MARCH/APRIL 2015
YEASTIE BOYS
HIP HOPS AND NEW BREWS AT AERONAUT
NO. 32
TRAINS, BIKE LANES
& AUTOMOBILES
TRANSPORTATION IN THE ‘VILLE
somerville real estate 2015 Crazy winter weather has not dampened buyer demand:
bring it on! Bring on your listings, that is.
Beginning with the very first weekend in january, open houses attracted large numbers of buyers, and the heavy snows that started the last week of january have not slowed down activity. We have had full open houses and multiple bids even during some of the blizzards. the rough weather has made many homeowners postpone putting their homes on the market for several weeks. this has led to increased competition for the few listings available. Don’t wait for the warmer weather to list if you can do it sooner, particularly if you have off-street parking. A quick look at this chart shows that 2014 was another strong year in our local real estate market.
Local Sales Statistics for 2014 compared to 2013 – Data compiled from MLS Property Information Network Property Type
Condominium
Multi Family
Single Family
City
Average Price 2014
Average Price 2013
Change
Median Price 2014
Median Price 2013
Change
Arlington
$449,768
$388,481
15.8%
$435,000
$374,500
16.2%
Belmont
$570,933
$580,974
-1.73%
$486,600
$501,500
-3.0%
Cambridge
$658,445
$591,694
11.3%
$580,000
$514,750
12.7%
Medford
$362,778
$321,844
12.7%
$350,200
$315,000
11.2%
Somerville
$518,159
$449,936
15.2%
$490,000
$419,900
16.7%
Arlington
$681,438
$624,130
9.2%
$682,000
$620,000
10.0%
Belmont
$751,623
$682,055
10.2%
$724,000
$673,888
7.4%
$1,336,796
$1,263,122
5.8%
$1,215,000
$995,000
22.1%
Medford
$577,082
$508,602
13.5%
$575,000
$505,200
13.8%
Somerville
$810,796
$708,996
14.4%
$780,000
$680,000
14.7%
Arlington
$668,431
$595,171
12.3%
$625,000
$565,000
10.6%
Belmont
$1,025,241
$914,703
12.1%
$950,000
$806,000
17.9%
Cambridge
$1,460,107
$1,262,140
15.7%
$1,250,359
$903,000
38.5%
Medford
$451,946
$426,714
5.9%
$430,000
$409,000
5.1%
Somerville
$626,071
$572,527
9.4%
$562,000
$549,350
2.3%
Cambridge
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS Please support these local non-profits that support the neediest people in our community. Somerville HomeleSS Coalition | Saturday, april 11th @ 6-9 pm – 30th anniversary and annual Raise the Roof event at arts at the armory, 191 Highland ave., Somerville. For tickets and information, call 617-623-6111 or email KBenjamin@shcinc.org. tHe WelCome ProjeCt | thursday april 16th @ 7 pm – 25th anniversary celebration and awards dinner with buffet from 13 local restaurants at arts at the armory, 191 Highland ave., Somerville. For tickets and information, call 617-623-6633 or email warren@welcomeproject.org.
Current Listings
Thalia Tringo
President, Realtor ® 617.513.1967 cell/text Thalia@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Todd Zinn
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.852.1839 cell/text Todd@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Niké Damaskos
Residential Sales and Commercial Sales and Leasing 617.875.5276 Nike@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
232 Cedar Street #3, Somerville ~ $479,000 top-floor 2 bedroom/1 bath with private garage and driveway, front and back porches, basement storage, and shared yard. Walk to Davis and Porter Square subways, Ball and magoun Squares, nightlife, parks, bike path. easy access to Harvard, mit, tufts, logan airport, major highways.
Coming Soon 35 Pinckney Street #2, East Somerville ~ $349,000 lovely 2-bedroom/1 bath with exposed brick, renovated kitchen and bath. around the corner from the great ethnic eateries on east Broadway and the shops and cinema at assembly row. Walk to 2 orange line stops today (and 2 Green line stops slated for 2017).
