Ambulance Base Approved for Pleasant Street, January Start Likely

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Armstrong Ambulance Service’s CEO Richard Raymond speaking before the Belmont Zoning Board of Appeals, Dec. 22.

At a “special” meeting on Monday, Dec. 22, requested by the applicant, the Belmont Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a Special Permit allowing Arlington’s Armstrong Ambulance Service to open a satellite base at 1010 Pleasant St. situated between Belmont Motors and Star Market.

The five vehicles – four basic medical transports and one advanced life support unit – stationed at the Belmont location are likely be ready to roll from the company’s ninth base sometime in January, according to ZBA staffer Ara Yogurtian.

The meeting was the continuation of the discussion earlier in the month at which the board asked for information on traffic impact and possible use of sirens from vehicles at the site.

The town requires a Special Permit since the zoning bylaw doesn’t cover this use and Armstrong would need to show how their operation would benefit the town, said Eric Smith, the ZBA chair.

Armstrong officials assured the board the vast majority of the vehicles activity takes place away from the office site.

“They will only be at Pleasant Street either in the garage or at the beginning and end of a shift. Other than that, they will be away from the base,” said Richard Raymond, Armstrong’s CEO.

Once leaving the Pleasant Street site, the four transports will be located in or near area hospitals such as the Lahey Clinic in Burlington or Cambridge’s Mount Auburn, nursing homes and dialysis centers handling non-emergency trips during their eight or sixteen hour shifts.

“Many of calls are from hospitals to transport patients back home and to other facilities,” said Raymond.

The single paramedic unit – which responds to emergencies and calls for medical assistance – will also be away from the base situated in and around Watertown pre-positioned in locations such as at Target and Stop & Shop. The unit is operational 24 hours a day and 365 days a year and “is fairly busy,” said Raymond.

Raymond told the ZBA members sirens are only used to “open the flow of traffic,” which doesn’t appear to be a problem on Pleasant Street. In addition, the “backup” alarm can be turned off by a member of the crew placing the ambulances in the garage bays.

The facilities for the ambulance crews at Pleasant Street will consist of a room with couches, chairs, television and a kitchenette. Vehicle maintenance is performed in Woburn. Oxygen tanks are stored in the garage as will medical equipment which will be delivered three times a week.

A legal requirement under state law is washing the vehicles after a shift, which the site allows as it has an existing oil/water separator, said Raymond.

There will be no public access to the office nor will there be signage. Fifteen reserved parking spaces next to the building are for Armstrong employees.

Once the Special Permit is written and submitted to the Office of Community Development – which could be completed in the next few days or within the week – a 21-day review begins after which the company can being operations.

Boys’ Ice Hockey Solid in Shutout Victory Over Stoneham for First Win

By Leave a Comment

Sophomore goalie Cal Christofori backstopped a shutout Saturday afternoon, Dec. 20, as the Belmont High School Ice Hockey squad kept the lid on Stoneham’s forwards for a 2-0 victory at the “Skip.”

The win put the Marauders at .500 coming after a tough 3-2 home loss to Melrose High School in the season opener.

“It was easy for me since my [defense] played so well,” said Christofori.

The defense, led by top pair Adam Cronin and Trey Butler, took charge in clearing the front of the slot.

“Most of the shots I saw coming which is important and there was a lot that were blocked. Everyone did a great job,” Christofori.

While the game was a mostly even affair with equal numbers of scoring chances for each side, Belmont capitalized on their opportunities. With five minutes to go in the first, senior captain Brian Garrett pounced on the puck a Stoneham player whiffed clearing from a face-off to the left of Stoneham goalie Peter Barry and sent a snap shot by Barry’s stick hand blocker.

Belmont scored on the power play only two minutes into the second period when Garrett’s line mate, big senior center Joe Paolillo rocketed a shot by Barry to double the lead.

After the goal, the game got a bit chippy as penalties began piling up and emotions got the best of some players.

In the midst of that, Chistofori stayed calm, coming up with many routine saves along with a few tough ones including coming across and out of his crease to take a one-timer from the stick of Stoneham’s Mike Halpin in the final 90 seconds of the second period.

