- Government
- Boards & Commissions
- Community Preservation Committee
- CPA Projects Funded FY 2022-2025
CPA Projects Funded FY 2022-2025
FY 2025 Funded Projects
Name: Willow Park Redevelopment
Location: 8 Quimby Street
Description: Preservation of Affordable Housing and the Watertown Housing Authority will demolish and reconstruct 60 existing apartments and construct 78 new apartments on the Willow Park Housing Development site. Sixty units will be deeply affordable public housing and 78 will be workforce housing; income restricted to 80% Area Median Income.
CPA Funding: $4,000,000
Name: 1630 & 1930 City Hall Geographical Paintings
Location: Watertown City Hall, 149 Main Street
Description: The Historical Society of Watertown managed this project to stabilize, repair, and preserve two 7.5' x 5.5' paintings that flank the City Hall Foyer. The City Council voted to appropriate additional funds to pay for unbudgeted restoration costs and additional costs for sign panels.
CPA Funding: $14,503
FY 2024 Funded Projects
Name: Walker Pond Conceptual Design and Ecological Studies
Location: Walker Pond, Parcel 807 1B 1A
Description: The Department of Community Development and Planning will supervise the landscape architecture firm; Warner Larson Landscape Architects and their consultant team hired to produce a conceptual design and conduct ecological studies. Resulting survey information along with engineering, environmental, ecological reports will inform the design and use developed through a public engagement process.
CPA Funding: $145,000
Name: Saltonstall Park Rehabilitation
Location: 25 Whites Avenue
Description: The Department of Public Works will enhance and beautify Saltonstall Park using architectural firm, MDLA's design. The project will yield new understory plantings, flowering and shade trees, installation of realigned accessible pathways, new benches, dark sky compliant lighting, as well as fabrication and installation of a permanent performance structure.
CPA Funding: $2,013,745
Name: Browne House Structural Engineering
Location: 562 Main Street
Description: Historic New England will hire Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger to develop structural engineering specifications and create the construction documents that will be used to repair a cracked beam in the Browne House, built circa 1698. The Browne House is on the National and State Historic Registers and features a rare framing style in which beams are framed in a crosswise direction and not tied into posts or a chimney wall.
CPA Funding: $7,245
FY 2023 Funded Projects
Name: Rehabilitation/Preservation of Old Burying Ground and Common Street Cemetery - COMPLETED
Location: Mount Auburn and Arlington Streets/Mount Auburn and Common Streets
Description: The Historical Society of Watertown managed this project to develop historic preservation masterplans for the two oldest cemeteries in Watertown--both owned by the city and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. These masterplans address landscape character, circulation, walls/fencing, gravestones, soil, lawns, other vegetation and trees as well as the long-term maintenance of the cemeteries. Read: Old Burying Ground and Common Street Cemetery Preservation Plan
CPA Funding: $94,590
Name: Commander's Mansion Cultural Landscape Report and Building Exterior Assessment - COMPLETED
Location: 440 Talcott Avenue
Description: The Department of Community Development and Planning managed this project to create a Cultural Landscape Report for and perform a building exterior assessment of the Commander's Mansion. The resulting report and assessment will guide the restoration priorities and preservation of this historic resource. It also makes recommendations for the preservation treatment as well as public access and use. This municipally owned property is on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. Read: Commander's Mansion Cultural Landscape Report and Assessment of Building Exterior
CPA Funding: $102,470
Name: Edmund Fowle House Museum Gutter Replacement - COMPLETED
Location: 28 Marshall Street
Description: The Historical Society of Watertown will manage this project to replace the gutters on this historically significant house found on the National and Massachusetts Registers of Historic Places and owned by the Historical Society of Watertown. In addition to replacing the wood gutters with longer lasting fiberglass gutters, the rotting fascia boards will be replaced with new cedar boards.
CPA Funding: $47,300
The Edmund Fowle House gutters were restored in the fall of 2023. View the final product in the photos below.
Name: 103 Nichols Avenue Group Home - COMPLETED
Location: 103 Nichols Avenue
Description: The Watertown Housing Authority will manage this project for predevelopment and initial development of a 5-bedroom group home affordable at 60% Area Median Income for individuals with developmental disabilities. CPA funds will be used for engineering fees and architectural design to produce construction and bid documents. The property is owned by the Watertown Housing Authority and will be managed by them while Beaverbrook STEP will operate the program.
CPA Funding: $175,000
FY 2022 Funded Projects
Name: 1630 & 1930 City Hall Geographical Paintings
Location: Watertown City Hall, 149 Main Street
Description: The Historical Society of Watertown managed this project to stabilize, repair, and preserve two 7.5' x 5.5' paintings that flank the City Hall Foyer. A frame expert refurbished the brass frame and fabricated reproductions of the missing sections of the frame. Additionally, two protective wooden and steel barriers were constructed and installed to protect the paintings from future damage. The front rail of each barrier will have signage that describes the painting.
CPA Funding: $33,000
| On November 13, 2024, after being away for installation since December of 2022, the City Hall Geographical Paintings were reinstalled. View WCA-TV story about the painting reinstallation. | restored 1630 Geographical Painting |
Name: Irving Park - COMPLETED
Location: Irving Park North and Irving Park South
Description: Watertown Department of Public Works rehabilitated Irving Park in 2023 to improve passive recreational opportunities and the appearance of this 0.33-acre park. The improvements feature 6" granite curbing around the park perimeter and a central gathering area with brick paving in a herringbone pattern. Park visitors may now enjoy this seating space with four benches and low-level bollard lighting. Low height black custom fencing accent each end of the park along with shrubs and perennial plantings. Additionally, flowering trees are planted throughout. The project was completed in August of 2023.
CPA Funding: $414,000