Selectmen Declare Package Stores Unwelcome in Belmont

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Manager Kiran Nagar of Trapelo Variety with attorney Jake Walters (right) and husband Ajay Nagar before the Belmont Board of Selectmen.

The attempt by a young business couple to bring beer and wine to Belmont’s Central Square (the intersection of Trapelo Road and Beech Street) did not pass the “character” test before the Belmont Board of Selectmen Monday night, Dec. 1.

With the selectmen voicing a growing number of concerns and a half-dozen neighbors expressing discontent with the business centered on selling alcohol, the Selectmen rejected the application of a wine and malt retail license to Kiran and Ajay Nagar of Trapelo Variety located at 386 Trapelo Rd.

“It’s really about the character of the store,” said Selectman Mark Paolillo after being told by the Nagar’s that the small storefront business – with about 500 square-feet of business space – they bought in August would focus nearly exclusively on the sale of alcohol along with two of its most popular items, cigarettes and lottery tickets, if it received the license.

Pointing to the Selectmen’s decision in May to reject a beer and wine license to LC Variety a few hundred feet down Trapelo Road from the Trapelo Variety, Paolillo noted the Selectmen then were troubled by the same mix of lottery tickets, alcohol and tobacco at the location.

“I don’t see how I can vote to approve this application when we denied one for LC Variety,” said Paolillo.

“It’s also how the town sees itself,” said Selectmen Chair Andy Rojas, noting the four establishments with either beer and wine or full-alcohol licenses – The Loading Dock, Belmont Center’s Craft Beer Cellar and Vintages Adventures in Wine and The Spirited Gourmet in Cushing Square – have a polished “upscale” feel while “[t]his feels like a package store.” 

In addition, Belmont School Superintendent John Phelan wrote to the board opposing the license as the store was within 500 feet of the playground of the Daniel Butler Elementary School on White Street.

“My concern is the proximity with the Butler School,” said Selectman Sami Baghdady, saying the neighborhood was a “very family friendly” which ran countered to a alcohol-centric retail operation.

Kiran Nagar, who manages and runs the current store, said the proposed store would allow local residents to purchase beer and wine in Belmont rather than heading to Waltham or Watertown.

“This will allow us to increase business and revenue for the town and allow us to grow,” said Nagar, who indicated that they would likely take over the space currently occupied by an insurance agency next door if the license was granted.

While residents said they have seen an improvement in overall cleanliness and that Nagar is an outgoing merchant, residents did not support the move to beer and wine sale.

“I can’t see how a package store is an addition to the area,” said Dave Skolnick of Hull Street. “It doesn’t do the town justice.”

In the end, the worries outweighed the advantages of the business plan and the board rejected the proposal.

 

 

Belmont Savings’ Pilgrim Bob Deposited Turkeys at Local Branches

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont Savings’ CEO and “Pilgrim” Bob Mahoney presenting a turkey to Pam Karalis, Belmont Center Branch Manager, on Monday, Nov. 24. 

I guess the turkey costume was just a bit encumbering.

This year, Belmont Savings Bank President and CEO Bob Mahoney took his annual in-holiday-costume Thanksgiving tour of the bank’s branches in Belmont, Waltham, Watertown, Cambridge and Newton as a Plymouth Pilgrim as he delivered turkeys to employees for the holiday.

This year the bank partnered with the “Turkey Brigade,” a sub-committee of Thom Child & Family Services in Waltham. The Turkey Brigade will be receiving 20 turkeys donated from our Bank colleagues and our grocery store partners at Star Market/Shaws, providing Thanksgiving meals to families in need.

Cityside Subaru ‘Shares the Love’ with Foundation for Belmont Education

By Leave a Comment

Belmont’s Cityside Subaru has selected the Foundation for Belmont Education as its first local non-profit organization to benefit from the Subaru “Share the Love” fundraiser, a national initiative by the car manufacturer that has donated more than $25 million to local charities across the U.S. during the past four years.

Under the program, consumers who purchase or lease a new vehicle can select the Foundation as their charity of choice, and Subaru will donate $250 to the foundation, which supports educational excellence and enrichment in the Belmont public schools. The “Share the Love” event began Friday, Nov. 20 and runs through Friday, Jan. 2, 2015.

The FBE is one of five charities that area residents can choose to give to and the only local option; the remaining four are national charities selected by the car manufacturer.