While Stoneham took the game to Belmont in the final 15 minutes seeking the equalizer, Belmont’s collective defense plan only allowed the Spartans a few clear cut chances in the period.

Former Macy’s Site On Schedule for Spring/Summer 2016 Re-Opening

By 2 Comments

Kevin Foley is a man on a mission; telling Belmont the former Macy’s site in Belmont Center will return from its current mothball state and will be filled with tenants.

But not in 2015.

The manager of Locatelli Properties who oversees the significant stake the company has in Belmont’s commercial hub, Foley came before Belmont’s Board of Selectmen last week to reiterate what he told the Belmontonian in October: the historic building which opened in 1941 to house a Filene’s Department Store and then Macy’s (Macy’s closed in January 2013) will soon be transformed  inside and out to attract at least four and up to eight commercial tenants.

IMG_2477

“We are all excited about the future of the [site],” Foley told the board.

“My goal is to renovate the building and bring back the details,” he said, pointing to plans to re-establish large windows  along Leonard Street that were boarded up in the 1980s, as well as add architectural details to the facade.

“We are essentially bringing back … more store fronts to the street,” Foley told the board.

As he told a public meeting on Oct. 30, Foley said there will be “no substantive” exterior alterations to the building other than the creation of a vestibule on the parking side of the building to assist people entering the top and lower floors of the complex.

Locatelli has received the go-ahead from the Zoning Board of Appeals to move forward on the plans.

When asked about possible tenants – there will be nearly 50,000 square feet of retail space in the new structure – Foley remained mum, only saying “that everyone is asking me the same question.”

Foley does not rule out either national, regional or independent retailers or a restaurant becoming tenants. He has time to ponder which business will be coming to Belmont Center.

“Right now, I’m hoping spring or summer 2016 to open,” he said.

IMG_2481

 

 

Belmont Boys’ Basketball Throws 6s, Again, in Home Opener Win Over Melrose

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High School’s senior center Adam Kleckner grabs an offensive rebound vs. Melrose in the Marauder’s 66-50 win on Dec. 19, 2014. 

The number 66 is a spheric, triangular, hexagonal and a semi-meandric number. And being a multiple of a perfect number, 66 is itself a semiperfect number.

It is also been the number of points the Belmont High School Boys’ Basketball have averaged in their first two victories of the 2014-15 season. That calculation is a simple one as the Marauders have scored 66 points in those consecutive games.

On Friday afternoon, Dec. 19, at Belmont’s home opener against a scrappy Melrose High team, the Marauders led from start to finish, going ahead 11-1 before exploding for 27 points in the third quarter to win easily, 66-50, at the friendly, linoleum court confines of Wenner Field House.

“Don’t take anything away from Melrose. They are a good team with a great shooter [Cody Andrews, who topped all scorers with 23 points),” said Belmont Head Coach Adam Pritchard.

“We got our break going and grabbed the rebounds we needed to play our game plan,” said Pritchard.

And that game over the first two matches this season is speed and muscle as junior guard Matt Kerans came off a sub-par game (for him) at Watertown to match senior All-Star center Adam Kleckner in scoring both from the outside and close to the basket. While Kerans connected for a trio of treys for 9 of his 17 points, the big man (6-foot, 5-inches) Kleckner buried a pair from beyond the arc to round out a workman-like 13 points and a gaggle of rebounds.

After jumping out to a 10 point lead midway through the opening frame, Belmont kept the 10 point margin through the first half with starting third guard Jaemar Paul (12 points) sinking two treys and senior sub Peter Durkin going four-for-four from the line.

After Andrews’ five baskets in the second quarter cut the lead to eight at the half, 30-22, the Marauders displayed an ability to step on the gas and put the breaks on the opponent’s offense in the third quarter as Belmont outscored the Red Raiders, 27-11, as the team hit six threes, lead by the two-way play of senior guard Ben Lazenby (13 points) who scored 10 points (including two threes), dished out assists and created two steals.

By the end of the quarter, the benches started emptying for both teams.

“I wish I could say that it was all coaching that gives us the edge in second halfs  but I would be lying,” said Pritchard.

“[The players] know what needs to be done and they push themselves. There’s no big secret,” he said.

