown Homes Sold This Week

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These three properties were sold this week around town. $442,500 – 73 Carroll St. Unit 73, Condo – Townhouse, 954 Living Area Sq. Ft.,6 Room, 3 Bedroom, 1 Full Bathroom

$675,000 – 507 Main St. Unit 507, Condo – Townhouse, 1,229 Living Area Sq.

Business

Watertown Farmers Market Plans to Open on Schedule, Vendors Offer Delivery & Pick Up Ordering

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The Watertown Farmers’ Market will be back this June, organizers say. Residents can support the vendors who appear at the Watertown Farmers Market even before the season begins in June, and organizers say that the market plans to open on schedule in June. While the COVID-19 outbreak has closed many businesses, Stephanie Venizelos, manager of the Watertown Farmers Market, said that the market will be opening in June. “Farmers markets have been declared an essential business, like grocery stores,” Venizelos said. “We are planning for a safe market that adheres to all the guidelines.”