Subaru is aiming to raise $10 million this year for charities across the U.S., double last year’s donation. Over the past four years, the Share the Love program has raised $25 million. Cityside Subaru has contributed approximately $260,000 to that effort.

“We are excited to be able to provide local residents with an opportunity to directly give back to their community through Subaru’s Share the Love program,” said Rick White, Cityside’s general manager and co-owner. “We are proud to be part of the Belmont community, and are pleased that through this innovative fundraising initiative we can show our support of its fantastic school system.”

In partnership with the Belmont Public School system, the Foundation for Belmont Education supports the community’s interest in ensuring that educators and students alike are given the best tools, technology and training that foster innovation and love of learning. The FBE’s partnership with Cityside Subaru is reflective of how the Belmont community is coming together to support innovative curriculum enrichment across the school system.

Named Subaru Dealer of the Year in 2010 by DealerRater.com, Cityside Subaru is located at 790 Pleasant St. (Rt 60). www.citysidesubaru.com.

Mrs. Claus is Coming to Belmont’s Annual ‘Turn on the Town’ Dec. 4

By Leave a Comment

After 23 years arriving alone, Santa is bringing the Mrs. along for this year’s business trip to Belmont.

Mrs. Claus will join Santa at the Belmont Savings Bank on Thursday, Dec. 4 during the Belmont Center Business Association’s 24th annual “Turn on the Town” celebration. The holiday festivities will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. along Leonard Street in Belmont Center.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive and light the tree adjacent the Bellmont Cafe at approximately 6:20 p.m., before riding their sleigh to the bank’s headquarters at 2 Leonard St. to pose for free photos from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

“It is a true pleasure to be again sponsoring Belmont’s Turn on the Town this year, and we look forward to contributing to the continued success of this annual tradition,” said Bob Mahoney, President and CEO of Belmont Savings Bank.

“This year, we are thrilled to be offering free kiddie train rides. They are the latest example of the wonderful ways this event continues to grow and engage with the Belmont community.”

Returning this year, the Bank’s “Santa’s Helper Contest” offers youngsters a chance to ride in the Sleigh with Santa and Mrs. Claus from the tree lighting to the Bank’s Belmont Center branch. The winning family will also be first in line to have their photo taken with Santa and his wife inside the Bank’s branch. Parents may enter their children to win on a landing page on belmontsavings.com/santashelpers.

Outside the branch, Bank employees will be handing out hot chocolate. Inside, the Bank’s executive garage will be a petting zoo.  Additionally, Belmont Savings will be handing out glow sticks inside the branch. There will also be stocking giveaways inside the bank lobby with gift cards and products from Local Rewards partners.

Residents are encouraged to celebrate the season of giving and bring non-perishable food items or unwrapped toys to be donated to the Belmont Food Pantry.

Letter to the Editor: Online Donations to Help a ‘Great Community Partner’

By Leave a Comment

To the editor:
Several weeks ago, Gerry Dickhault, proprietor of Champions Sporting Goods in Belmont Center, lost his home to a fire and is now living in a temporary home while his house is being renovated. David High, a generous and caring member of the Belmont community, created a crowd-funding site to help people to donate online to help Gerry out at this time.
We welcome donations of any size to help Gerry rebuild his life. He has been a great partner to this community; donates to many fundraising efforts; and invites anyone and everyone to use his store as a cut-through to Belmont Center.
Let us now return the favor and help him out in his time of need.
Erin Lubien

Opening Day of New Underwood Pool All Depends on the Weather

By Leave a Comment

The commute for construction supervisor Ernie Raney to his newest assignment can’t be beat.

He leaves his house on Lincoln Street, heads to School Street, then down Cottage Street and there he is, at the site of the new Underwood Pool.

“Really close,” said Raney, who is currently overseeing large earth moving equipment remove the final concrete remains of the historic pool – the oldest outdoor municipal pool in the US which opened in 1912 two months after the sinking of the Titanic and the first game at Fenway Park – as the team begins moving through its list of objectives.

“Right now I have five or six guys doing the demolition,” said Raney, who works for general contractor New England Builders and Contractors of Methuen.

IMG_9064

After bringing in equipment and fencing in the construction site on Monday, Nov. 2, the demolition company made quick work of the 102-year-old bathhouse and pool. Excavators have ripped out the pump room and tore out trees along Cottage Street. On Wednesday, Nov. 12, crews removed large trees along Concord Avenue.

