Around Town

Support Building for Removing Watertown Dam from Charles River

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Charlie BreitroseThe Watertown Dam near Watertown Square slows the flow of the Charles River. A group is advocating removing the dam. The group pushing to have the Watertown Dam removed from the Charles River received a major grant, and the effort got the support of the Charles River Chamber of Commerce. The Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) has appealed to the Watertown City Council to support removing the dam located just west of the Galen Street Bridge in Watertown Square. The decision will be made at the state level, because it falls under the control of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

Business

Future of Life Science Industry to be Discussed by Panel at Chamber’s Virtual Event

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The Charles River Regional Chamber will host a virtual panel discussion focusing on the future of the life science sector in the area, development and more. “The Value of Life Science Development and Future Impact,” will take place on Thursday, April 13, from 11 a.m. to noon via Zoom. The event is free and open to members & nonmembers. The Chamber provided the following description:

There’s been plenty of worrisome headlines about the fate of Greater Boston’s life science sector. An oversaturated real estate market? Declining stock values and IPOs?

Around Town

See the Chamber’s Virtual Watertown Business Community Town Hall, Take the City’s Survey

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Charles River Regional ChamberA screenshot from the Charles River Regional Chamber’s video featuring Watertown. The Charles River Chamber recently hosted a virtual gathering of the Watertown business community where attendees learned about the Comprehensive Plan update. The City’s survey about the update ends Friday, March 24, so now is your chance to be heard about Watertown’s future. The Charles River Chamber sent out the following information:

Finally this week, my thanks to Watertown Senior Planner Larry Field for joining us at our virtual Watertown Business Community Town Hall for a presentation explaining the city’s draft Comprehensive Plan (as well as his unsolicited “PSA” about this newsletter). No idea what a Comprehensive Plan is?

Around Town

Watertown Business Community Town Hall Being Hosted by Charles River Chamber

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The Charles River Chamber of Commerce will host a Watertown Business Community Town Hall on Wednesday, March 22 from 9 to 10 a.m. via Zoom. The event is free for members & non-members. The Chamber sent out the following information:

Watertown has experienced a remarkable period of growth and change that’s projected to continue in the coming years. By 2031, the city is expected to add more than 6,000 jobs, mostly in the research and development sectors. A positive impact of this economic development is that it will increase the non-residential tax base.

Around Town

Real Estate Networking Event Hosted by Charles River Chamber

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The Charles River Regional Chamber will host a networking event in Watertown for real estate professionals. The Chamber sent out the following information:

Join the Chamber’s Real Estate Committee for a night of in-person networking at Compass Kitchen’s showroom in Watertown. Meet local Investors, residential realtors, commercial brokers, property managers, mortgage brokers, and legal and financial services professionals. Real Estate Networking Event

WHEN: Thurs. March 16, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Compass Kitchen, 110 Arlington St., Watertown

COST: Free for members, $25 for nonmembers

RSVP Here

Around Town

Chamber’s Love Local Effort Supports Restaurants & Residents in Need

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The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Regional Chamber:

The Charles River Regional Chamber is launching a month-long campaign in February designed to support the restaurant community in Newton, Needham, Watertown and Wellesley, while also helping those in need. The Love Local: Supporting Our Restaurants & Our Community campaign is designed to encourage dining locally at a time when restaurants continue to struggle in a challenging economy. In addition, about 30 area chamber member restaurants are organizing a clothing drive to give back while visiting their favorite restaurants. “While Valentine’s Day may be a traditional day to dine out – the Love Local campaign runs all month long with multiple ways to support our restaurants and the community during this short, cold month when all could use a little bit of a boost,” said Chamber President Greg Reibman. Donation boxes at participating restaurant locations spread throughout all four communities will be accepting NEW sweatshirts, sweatpants, t-shirts and other items to help in the cold winter months.

Business

Charles River Chamber Seeks Nominations for Business, Non-Profit Leaders of Color

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The Charles River Regional Chamber sent out the following announcement:

Do you know an outstanding business leader of color, or emerging leader of color, who works and/or sits on a board for a business or nonprofit that is physically located in Newton, Needham, Watertown, Waltham, Wellesley, Natick or Framingham? If so, please consider nominating that person for the “50 Most Influential Business Leaders of Color in Greater Boston’s Western Suburbs” list or the “Emerging Leaders of Color” list due to be published this spring. Both lists are a collaborative project between the Charles River Regional Chamber and Colette Phillips, and her companies Colette Phillips Communications and Get Konnected! and are designed to celebrate, document and encourage a diverse workforce in Greater Boston’s west suburban communities. The report will be an updated — and expanded — version of the original list first published in 2020 that became a resource for corporations and nonprofits looking to hire, looking for board members, looking for expert commentators and looking for thought leaders across the region.

Government

LETTER: City’s Planned Linkage Fee Concerns Regional Chamber

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The following letter was sent by the Charles River Regional Chamber to City Council President Mark Sideris and Planning Board Chair Jeffrey Brown:

Dear President Sideris and Chair Brown:

The Charles River Regional Chamber and the Watertown development community share the city’s commitment to creating and preserving affordable housing and applaud last year’s establishment of the Watertown Affordable Housing Trust. We also support the city’s goal of creating more affordable housing through linkage fees. However, we respectfully caution the city to be thoughtful about implementing the linkage program given the serious economic headwinds — including rising interest rates, material shortages, weakening demand for life science and office space, layoffs in the tech sector, a labor shortage in the building trades and a looming recession — before us. 

Watertown’s linkage fees will inevitably be competitive with fees in Cambridge and Boston. But we fear projects in Watertown will be at a competitive disadvantage to neighboring communities that don’t require linkage payments. We also worry about the impact the high cost of development might have on another one of our shared goals: The revitalization of Watertown Square.