Development

Learn About Greystar’s Plans for Arsenal/Irving Streets

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The developers of a major project at Arsenal and Irving Streets in Watertown will discuss the latest details of the residential and commercial proposal. Representatives from Greystar Real Estate Partners will hold the meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 6 from 6-9 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library. Greystar is working with local partners Oak Tree FX, and the project is a test case for the town’s new design guidelines and standards being developed to shape how Watertown will look in the future. “This is an opportunity to view the project as currently envisioned and consider changes suggested by the ongoing design guidelines and standards being developed by the town,” the meeting notice reads.

Business

Subcommittee Recommends Locations for New Liquor Licenses

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Watertown could be getting 15 more liquor licenses for restaurants, and a group of Town Council subcommittees designated where they could be used. The members of the joint committees of the Rules & Ordinances, Economic Development & Planning, and Public Safety voted to send a proposal to the full Town Council. The town currently has more than 30 licenses, awarded by the state based on the town’s population. These can be sold and transferred by the holders. The new ones would be linked to a particular address and business, and would be leased out by the town, so they cannot be transferred or sold.

Development

See Drawings of the Latest Hotel Proposal in East Watertown

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Developers have come forward with preliminary plans for a hotel off of Arsenal Street, behind Target in Watertown. Elm Street Hospitality LLC has requested a developer’s conference with the town’s Planning Department to discuss the hotel proposed for 80 Elm Street – the former Atlantic Battery building. The spot is just down Elm Street from the recently approved Residence Inn by Marriott at the corner of Arsenal and Elm streets. According to engineering documents submitted to the Planning Department the hotel would be five stories tall and cover about 12,000 square feet of the 36,000-square-foot parcel.The total floor space would be 66,604 square feet. The documents were drawn up by Bohler Engineering of Southborough.

Government

LETTER: Fire Union President Reacts to Council Rejecting Contract

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As President of the Watertown Firefighters Union, Local 1347, I write today to express my and my membership’s extreme disappointment with the Town Council’s decision to reject the Joint Labor Management Committee’s (JLMC) decision relative to the collective bargaining agreement between the Local and the Town. The tripartite JLMC panel, comprised of a management representative, a labor representative and a neutral arbitrator is empowered by Chapter 589 of the Acts of 1987 to resolve disputes between public safety employees (who by statute lack the ability to go on strike like all the other unions) and cities/towns that have remained unresolved for unreasonable periods of time. In this case, after nearly 6 fruitless years of bargaining, mediation and arbitration the JLMC, after reviewing supportive documentation from both parties and hearing their testimony rendered their decision known as an “award” in late October 2014. The award included the accepted proposals from both parties that this neutral panel believed to fairly represent the wants and needs of the parties collectively. Not all of either parties’ proposals were accepted by the panel.

Development

Residents Wonder if East Watertown CVS Project is Being Rushed

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The CVS proposed for East Watertown had its first hearing in front of the Zoning Board of Appeals Wednesday and residents said they worry that the approval of the project is being rushed. The project has met resistance since it was proposed, both from residents and the town boards. Last week, the Planning Board voted 3-1 against supporting the proposed 13,000-square-foot project at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Arlington streets. Neighbors and residents expressed the same concerns as they did during the Planning Board hearings – about lights, noise and most of all traffic.

Development

Town Looking to Buy Small Piece of Land in Watertown

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The Town Council approved purchasing a small piece of former railroad property near Arsenal Street that could be key to nearby new developments. 

The Council approved spending $35,000 for the 3,300-square-foot parcel located at the end of Phillips Street. The state got the first right of refusal when the Pan Am Systems/Boston & Maine Corp. placed the right-of-way for a the former Watertown Branch of railroad up for sale. On Dec. 2, the town received a letter saying that the state did not intend to purchase the land, and notified officials that “The Town of Watertown has been designated as the purchaser for the [railroad] parcel.”

Business

Planning Board’s Vote a Blow to East Watertown CVS Proposal

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The East Watertown CVS proposal did not pass muster with the Planning Board, but the Coolidge Square project is not dead. Wednesday night, the Planning Board heard from developers about changes made to the proposed 13,300-square-foot pharmacy at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Arlington streets. Architect Kevin Patten of BKA Architects showed drawings of the new facade which included a scaled down front entrance that would not protrude as much above the roofline, and the glass split up by glazing so they do not look like such large panes of glass. Another alteration was the addition of more landscaping and a wall that curves to “blur the line” between what is CVS and what is the public sidewalk, Patten said.

Government

Town Council Rejects Watertown Firefighters Contract

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Despite pleas from firefighters to end the long standing contract dispute and an award decided by a neutral arbitrator the Town Council rejected the Watertown Firefighters contract on Tuesday. Members of Local 1347 have worked for more than five years without a contract. When negotiations failed, the town and the union went to mediation and finally they took the process to a state arbitrator. The arbitrator’s award came out in October, and called for $2.74 million in back pay for raises, longevity payment and for EMT qualifications. The firefighters had plenty of backing from the Watertown Fire Department – which filled the room at Town Hall, along with labor leaders from the local, state and national level.