After the demolition process, next for Raney is laying the foundation for the bathhouses.

Then, it’s all about the weather – in particulate, a warmish forecast – which will determine if the construction team will finish the $5.5 million complex by early/mid-July, which Raney said is the “ideal” completion date.

“If we have relatively normal temperatures, we’ll have the foundations done. And we’ll keep going as long as the weather holds out,” said Raney.

“If the temperatures holdout, we could continue work for the next two months,” the Belmont resident said. Most of that work will be framing the bathhouses.

But Raney said the major work on the pools will need to wait until the spring of 2015 due to the material being used.

“Winter isn’t the time to pour concrete for an outdoor pool,” said Raney.

Once the temperatures rise, the majority of the work will be done; pouring and curing the concrete, laying the plumbing, installing fixtures and installing the filter systems.

IMG_9095

“It will be very busy in the spring, it’s when we will have the most guys here on site,” said Raney.

In the next week, the public will have two chances to learn more about the construction and the time frame it is working under:

• The Underwood Pool Building Committee will hold a public meeting on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m., in the Assembly Room at the Belmont Public Library, where the members of the construction team will be introduced and answer questions.

• The Building Committee and the Belmont Board of Selectmen invite the public to the official groundbreaking ceremony for the new pool complex on Friday, Nov. 21 at 8:15 a.m. at the construction site.

Belmont’s Panos Named to Yearly Top 50 Women in Law in Mass

By Leave a Comment

Belmont’s own Laura Panos has been named one of 50 Top Women of Law in Massachusetts for 2014 by Massachusetts Lawyers’ Weekly.

This annual award is given to “exceptional women who have made outstanding achievements in the field of law, and highlights women who are pioneers, educators, trailblazers, and role models.”

“I am honored to join the list of extraordinary honorees for 2014,” said Panos.

This year has been a strong year of growth and progress for the Law Office of Laura Panos, located in Belmont Center at 50 Leonard St., which provides employment and labor law counsel to companies and individuals, including a large number of locally-owned businesses.

Panos represents clients in all aspects of employment law, and is frequently before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. The practice uses a small-firm, relatable approach to provide prompt, cost-effective and practical representation for a range of workplace issues with a high level of client satisfaction.

“Our familiarity with both sides of the employment relationship makes us strategic advocates for all of our clients,” said Panos. She and her team are committed to giving back to the community, and have dedicated over 50 hours of pro bono legal services this year.

For additional information please visit www.panoslawoffice.com .

Cushing Village Returns to Planning Board Tonight as the Developer Speaks Out

By Leave a Comment

Sixteen months after receiving the go ahead to begin constructing the 167,000 square-foot, multi-use development in the heart of Belmont’s Cushing Square, the developer of Cushing Village will be back before the Belmont Planning Board tonight at 7 p.m. in Town Hall. 

But don’t expect any major announcements from the first appearance by Smith Legacy Partners before a town governmental board since coming to the Board of Selectmen in March. According to documents at the Office of Community Development, the development team will propose four minor design modifications to the Project Plans, approved by the Planning Board in July 2013.

In an email sent to selected residents late last week, Smith Legacy’s principal partner Chris Starr asked residents to show up to the meeting, saying “[w]e hope that you can attend this Planning Board meeting, which is another critical step in making the vision of new quality rental housing and retail space for Cushing Square a reality.”

As noted in the Community Development documents, the “proposed modifications [does not] alter the size of the development or reduce the number of apartments or parking spaces.”

Cushing Village’s emergence before town officials is the first time since September when the Acton-based developer began actively shopping the three-block site to an array of commercial developers to take on Smith Legacy as a partner, or to purchase the future home of 115 residential units, 230 parking spaces and nearly 36,000 square feet of retail at the corner of Trapelo Road and Common Street.

The last time the development came before the town was in March when Smith Legacy requested a month-to-month extension for the closing date for the $850,000 purchase and sale agreement for the municipal parking lot on Trapelo Road.

As part of the agreement, the developer agreed to pay a $20,000 penalty for each month it delayed the purchase. To date, Smith Legacy has paid $100,000 into town coffers.

Despite the delays and uncertain future of his involvement with the project he spent eight years seeking to build his first large-scale development, Starr continues to make optimist statements on the future of the retail/residential project.