This Week: Piano Recital Tuesday, Beech Holiday Concert, Zoning on Ambulances

By Leave a Comment

• Only one government meeting this Christmas week: Monday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m., the Zoning Board of Appeals will discuss a special permit to allow the Armstrong Ambulance Service to run ambulances from a satellite office at 1010 Pleasant St. The meeting will take place at the Belmont Gallery of Art on the third floor of the Homer Building in the Town Hall complex. 

• Belmont High School junior Rahul Ramakrishnan will give a piano recital at the Beech Street Center on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at 4 p.m. The works to be performed include:

  • “Invention 3 in D Major” by Bach
  • “Sicilienne” by Maria-Theresa Von Paradis
  • “Three Waltzes, Op.171, No. 2” by Schubert
  • “Prelude, Op.43, No.1” by Reinhold M. Gliere
  • “Minute Waltz, Op.64, No.1” by Chopin

Ramakrishnan – who is a member of the school’s WGBH’s High School Quiz Show team and a tennis player – will be followed by his sister, Anjali, who will play several pieces to round out the program. The concert is free of charge.

• The Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St. will be holding a Holiday Concert with David Polansky on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at 1:15 p.m. One of the most popular musicians to entertain at the Center, Polansky will present seasonal and holiday music, including three original Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanza tunes. David sings and plays keyboard and trumpet. Come and enjoy; it’s free.

• Trash and recycling collection will take place on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 24. For those homes on a Thursday pickup, you’ll only need to wait one day as curbside collection will take place on Boxing Day, Friday, Dec. 26.

 

Froshs Standout in Girls’ Basketball Wins Home Opener, 56-40, Over Melrose

By Leave a Comment

Belmont High School Girls’ Basketball’s home opener victory, 56-40, over Melrose High Friday night, Dec. 19 was the quintessential “team” win with seven players scoring and a smothering defense stifling the Red Raiders’ attack that beat up Winchester just three days before.

But it’s hard not to notice when a pair of 9th graders are becoming important components in what could become a very interesting year for the Marauders. In just their second high school game, freshmen Jenny Call (10 points including a pair of three-point bombs) and Carly Christofori (game high 12 points with several steals and assists) scored in double digits with Christofori using her natural ball handling skills and to join senior Sophia Eschenbach-Smith (3 points) as the team’s point guard, who runs the team’s offense on the court.

“[Christofori] is so quick and aggressive and reads the floor so well,” said Belmont’s Head Coach Melissa Hart while noting that Call, who came off the bench, “got into a groove hitting those outside shots which started to spread out the court.”

“They are not only good athletes, but good basketball players with talent,” said Hart.

“I like being the leader on the court.” said Christofori, who is the younger sister of multi-sports starter Cal.

“But it’s easy because my teammates know the place they have to be and are there at the right time. So everything falls into place for me,” she said.

While the freshmen were one part of the story of the second game of the season (Belmont lost to a strong host Watertown team, 53-42, on Tuesday, Dec. 16) Hart complemented the play of senior forward Elena Bragg who was a presence on both ends of the court, scoring 11 points and grabbing numerous rebounds (just missing a “double-double” with nine grabs) and throwing herself after any loose ball in her vicinity.

Emerging as a central theme for the team this year is a “in-your-face” defense that puts pressure on the team once they step on the court. Led by senior center Linda Herlihy (7 points, three solid blocks and rebounds galore) and sophomore Irini Nikolaidis (7 points), the team kept the Red Raiders top scorer, junior guard Sarah Foote, under wraps and the team forced to take outside shots. Nikolaidis, with her speed and long arms, has become a nuisance for opposing team’s point guards.

The Marauders led from start to finish, leading 14-6 after the first quarter and when Melrose cut the lead to 16-12 at the halfway point of the second, Nikolaidis went 2 for 4 from the line in-between a Herlihy block (that brought cheers from the student bleachers) before a Bragg free throw gave Belmont a 20-14 half time lead.