Jennifer Rose
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.943.9581 cell/text Jennifer@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Lynn C. Graham
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.216.5244 cell/text Lynn@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
Brendon Edwards
Free Classes
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ®
How to Buy and Sell at the Same Time
617.895.6267 cell/text Brendon@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
for homeowners contemplating a move monday, march 9th tuesday, march 24th Wednesday, april 1st
6:30-7:45 pm OR 6:30-7:45 pm OR 6:30-7:45 pm
if trying to figure out the logistics of selling your home and buying a new one make your head spin, this workshop will help make the process understandable. this workshop, led by our agents and a loan officer from a local bank, will include a 45 minute presentation and 1/2 hour Q&a session. Handouts and refreshments provided.
Prepping Your Home for Sale
for homeowners preparing to list their house Wednesday, march 11th 6:30-7:30 pm OR monday, march 30th 6:30-7:30 pm What do you need to do to get your home ready to put on the market? is it worth updating a kitchen or bath? Finishing basement space? landscaping? Decluttering? repainting? Which repairs do you get your money back on? Which ones make your house sell faster? Get your questions answered in this short, informative session. Handouts and refreshments provided.
To reserve space in a class, please email lynn@thaliatringorealestate.com. Admission is free, but we appreciate donations of canned goods or winter coats/gloves/hats for the Somerville Homeless Coalition.
Hannah Walters
Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ®
Hannah@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com
About our company... We are dedicated to representing our buyer and seller clients with integrity and professionalism. We are also commi ed to giving back to our community. Our agents donate $250 to a non-profit in honor of each transaction and Thalia Tringo & Associates Real Estate Inc. also gives $250 to a pre-selected group of local charities for each transaction. Visit our office, 128 Willow Avenue, on the bike path in Davis Square, Somerville.
MARCH | APRIL VOLUME SCOUTSOMERVILLE COM
contents 6 // EDITORS’ NOTE 8 // WINNERS & LOSERS Saying yes to the yeti and no to the velodrome 10 // NEWS STUDY FINDS LATINOS UNDERREPRESENTED IN CITY GOVERNMENT Latino population on the rise everywhere else 12 // WHAT’S NEW? 15 // SCOUT THIS! Win $50
19
16 // SCOUT OUT YEASTIE BOYS Aeronaut fights for its right to party 19 // TRAINS BIKE LANES AND AUTOMOBILES We take a look at where Somerville is going 32 // CALENDAR & SCOUT PICKS 35 // LOCAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY 36 // RESTAURANT DIRECTORY How many have you tried?
16 Photo, top: by Brian Talbot Photo, bo om: courtesy of Aeronaut On the cover: Illustration by Bikeyface
38 // SCOUT YOU
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5
editors’ note Moving On and Staying Put Ruth Faris, Emily H opkin s little librarian
Emily Cassel
By Emily Hopkins and Emily Cassel
I
n the first week of January, we were finalizing editorial deadlines for this issue when we got a phone call from our publisher. She said it was time to get packing: The Scout staff would be moving into new offices at the Armory by the end of the week. Moving to the Armory is a big deal for us. It’s a sign that we’re growing and ge ing stronger. It also represents a bit of a challenge: Our workspace has been kicked up a notch; can we match it? Every time we publish an issue, we learn something new about ourselves and about our readers. And we add something new. Readers can now submit community posts—open le ers to the community—that will be published on our website. A few months ago we created an Instagram account (@scoutmags), and we’ve debuted a new, mobile-friendly website. In the coming months we will begin organizing events. We’re finding new and be er ways to keep in touch with Somerville, and it’s made us feel as close to you all as we ever have. We’re proud to be a part of a neighborhood that includes people like Hayes Morrison, Somerville’s Director of Transportation and Infrastructure, a person who’s so passionate about the work she does for the city that she says she could talk for hours just about interconnected signal systems. We don’t really know what that means, but we did get a lot of interesting information from Morrison about the state of transportation in Somerville (p. 19). We’re proud of places like Aeronaut Brewing Company, who aren’t just brewing beer but are opening their doors for community events (p. 16). And of course, we love folks like Ruth Faris, who we wrote about in “Li le Libraries, Big Heart” (Scout Somerville, January/February 2015). All that is to say: We want to hear from you. Drop us a line at scout@scoutmagazines. com, or join the conversation on Twi er at @scoutsomerville. Talk to you soon!
6
March | April 2015 scoutsomerville.com
PUBLISHER Holli Banks hbanks@scoutmagazines.com MANAGING EDITORS Emily Cassel ecassel@scoutmagazines.com Emily Hopkins ehopkins@scoutmagazines.com OFFICE MANAGER Melinda LaCourse mlacourse@scoutmagazines.com DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Laura Stiffler lstiffler@scoutmagazines.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Nicolle Renick design@scoutmagazines.com CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Nicole Casinelli CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR Bikeyface, bikeyface.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sean Maloney, Alejandro Ramirez CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Chrissy Bulakites, chrissybulakites.com COPY EDITOR Bill Shaner WEB HOST Truly Good Design, trulygooddesign.com IT SUPPORT FirstCall Computers, firstcallcomputers.net BANKS PUBLICATIONS c/o Scout Somerville 191 Highland Ave., Ste. 1A Somerville, MA 02143 Office Phone: 617-996-2283 FIND US ONLINE scoutsomerville.com twi er.com/scoutsomerville www.facebook.com/somervillescout For advertising inquiries please contact scout@scoutmagazines.com. CIRCULATION Scout Somerville is direct-mailed bimonthly to every home and business in Somerville, reaching more than 35,000 postal addresses. An additional 1,000 copies are available at key locations in every Somerville neighborhood.
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7
Winners & Losers
W&L WINNERS
LOSERS
THE BOSTON YETI There was one good thing that came out of the first blizzard that slammed New England at the end of January: a friendly neighborhood yeti. He strolled the streets, played in the snow, asked if parking bans apply to mythical creatures and kept everyone updated on his antics via Twi er. Local media outlets were quick to dub the creature “the Boston Yeti” due to his Twi er handle, @BostonYeti2015, but a quick glance at his profile shows that he’s really a Somerville Yeti. Either way, the being (who now has more than 8,500 Twi er followers), provided us all with a great amount of joy during a truly awful storm, so really we were all winners. Thanks, Yeti!
THE BOSTON MILITIA Boston’s women’s football team the Boston Militia are only losers in the sense that they’ve lost their name— in all other aspects, they’re killing it. Owner Ernie Boch, Jr. announced that he was dissolving the team back in January, but Militia alums have banded together to form a new team: The Boston Renegades. “It’s been a mad dash,” says Molly Goodwin, one of three alums on the executive board of the new team, on the work that’s gone into the reboot. Anyone interested in supporting the team can head to bostonrenegadesfootball.com.
PLAYFUL KIDS Big changes are coming soon to Otis Street Playground. Planning for the revamped park began with a community meeting last June, and in November the project got a big boost in the form of a $400,000 Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities Grant. The city will host a series of meetings over the next few months to collect input from area residents, and renovations on the 7,569 square foot space—including new café seating and new, up-to-code play features—are set to begin in July of this year.
THE VELODROME While it sounds like something out of “Tron” or “The Hunger Games,” a velodrome is actually an indoor arena for cycling races. It’s also a structure that Boston Mayor Marty Walsh hopes to build in Somerville should Boston be chosen as the host city for the 2024 Olympics. Mayor Curtatone is having none of it, saying that while he supports hosting the 2024 games in Boston, any plans for Somerville should benefit the city—he doesn’t exactly think that a massive, circular cycling rink will have long-term benefits for most citizens.
LITERATURE LOVERS In “Total Bummer” news, The Book Shop MUSIC FANS AND LOCAL (694 Broadway) closed its doors at the end of February. The only remaining general BANDS Great news for music fans: a bookstore in Somerville proper, the Ball new rock club called Thunder Road Square favorite leaves behind a community of is coming soon to the old Radio Bar bookworms who once a ended its numerous spot in Union Square (379 Somerville book club meetings and author readings. Ave.). Construction on the space began Luckily, The Book Shop will continue to host an off-site book club; those during the first week of January, but things interested in a ending are moving quickly; New York-based rocker should email info@ Jesse Malin is already slated to host a bookshopsomerville.com. record release show there on April 9, and an all-metal tribute to the Bee Gees (yes, you read that correctly) will be playing on May 2. You could say that in Somerville, the music scene is… stayin’ alive. Someone rustle your jimmies or tickle your fancy? Let us know at scoutsomerville.com/contact-us, and we just might crown them a winner or loser. 8
March | April 2015 scoutsomerville.com
SHOUT OUT! If the Olympic Games come to Boston, what would your event be?
“The Modern Pentathlon which is fencing, swimming, show jumping, pistol shooting and running.” - Greg N.
“Snacking.” - Zoe W.
“Street Luge.” - Sam G.
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scoutsomerville.com March | April 2015
9
News
news STUDY FINDS LATINOS UNDERREPRESENTED IN CITY GOVERNMENT By Alejandro Ramirez
I
n December, the Greater Boston Latino Network (GBLN) released a study on the lack of representation in the municipal governments of Boston, Chelsea and Somerville. The study, titled “The Silent Crisis,� found that while Latinos make up 10 percent of Somerville’s population, very few city positions are held by Latinos. Out of the 28 executive positions, none are held by Latinos. (Portuguese-speaking Latin Americans from Brazil were not included in this study). Out of the 232 positions for city boards and commissions, only 4 appointments are Latino—a mere 1.7 percent. Somerville’s Latino population differs from that of Chelsea or Boston, as it’s relatively small. In the past few decades, however, it’s been on the rise. During the 1980s, as violence swept through Central America, Somerville became one of many sanctuary cities. During that decade, the Hispanic population in Somerville quadrupled. This represented a trend across all non-white residents in the city. Between 1970 and 2000, Somerville went from being almost homogeneously white to having nearly a quarter of its population made up of black, Asian and Hispanic peoples. Somerville’s government, however, does not reflect the changes to its demographics. “Usually, the city seems to look for white, middle-class people for these positions,� says Rene Mardones, the Lead Organizer at the Somerville Community Corporation, a group dedicated to preserving the city’s diversity and affordability. He notes that many board and commi ee positions are appointed by Mayor Joseph Curtatone’s office, and that Latinos are o en passed over for these roles. For example, none of the appointees on the Union Square Redevelopment Civic Advisory Commi ee were Latinos from the community in question. “The city has a responsibility to open up to other groups ... What we would like to see is more people from the community appointed to these commi ees.� These commi ees have a huge effect on the future of Somerville’s neighborhoods, especially as the city moves forward. Take East Somerville, for example, where Somerville’s Latino population is largely concentrated. Housing costs in East Somerville have traditionally been lower, but over the past few years, the neighborhood has seen a reduction in crime rates and overall improvements thanks to local organizations like East Somerville Main Streets. These changes have made the area more a ractive as a whole, and especially to developers, which can lead to the displacement of lower income residents. As the GBLN study notes: “East Somerville is today the site of major developments such as Assembly Square Mall, new MBTA stops and the fastest rise in the cost of homes in the city.� “The literature suggests that reflective representation in the bureaucracy ma ers a great deal,� says Jen Douglas, Ph.D., one of the study’s authors. The researchers looked into just how much representation, or a lack thereof, affected a community. One such study, on cultural subsets in multiracial Texas schools, found school systems that included more black and Latino teachers generally performed be er on standardized tests. The higher scores were ubiquitous across 10
March | April 2015 scoutsomerville.com
