Perched on the banks of the Charles River, the Waltham Watch Factory is undergoing extensive redevelopment from an underutilized 150-year-old mill complex to a modern mixed-use development, comprised of approximately 350,000 sf of restaurant, residential and office space. At its completion, the project will also include upgrades to the Charles River riverwalk, connecting Boston Harbor to Norumbega Park in Waltham. BSC Group is leading site design for the renovation project, providing integrated civil engineering, traffic engineering, and permitting services for the two-phase construction sequence.
The site’s historic, riverfront location required an effective permitting and mitigation strategy, as well as sensitive landscape enhancements to earn project approvals. BSC’s approach is detailed below.
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Historic Mill Complex Designation – The project site was established as a historic mill complex under the Riverfront Area provisions of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (M.G.L. c. 131 §40) and implementing regulations (310 CMR 10.00 et seq.). The designation allows for increased flexibility in the site design as it relates to meeting regulatory performance standards established for work along the edge of a river.
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Managing Infiltration/Inflow Issues – An important element of BSC’s civil/site design is the need to address infiltration/inflow issues to meet the City of Waltham’s requirement of reducing four gallons of infiltration/inflow for every gallon that will be added by the development. To achieve this, BSC will evaluate the a portion of the City sewer system and implement the required modifications.
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Mitigating Project Impacts – Due to the site’s historic designation and riverfront locale, BSC Group has worked closely with the Waltham Conservation Commission and Charles River Watershed Association to address water quality issues, incorporating measures to improve the quality of stormwater runoff from the site. BSC also prepared a traffic impact study to recommend traffic mitigation measures to alleviate increased traffic flow impacts on surrounding areas. BSC then designed recommended improvements, including traffic signal modifications in the surrounding area and closure of curb cuts deemed too close to area intersections.
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Implementing Low Impact Development Measures – BSC, in collaboration with the project team, is in the process of designing low impact development measures to naturally treat stormwater. These measures include the use of porous pavement, rain gardens, and crushed stone infiltration trenches.
