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LETTER: Residents Ask Council to Increase Linkage Fee to $15/Sq. Ft.

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Note to reader: There has been a lot of talk recently in Watertown about the need for more affordable housing. One thing everyone in Watertown can do to help build more affordable housing is to attend the City Council Meeting on 4/11 at 7:00 PM and voice their support for proposed linkage fee ordinance that would raise money for affordable housing by applying a modest fee to new large non-residential developments in the city. While there is some debate about the exact fee amount (below is a copy of our letter to the City Council outlining the case for a $15/sqft fee), the most important issue to make sure the linkage fee is implemented as soon as possible, so we do not lose out on any more funds for affordable housing. 

Dear City Council President Sideris and City Councilors Gardner, Feltner, Piccirilli, Izzo, Airasian, Bays, Gannon, and Palomba:

We applaud the City Council’s efforts to promote affordable housing, first by establishing the Watertown Affordable Housing Trust and now by working with our state delegation to establish a linkage fee to directly fund affordable housing development. As the council considers enactment of the linkage fee, we urge the council to adopt a linkage fee of $15 per square foot, which our technical analysis below shows is in line with recent increases in residential construction costs not measured by the original Nexus study published last year. The Nexus study published last April recommended the council consider a linkage fee in the range of $9.44 to $11.12, which balances raising revenue for affordable housing while maintaining Watertown’s competitive position in the commercial (mainly focusing on life sciences) development space.

Around Town

LETTER: How Will Main St. Project Impact Post Office, The Square & Affordable Housing?

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An illustration of the project at 104-126 Main St. submitted to the City. Designed by Icon Architecture. By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

Well, next week is a big week for O’Connor Capital Partners and their project at 104-126 Main Street in Watertown Square. The Watertown Planning Board meeting is on Wednesday, April 12th at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chamber (second Floor) at City Hall (and remote), and it seems to me that it will sail right through the approval process.

Around Town

Kura Sushi Offers Anime Themed Prizes For Limited Time

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The following announcement was provided by Kura Sushi:

Kura Sushi USA, Inc., a leading technology-enabled Japanese restaurant concept serving authentic Japanese cuisine through an engaging revolving sushi service model, is partnering for the second time with popular Japanese anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba for an all-new, limited-time Bikkura Pon collaboration! This collaboration will be available exclusively at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar U.S. restaurants from April 1 through May 31, or until supplies last. The new Demon Slayer x Kura Sushi Bikkura Pon prize collection includes three zipper accessories, four acrylic stand keychains and three can badges. Kira Sushi has a location at Arsenal Yards in Watertown. “After the excitement and success generated by our first Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba partnership last year, we knew guests would crave another Bikkura Pon prize collection that highlights the manga series’ characters in a new way,” said Sally Kurosaki, Promotions & Licensing Manager of Kura Sushi USA, Inc. “Kura is proud to align with popular Japanese culture tastemakers to create strategic brand partnerships that introduce our fresh, authentic sushi to new audiences, and surprise and delight our guests with consistently new, enticing Bikkura Pon prizes.”

The limited-time collectibles are dispensed from Kura Sushi USA’s proprietary Bikkura Pon Prize System, an integral part of the brand’s interactive and tech-driven dining experience.

Around Town

Mural Coming to Watertown Square Celebrates Artist’s Love, Vision for His New Hometown

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The mural, called “I See a Dream,” planned to be created on the wall outside CVS in Watertown Square by Amir Tabatabaei. A large wall in the center of Watertown will get a bright new look when a local artist creates a mural inspired by his experience moving to his new hometown. The project will be the first public art for its creator since he emigrated from Iran. Amir Tabatabaei will work on the mural that will go on the side of the CVS on Main Street in Watertown Square starting this spring. It will start where the gate opens onto Merchant’s Row, the alley off of Main Street, and unfolds along the wall.

Around Town

See Artwork Around Watertown, Join a YardArt Guided Tour

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The creativity of Watertown residents is on display this month during YardArt. A couple of guided tours are scheduled to visit some of the displays, or create your own using the list on the YardArt website. A walking tour on April 14 will be led by Public Arts & Culture Planner Liz Helfer, and on April 23, the Bike & Pedestrian Committee will lead a bicycling tour. Guided YardArt Watertown Walking tour: Friday, April 14, 2023, at 1pm

Meet in front of the Watertown City Hall at 149 Main Street with Public Arts & Culture Planner, Liz Helfer. Liz will take you on a tour of nearby YardArt locations and discuss upcoming public art in Watertown. The tour will take approximately one hour and start at 1pm.

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Patrick’s PALS 3 on 3 Tourney Raising Funds for Research of an Inherited Cause of Autism

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The Patricks PALS 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament will take place at Bentley this year. The event raises money for research into Fragile X Syndrome. The Patrick’s PALS 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament returns in for the 27th time, and it will have a new home at Bentley University. This year’s tournament will take place on June 3, 2023, at Bentley University’s Dana Physical Education Center. The event raises money for FRAXA Research Foundation, which does research into Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited cause of autism and intellectual disabilities that affects 1 in 4,000 boys and 1 in 8,000 girls worldwide, according to FRAXA.

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Our History: New Nation Signs First Treaty in Watertown

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In 2002, local artist Henry Zunino sculpted a magnificent terra-cotta bas-relief of the signing of the Treaty of Watertown and presented it to the Historical Society. A copy was also produced and presented to the Town Council. It now resides in the foyer of Town Hall. A Dedication Ceremony was held July 13, 2004 at in the Town Hall Foyer. (Courtesy of Joyce Kelly)

This article is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown.