Eight Streets Neighborhood Association October 2006 Minutes

Announcements

• Break ins/trespassing in alley between Union Park and Waltham
• Ringgold Park received $$ for the park as well as design $$ for fountain. Popular consensus was to bring a water feature/fountain to the park. Designs will be shown this winter.
• Halloween – Annual Halloween walk in Ringgold Park. 4:30 PM. Looking for volunteers for set up and tear down. Ringgoldpark@verizon.net
• Berkeley Community Garden Clean-up. Looking for volunteers to help clean up the garden. October 28^th.
• City Cleanup Nov 4 in the South End. Supplies will be available at the BCA
• Peters Park renovation: chose design; ready for final design proposals. Sal Damasi secured extra funding. 1.1 million dollar re-hab. Designs presented in December. Construction in March-August of 2007. Ball park will remain open during construction.
• Union Park has invited us to participate in the Monday Evening Walks. With colder weather will do once a month indoor walk. This month, Indoor walk at Mings market. Oct 23, 2006. Meet at 5:45 at Tremont/Upton or 6PM in front of Mings Market.
• VOTING COMING UP: Oct 18, 2006 is the last date to change your voter registration
  
  
• A thank you to our food/beverage sponsors:
• Coffee/Cookies courtesy of Hingham Bank
• Appetizers courtesy of Felino Samson

Meghan Haggerty – New South End Liaison to the Mayors Office

· Meghan visited the meeting. Meghan is replacing Marco Torres. Meghan is available to help neighbors with city related issues (zoning, trash, city services, rats, sidewalk repairs, etc.). Meghan is a recent Harvard grad. Former intern in the office of the mayor. Working on rat issue in Peter’s Park, Milford St, Dwight St area.

Email: Meghan.haggerty@cityofboston.gov

Phone: 617.635.4517

Address:
Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services

City of Boston

Room 708, City Hall

One City Hall Square

Boston, MA 02201

Athens Market is reopened with new owners.

· The new “Athens II Market” on the corner of Milford and Tremont has been re-done. Anna and George stopped by the meeting to say hello. Anna’s family had owned the market in the past and they have recently repurchased the market. The store has a new concept and is focused on offering good quality and fresh food at reasonable prices. They will offer sandwiches, fresh baked goods, fresh meats (freshly cut, ground, etc.), catering for the holidays, home made prepared hot meals/Greek food. They have hired a chef from Greece to help create desserts. They will also carry basic groceries. They gutted out the store and they essentially expanded and will have 2 stores in one. Interested in selling both food and possibly wine in the future. Hours: 6AM-10PM. Opening in November. They are going in front of Landmarks Commission to add some windows to Tremont to add more light into the store.

New Restaurant named “POPS” is going in to 560 Tremont (old Perdix location).

· Operator Felino Samson (Former sous-chef at Galleria Italiana/La Betolla; chef at Bomboa) came by to discuss his new restaurant concept. They are purchasing a Beer and Wine license and are looking for our support so they can add a cordial license. They are also looking to increase their interior capacity from 40-48 seats as well as add outdoor seating. POPS is looking to be a reasonably priced classic neighborhood restaurant with new American food. Trying to keep price points low as possible. Entrees less than $20. They are looking at being open for Sat/Sun Brunch and Lunch/Dinner during the week. They want this to be a chef-driven, regional, comfort food menu. Looking to open in December 2006.

· The space is currently under construction and they believe demolition to be completed in 2 days. The changes are mostly decorative changes and updates. Floors are being redone and they are fixing HVAC. Opening up the kitchen with a glass wall so that people can see into the kitchen and open up the space. Cozy decorations.

· Asked for ESNA support of cordial license: They are looking to create a neighborhood restaurant and not a bar. He has purchased a beer/wine license and looking to add cordials. Samson said that he is opening a restaurant to sell food, not booze. The license cuts off at 11PM. Wants to just be able to allow customer to have an aperitif or digestive. The hearing has not been scheduled yet.

· Asked for ESNA support of increase in indoor seating capacity. It is currently zoned at 40 seats but it reasonably fits 48. They are applying to have license increased from 40-48 seats.

· Asked for ESNA support of outdoor seating: They are looking to add 3 outdoor tables and a bench seating area. There would be seating for 12 at tables, 5 at a bench. Owners of abutting properties were at the meeting and they said they feel comfortable with the restaurant adding outdoor seating.

· Main Concerns from Neighbors: valet parking. The restaurant/valet parking area are at a dangerous intersection where there is a lot of double parking. POPS is looking to utilize the 2 valet spaces in front of the restaurant.

· VOTE:

o On the motion to add a cordial license to their beer and wine license:

§ Vote: None opposed. [HTML] [PDF]

o On the motion to increase seating license from 40 to 48:

§ Vote: None opposed. [HTML] [PDF]

o On the motion to add outdoor seating:

§ Vote: None opposed. [HTML] [PDF] With the caveat that outdoor seating would be “as proposed” (3 tables/12 seats, bench seating). City should ensure that the seating is not to expand too far into the sidewalk as to impede foot traffic

Other Updates

Eight Streets Neighborhood Association Social

• January at the Dish