racial lines, the study found. Patricia Montes, the Executive Director of the immigrants’ rights organization Centro Presente, notes that the city is changing, which isn’t a bad thing. But, she says, the city needs to keep its more vulnerable population in mind. She’s seen the displacement of the Latino community in a very personal way: A er six years in Somerville, Centro Presente was forced to relocate from East Somerville to East Boston last June due to rising rents. “Hopefully this city can continue to change but still be able to sustain these immigrant and minority communities,� Montes says,
“The literature suggests that reflective representation in the bureaucracy ma ers a great deal.� – Jen Douglas, Ph.D. “because we also want to live in a beautiful city, we also want to live in a clean city, but we also want to be able to afford it. It’s not an issue of wanting to stay but an issue of affording it.� In response to the study, neighboring Boston created an Office of Diversity less than a month a er it was published. The new office will recruit people of color to serve on boards and in leadership positions, and will also evaluate potential transfers. Led by Chief Diversity Officer Shaun Blugh, the department also promises to advocate fair policies for those communities and to accrue contracts with businesses owned by women and people of color. It’s unclear if Somerville has similar plans at the moment; however, groups like the Somerville Community Corporation do run candidates for certain commi ees, and Mardones mentions programs like The Welcome
Community members parade down the street in East Somerville—where much of the city’s Latino population is concentrated—for Carnaval. Photo courtesy of East Somerville Main Streets.
Project and the SCC’s own Leadership Development Instititute, which help immigrants not only adjust but excel in their new city. Knowledge of and engagement in local politics will go a long way, too, says Montes. “We need to inform [Latinos], get them involved in the process and really teach them about the policies that can affect them.” In the end, Latinos taking a proactive role will be just as vital to ge ing Latinos into office. As the study notes: “Recognizing that the simple inclusion of Latino persons in the bureaucracy is at once a fundamental and an insufficient step toward active representation, we conclude with strategy recommendations to maximize the potential for Latino city workers to become active representatives and for bureaucracies to transform in ways that serve Latino and all residents more effectively.” Map from The Silent Crisis
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11
What’s New?
what’s new?
THE BAKED GOODS BEAT SPRING HILL
ATE
Sweet news for sweet tooths: Beloved bakery 7ate9 is opening up a brick-and-mortar location (199C Highland Ave.). Owner Sarah Chester’s mini cheesecakes have long been a local favorite and will continue to be a staple at the new shop. The bakery will also be selling full-sized cheesecakes as well as coffee and other sugary snacks. While Chester was hoping the storefront would be up and running by February, it looks like it’ll be open sometime in March. “We’ve been pre y set back by all the snowstorms,� she says. POP UP
BETTER BAGELS
Photo courtesy of Library of Congress
DAVIS SQUARE
SILENTS PLEASE
L
ast month, the Somerville Theatre (55 Davis Sq.) kicked off a new series of silent film screenings titled “Silents, Please.� With accompaniment from Jeff Rapsis, a nationally-renowned silent film musician who has performed at festivals and theatres around the United States, the movies will all be shown in 35mm on Somerville Theatre’s big screen. The series kicked off on February 8 with a double-feature of adventure films and continues through July. Don’t miss “W.C. Fields: A Silent Surprise� on March 8 or “The Ten Commandments� (1923) on April 5
BEAUTY AND THE BEEP SPRING HILL
WORK SHOP SALON
Stylist Tarley Taylor has been cu ing hair for more than 15 years, and in January she opened up a shop of her own: Work Shop Salon (199A Highland Ave.). She decided to found the business a er realizing that there weren’t enough great booth rental salons in the area, and says that running the place has “been a lot of fun so far.� Taylor specializes in short cuts, but what really sets her salon apart are COMING the hours – the doors open daily SOON at 7 a.m. 12
March | April 2015 scoutsomerville.com
CITYWIDE
LOUD BICYCLE HORN
The Loud Bicycle Horn is exactly what it sounds like: a superloud car horn that you can a ach to your bike. Somerville’s Photo Courtesy of Loud Bicycle Jonathan Lansey— the horn’s creator—built several says he’s already been ge ing prototypes for the noisy great feedback from buyers: One accessory at Artisan’s Asylum (10 customer emailed him to say Tyler St.) and funded the project that he thinks the loud bike horn through Kickstarter back in 2013. saved his life. You can preorder The first batch of horns hit the a horn from the second round of streets in December, and Lansey production at loudbicycle.com.
