T Wall Signs Development Agreement with City

The Watertown City Council unanimously approved a Development Agreement between the City and Main Street Watertown LLC., also known as TWall Enterprises, to build a mixed-use building on Water Street adjacent to the future Town Square. Approval of the agreement represents the culmination of negotiations between TWall Enterprises, the Watertown Redevelopment Authority (RDA), and the City.

In 2017, the RDA began laying the foundations for the TWall project by investing in the creation of the Town Square at the corner of Main and Water streets. Nick Patterson, project manager for TWall Enterprises, commended the RDA on their visioning and strategic development of the Town Square project. “Our first objective on the project was to create an activity center,” Patterson said. “The City already has the Town Square, so all we have to do is put heads-in-beds and create high quality retail space.”

When asked to weigh in on the agreement, Rob Marchant, RDA chair, and Nate Salas, RDA vice chair, acknowledged that none of this would have been possible without the folks who made their properties along Main Street available for the creation of the Town Square. “We give our profound thanks to those individuals who put the good of the community first. The development before Council last night is a direct product of their good will.”

Alex Allon, Executive Director of the RDA, pointed out during the meeting that the timing of this project is fortunate in that Watertown will have a high-quality development to complement the Town Square very soon after opening. TWall Enterprises anticipates construction to begin in Spring of 2022, end in Spring of 2023, and be fully occupied by early Fall 2023. Alder Pasch reiterated that a big element of the project is having tenants in the retail space that activate and integrate well with the Town Square.

Patterson presented the Council with a PowerPoint showcasing examples of similar projects built by TWall. “Our second objective is to create a development that will revitalize the downtown and our third objective is to have iconic architecture, a beacon you can see from a distance and know you are in Watertown,” he said. As its defining feature, the building will have a clock tower at its northwest corner in traditional Main Street-style architecture.

Alder Went asked how the lower level retail would affect existing downtown businesses. Mayor McFarland said the 2,800 square feet of retail space would be very similar in style to others in the downtown and would complement existing establishments. “There’s nothing that precludes an existing Watertown business from locating in that space as well,” Allon chimed in.

Mayor McFarland confirmed with Patterson that this is the first in a series of projects the developer intends to pursue in Watertown. “I want to thank the City team including the RDA and TWall for their hard work in putting this together,” she said. “This is a profound and transformative project right in our hometown.”