The third quarter sealed the win with Christofori scoring on a drive, Nikolaidis hitting a three (Belmont’s three treys was the most beyond the arch in two years) and junior Sarah Steward (4 points on 4 for 6 from the charity stripe) running down a Red Raider who was on a solo breakaway to prevent the score to up the advantage to 41-19. The icing was on the cake when senior Lauren Noonan (2 points) hit a sweet jumper in the final two minutes.

Hart said the game was a distinct improvements over the Watertown game while improvements can still be made in terms of shot selection and “just scoring under the basket.”

 

“The five seniors

This Weekend: ‘Messiah’ Open Sing on Sunday, High School Coffeehouse Friday, ‘Frozen’ at Belmont Savings

By Leave a Comment

• The Belmont Performing Arts Club Presents: A Holiday Coffeehouse featuring a slew of student performers on Friday, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. Come listen to our talented artists! Food, desserts, ice cream, hot chocolate and more will be available to purchase. Tickets, at the door, are $10; $5 for students; free for children five years old and younger. All proceeds benefit the Performing Arts Club’s New York City trip where the students will be attending two shows and being part of a workshop.

• The home opener for the Belmont High School Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball teams against Melrose High will be a doubleheader Friday, Dec. 19 as the boys’ be takin’ the court at 5 p.m. and the Girls’ at 7 p.m. Friday is also the opener for Boys’ Swimming at the Higginbottom Pool starting at 4 p.m.

• This is the final weekend for the Belmont Gallery of Art’s Small Works Holiday Show and Sale 2014. Get really nice and unique – and not that expensive – gifts for Christmas and the last days of Hanukkah and benefit the gallery and the local artists. The sale will be held on Friday, Dec. 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 20 and Sunday, Dec. 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

• The stars from the Disney hit movie “Frozen”, Olaf, Anna and Elsa will be at Belmont Savings Bank branches on Saturday, Dec. 20 to have their pictures taken with kids – and probably some adults – at these locations and times:

• The Belmont Public Library’s Children’s Saturday Sing-Along Series is back! So come dance, jump, wiggle and sing along with Jeff Jam on Saturday, Dec. 20 beginning at 10:30 a.m. He’ll play his own hilarious original songs and favorite classic kids’ songs on his guitar. For all ages.

• The Belmont Public Library will be holding a mini-Book Sale on Saturday, Dec. 20 from 9:15 a.m. to noon in the Flett Room. Children’s books, hardcover and trade paperback adult books, coffee table books and more will be on sale. Sponsored by the Friends of the Belmont Public Library.

• On the shortest day of the year, hear Belmont native and farmer/educator Rose Cherneff discuss “Planning Your Vegetable Garden,” in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room on Sunday, Dec. 21 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Rose will talk you through setting goals for your garden that match your lifestyle and priorities, including how much seed to order, seed sources, how to create a planting timeline, how far apart and where to plant things, what crops do well in this climate, and how to increase the health of your soil. This class is sponsored by the Belmont Food Collaborative.

• One of the great musical traditions in Belmont will take place Sunday as Powers Music School’s Belmont Open Sings will perform the holiday-favorite, Handel’s “Messiah” on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist, 404 Concord Ave. Belmont Sings’ Artistic Director Mary Beekman will lead the musicians and the chorus made up of the audience in the great work. Tickets are $10 per person; No reservations needed.

Sold in Belmont: A Million Dollar House that SHOULD be Torn Down

By Leave a Comment

A weekly recap of residential properties bought in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 5 Lodge Rd. A framed Colonial (1930), Sold for: $716,000. Listed at $695,000. Living area: 1,505 sq.-ft. 7 rooms; 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 47 days.

• 665 Concord Ave. “Contemporary” (1961), Sold for: $1,175,000. Listed at $1,175,000. Living area: 3,080 sq.-ft. 10 rooms; 4 bedrooms, 4 baths. On the market: 64 days.

• 53 Leslie Rd. Two-floor condominium (1929), Sold for: $457,200. Listed at $437,000. Living area: 1,339 sq.-ft. 6 rooms; 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 50 days.

Some lucky individual just bought an upper Concord Avenue house for just more than a million dollars. (Kudos to the salesperson for selling the property the town appraised in 2014 at $920,000!)

Now the buyer(s) can provide a public benefit by tearing down this out-of-place, contemporary, rabbit hutch.

