Residents raise concerns about prospective Waltham Watch Factory housing project

A public hearing for a prospective Waltham Watch Factory housing project drew a large crowd during Tuesday’s Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. Representatives for the project presented their material to the board, followed by a public input hearing.

Watch City Ventures LLC, which developed the existing Watch Factory Lofts, is behind this new development. The proposed complex consists of 140 luxury apartment units built across what developers call “underutilized parking lots” on Crescent Street. The developers are seeking relief from city zoning restrictions to construct the project.

Michael Connors of Connors & Connors LLP told the ZBA that the firm’s client, Watch City Ventures LLC and its parent company, Berkeley Investments Inc., believed they’d face significant financial hardship if they were not granted the zoning relief. 

Connors presented a timeline of the project which included two voluntary community input meetings, parking and traffic studies and sign-offs from four city boards and commissions.

Young K. Park, the president of Berkeley Investments, and Esther Chung Byun, the director of development of Berkeley Investments, spoke briefly about how they believed the project would revitalize and add vibrance to the area.

The companies are requesting relief from 15 specific zoning rules regarding parking, building height and setback of the building from both the Charles River and from Crescent Street. The companies are also seeking to override zoning regulations that forbid commercial and residential spaces from coexisting on the site. 

While public hearings usually have separate portions for those opposing or speaking in favor of the petition, residents spoke interchangeably as the meeting went on. Ten or more residents said they are concerned about how the project will reduce parking and increase traffic in the area.

Gerard Butler, an attorney representing abutter Greg LeBlanc, said that he believed that the traffic and parking situations would be worse than predicted in the studies. He also added that he felt the amount of relief the project was seeking was more than should be allowed.

Three residents expressed support for the project, citing the use of an empty lot for housing as a positive for Waltham’s housing crisis.

Affordable housing donation raises alarms

Another concern voiced by residents was over the developer’s response to the city’s affordable housing legislature. 

The developers are making a $4.2 million payment in lieu of adding affordable housing units to the complex. Waltham’s zoning code currently allows for developers to either make 20% of the housing units within their development affordable housing or donate money to the city’s Affordable Housing Trust. While it is ultimately City Council’s decision whether or not the payment is sufficient in exchange for not including affordable housing, board clerk Matthew Deveaux felt that the payment was indicative of the project being a money grab. LeBlanc, who attended the meeting alongside his counsel and spoke independently, thought the donation was immoral and just a way for the developers to make more money. 

“What he’s proposing with all these smoke and mirrors is not the way you go about it,” said LeBlanc, addressing Park. 

Ward 8 Councilor Cathyann Harris said that while the project in her ward did show promise, the developers needed to work with neighbors to address concerns they raised at the meeting.

Board chair John Sergi suggested the developer host another community input meeting as well as perform a third-party review of the project. The board voted to continue the hearing until April 30 at request of the petitioner.

In other action, the board:

• Approved a request for frontage and side yard setback relief from Carl Cincotta, who plans to build a two-family home on his property at 72-74 South St.
• Voted to close a public input hearing regarding a proposed housing complex at 455 Totten Pond Road. The proposed complex plans to include 79 affordable housing units alongside 236 standard priced units. The board will meet on April 14 to vote on whether the project falls under the 40B statute, which allows for developers of affordable housing projects to receive relief from certain aspects of local zoning code.