“We realize that it is a project with many moving parts and lots of stakeholders to protect, so we understand how important our project execution is to the town. Our work will need to be carefully integrated with the Trapelo Road Redevelopment project that will be active in Cushing Square at the same time as our project,” said Smith as he also introduced members of the development team in the message.

“Soon we will sending out invitations for you to join us for a cup of coffee and meet the team. We think it is important that we keep the channels of communications flowing. I look forward to sitting down with you to discuss your ideas and concerns for the project,” said Smith.

Belmont’s Sweet Peach Diner Changes Hands

By Leave a Comment

Dennis Dyer knows diners.

Dyer has owned the New York Diner on Mt. Auburn Street in Watertown Square for the past eight years, helping to approve what’s served and other aspects of the business.

And in the next few days, the Watertown resident will add Belmont’s Sweet Peach Diner to his inventory of investments.

On Monday, Nov. 3, the Belmont Board of Selectmen approved unanimously a change of ownership of the Trapelo Road eatery at its scheduled meeting at the Chenery Middle School.

“I heard it was for sale, I looked at it, [the current owner and I] agreed on the price and that’s basically it,” Dyer told the Belmontonian at an earlier visit to the Selectmen.

“I like it because it’s a new place, all the equipment is new and clean,” he said.

Dyer, who owns commercial and rental property in Watertown and Boston, is purchasing the two-year-old restaurant located at 628 Trapelo Rd. for cash for an undisclosed amount.

Dyer told the selectmen that he enjoys the diner’s current menu and has talked to the staff and has no plans to change either.

Known for its breakfasts and southern-inspired menu, the Sweet Peach, opened by Ellen Carter, was highlighted on “The Phantom Gourmet” in 2013. It replaced Andro’s Diner.

 

Former Macy’s Landlord Reveals A Peek at the Site’s Future

By 1 Comment

Don’t expect big changes to the outside of the former Macy’s/Filene’s Belmont Center location over the next year; the excitement will be left for what will go inside, according to the landlord of the property who revealed just a bit of the site’s future Thursday night.

Locatelli Properties’s Kevin Foley and his colleague, Len Simons, held a public meeting on Oct. 30, at Belmont Town Hall to preview their presentation to the Belmont Zoning Board of Appeals as they seek three special permits to allow “minor” alterations to the building.

If everything goes to plan, retailers and restaurants at new site – without a name for now – will open for business by the spring of 2016.

The presentation before the ZBA will be held on Monday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. in the Belmont Gallery of Art, on the third floor of the Homer Building in the Belmont Town Hall complex.

After the renovation work is completed, the site – located at the corner of Alexander and Leonard streets  –  will have approximately 48,000 sq.-ft. of commercial space available to lease, said Foley.

Since the late 60s, the building has “not been touched so it needs to be updated to bring back ‘zip’ to the Center,” Simons said of the commercial space leased to Filene’s from May 1941 to September 2006 when Macy’s bought Filene’s. Macy’s closed in January 2013.

Belmont-based Locatelli will seek ZBA permission on Monday, Nov. 3, to build a new vestibule off the parking-lot side of the building where the stairs to the women’s department was located, the installation of accessibility ramps and an elevator at the rear of the building, a renovated entryway and a new roof system on the Leonard Street side. In addition, windows will be installed and new entry ways created along Leonard Street.

IMG_5435

“We need to include an elevator as we are required to make all floors accessible to the law,” said Simons.

In addition to accessibility features, a new office space of about 600 sq.-ft will be constructed on the top floor.

Simons said the renovations will have no effect on the number of parking spaces in the Locatelli parking lot or in vehicle traffic patterns.

“We believe the improvements for access purposes will support our efforts to bring a mix of quality retailers to the Leonard Street area,” said a written press release handed out at the meeting.

“Once Locatelli has obtained the necessary permits, we will be able to pursue potential tenants and regenerate retail activity in Belmont Center,” said the statement.

“We anticipate two large tenants and four to five smaller ones, like those down [Leonard] street,” said Foley, who doesn’t expect one retailer to take both floors “because that’s a challenge for a retailer.”

The tenants will work with Locatelli on dividing up the interior to best utilize the space.

While Foley appeared hesitant to add another bank branch in the Center, he said just about any business would be considered.

“As long as they are high quality,” said Foley, including national retailers, existing businesses and restaurants.

“I think a mix of restaurants and retail would be the best for [foot] traffic in the day and the evening,” said Foley.

IMG_5423