If this badly-aging, low-to-the-ground substandard example of Usonia architecture was situated in Palo Alto or Boulder or any of many western/West Coast communities where this sort of building is appreciated (along with “A” frames and split-levels such as Colorado which is actually attempting to preserve this architecture) then fine. But in Belmont, the Concord Avenue house is akin to the nice person on Bright Road who places palm trees and other exotics on his lawn most of the year: it’s interesting but out of place.

Frank Lloyd Wright developed this design (it’s also called Wrightian) as a low-end Prairie School-style house in which he attempted to “integrated the house with the landscape and nature in an attempt to get away from box-like structures (1)” that were plopped onto a plot of land.

Arranged in zones, typically with three areas: living space, small bedrooms, and a kitchen-dining area, the “Usonian houses were quite unlike the boxy, stark International Style houses that appeared to be dropped onto, rather than a part of, their location.”

But the Belmont house fails because it wasn’t designed by Wright but by a lesser architect who threw up (pun intended) a building that is a mashup of Wright’s principles and suburbanites’ demands. The structure the public can glimpse around that ugly fence (what did Robert Frost say about fences in “Mending Walls“?) is the garage! Is this Belmont, California? Garages are fine but not as your “Welcome” mate. Usonia is where carports (a word Wright created) became an architectural feature. Additionally, the open floor design with a large footprint has become hopelessly old-fashioned and inefficient, like having a typewriter on your office desk.

The house is a duck out of water, a dud. In temperament and temperature, New England is bound with Scandinavia. Residencies here need compartmentalization with multiple floors and designated rooms with doors to conserve warmth and energy but also large vertical windows to capture daylight especially in fall and winter. The Concord Avenue house had to rip out portions of the roof to install skylights to bring in the light.

Additionally, Belmont is suited for the tall over the squat (I would fear my six-foot, one-inch tall son would bump his head on the low ceilings at Concord Avenue): high windows allow for a view of the canopy of evergreens and the changing leaves; the narrow slits of the Usonia – which are fine for seeing the scrub and low grass of the West and Midwest – limits you to tree trunks and pet-eating coyotes to stare inside.

With nearly half an acre of land that is adjacent to Week’s Pond and Meadow, why not envelop the ever-changing coloring provided by the Southern light onto the trees and land? You want a unique, then go with a Farnsworth House-type structure (OK, you’ll probably need $10 million to build that today … ) On the more affordable side, there are great modular houses from noted Canadian and Swedish companies that would be a great modern addition to upper Concord Avenue.

So paraphrasing Ronald Reagan: “Mr. Homeowner, tear down this house!”

(1) “Selected Post-World War II Residential Architectural Styles and Building Types” Center for Historic Preservation, Research Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Colorado Historical Society, 2006.

Finally: Sale of Town-Owned Woodfall Road Parcel Likely by Year’s End

By 1 Comment

More than a year after it was selected to develop a town-owned property on Belmont Hill, a conglomerate of local businessmen will finally close on a deal to purchase the property and build three or four luxury homes on the site.

The 5.4 acre Woodfall Road parcel, a long-abandoned residential lot currently home to road material and overgrowth, “will be purchased by the end of the year,” said Andy Rojas, chair of the Belmont Board of Selectmen, at a meeting of the Warrant Committee on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

The winning bidder Belmont Advisors – made up of partners Greensbrook Development, Line Company Architects and Phoenix Construction Group – will pay the town a purchase price of “between $1.8 to $1.7 million” to build luxury housing on the land, said Rojas.

When it was selected by the Selectmen in Nov. 2013 as the future developer of the site, it’s bid was $2.2 million. The other bidder, Northland Residential Corporation, which developed the residential portion of the McLean Property in Belmont, offered $750,000.

The deed transfer and final sales price were affected by a series of delays that included financing issues and drawn out concern with the abutting property owner, the Belmont Country Club. Apparently, the proposed housing was in the flight path of golf balls launched by members on the pitching and practice course. There is likely to be fencing on the property line.

The drawn-out purchase process would have a significant impact on the financing of the Belmont Center road reconstruction project. Early in 2014, town officials predicted the sale of the Woodfall Road site at nearly $2 million and the $850,000 for the municipal parking lot in Cushing Square to the current developer of the Cushing Village, Smith Legacy Limited, would fund the $2.8 million road and parking project.

When the two sales did not materialize, the town was forced to use a portion of its “free cash” reserves and call a special Town Meeting in November to secure the remaining funds to complete the project by the fall of 2015.

The proceeds from the sale, deemed “one-time” revenue receipt, will not be heading to the town’s general fund. In the past, such “one-time” monies have been directed to the Capital Budget Committee, which pays for long-term, large budget items such as public safety vehicles and repairs and upgrades to municipal buildings.

The sale for the parcel – known as 108 Woodfall Road – will bring to an end nearly a decade of attempts to sell the property that the town acquired through a foreclosure in 1938. The town thought it had sold the land to a private developer in 2006, but he never came up with the money.

In June 2012, the town’s Office of Community Development proposed a plan that would allow an Atlanta-based for-profit hospice firm to build a small residential building for end-of-life care for Belmont residents and others. But the opposition from homeowners in the upscale neighborhood drove the Selectmen’s decision to withdraw the proposed plan and restricted it to only residential construction.

Sports: Boys’ Basketball Drains Watertown in Opener, 66-49

By 1 Comment

Photo: Belmont’s senior swingman Seth Altman driving for two of his 12 points in the season opener with Watertown.

At the end of the first quarter, the score in the opening game of the 2014-15 Belmont High Boys’ basketball season: Watertown, 16; Adam Kleckner, 8.

Without the talented senior center and co-captain playing is “A” game in the first eight minutes of the game, Belmont – which many sports observers believe the team could have a long run in the playoffs in March – was not prepared for a hustling and cocky Raiders’ team playing at home.

“Kleckner (a game-high 23 points and about the same number of rebounds) is a very talented player who can shot threes and play the outside but he’s very tough under the basket and the free throws proved it,” said Belmont’s long-time Head Coach Adam Pritchard.

In fact, Belmont clearly stumbled out to the gate, missing shots and not quite handling the Watertown defense.

“Watertown has a good basketball team with two kids who can really shoot the ball,” said Pritchard of junior guard Brendan Hoban (13 points) and senior Mike Hagopian (18 points).

“We were a little bit tentative offensively,” he said, as Belmont seemingly couldn’t find an open shot in the first 10 minutes of the game as Watertown twice took an 11 point lead (20-9 and 22-11) two minutes into the second quarter.

Seeking to spark up the offense, Pritchard substituted in senior Seth Altman (12 points) and junior Cole Bartels (6 points) which paid off when Altman swept in on a drive to score his first varsity hoop to cut the deficit to seven (22-15). And despite back-to-back sequences where Belmont players couldn’t put in four under-the-basket “bunnies,” the tide began turning in the Marauders’ favor with the Marauders

“I have to say, having [Seth] Altman coming into the game and knocking down threes and Cole [Bartels] to hit shots makes us a very potent team,” he said as the team trailed by three at the half, 26-23.

With a shaky first half in the rearview mirror, Belmont’s starters stepped up the pressure on Watertown while some old friends, the backcourt duo of co-captains senior Ben Lazenby (4 points) and junior Matt Kerans (15 points), returned to their “slash and burn” ways – quick moves to the basket or long-range shots – as they partnered for four and nine points respectively.

A 39-38 deficit flipped to a two-point lead after Kerans buried three free throws (he was fouled throwing up a trey) with 56 seconds remaining and then saw his bomb hit the front of the rim before falling in to give him six points in the final 50 seconds and Belmont the lead for good at 44-39.

“We did a much better job defensively in the second half. It just took a little bit to lock down our defense on them,” said Pritchard.

When Watertown crept close at 47-44, Altman banged in the first of two threes that Bartels matched in the final quarter as Belmont outscored the Raiders 43 to 23 to win the opener, 66-49.

“We got off to a slow start, but we had a great comeback,” said Altman who Pritchard views as the team’s “swing” man.

“It’s the other guys that make it easy. I’m just doing the simple job taking the shots,” he said.