Daddy Jones (525 Medford St.) and Cuisine en Locale (156 Highland Ave.) have already played host to the delightfully doughy pop up Be er Bagels. The new venture has a simple, tasty menu: plain, sesame, everything and poppy seed bagels slathered with bu er or plain, veggie or scallion cream cheese. For more info on upcoming pop-up spots, check them out at facebook.com/ COMING be erbagelsboston. SOON
UNION SQUARE
UNION SQUARE DONUTS
The sweet and sensational Union Square Donuts (20 Bow St.) only opened up their permanent brickand-mortar space back in October, but they’ve been growing rapidly since then. They’re now open every day of the week but Monday, are serving vegan donuts every day and added “savory squares� to the menu in January. These new treats—a slightly more angular and less sweet alternative to their usual offerings—are available in flavors like bacon cheddar sage or spinach feta red onion. In addition, the shop’s brown bu er hazelnut crunch donut was chosen as one of Buzzfeed’s “33 donuts to try before you die� back in February. How sweet it is.
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Photo courtesy of Meju
MEJU
A
sister restaurant to Allston’s Bibim, Meju (243 Elm St.) opened back in January. The spot serves up modern and traditional Korean fare alongside beer, wine and Korean alcoholic beverages. General manager Ed Kim says people are already raving about their bibimbap as well as their scallion pancakes. Cocktail-wise, he recommends a minty beverage made with ginger beer and lime called the Meju mule. Kim wants everyone to know that they shouldn’t let snow and freezing temperatures keep them from stopping by: “The restaurant is very warm and cozy!” he says with a laugh.
CITYWIDE STUFF SNOW SHOVELING LAWS
Last December, Somerville aldermen voted to change the city’s shoveling laws, decreasing the amount of time residents had to clear snow from in front of their homes and doubling fines for those who failed to do so. But a historically snowy winter has stressed out ‘villians, who voiced their dismay about the new deadlines in le ers and emails to the aldermen. A public forum about revising the laws was scheduled for February 3 but was – ironically enough – postponed due to snow. THE INTERNET
CITY OF SOMERVILLE WEBSITE
Coming soon to a computer near you: a brand new City of Somerville website. “This is no ordinary website overhaul,” the city promised in a press release. For the past several months, Somervillians have been voting on the changes and features they’d like to see implemented on the new site. Soon, in addition to finding information about city
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programs and events, residents should be able to take care of all city business, including paying bills and leaving feedback, online. The city hopes the new site will be up and running by the end of the year. CITYWIDE
PLASTIC BAG BAN
Could Somerville be on its way to a plastic bag ban? At a December Board of Aldermen commi ee meeting, nine community members spoke about the proposed ban. “Everybody who was present, with the exception of one a endee, was supportive of a plastic ban ordinance,” said Board of Aldermen Vice President Katjana Ballantyne. The aldermen voted to move the question to the Legislative Ma ers Commi ee, where members will determine ordinance specifics. “It will be taken up,” said Ballantyne, who also sits on that commi ee, though no exact date has been set. Ward 5 Alderman Mark Niedergang was optimistic about a ban coming in the nottoo-distant future, and said he believes most of Somerville’s citizens are “passionately for it.”
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scoutsomerville.com March | April 2015
13
What’s New?
DOWN TO BUSINESS Mimi Graney’s exit from Union Square Main Streets a er 10 years of service. In the past few months, both of these organizations have found new leadership. Former community liaison for the East Somerville Community School Teresa Vazquez-Dodero took over as ESMS Executive Director, and Esther Hanig is the new USMS Executive Director. Good luck, you two—we can’t wait to see what you accomplish!
ASSEMBLY SQUARE
SMARTBEAR
Look out, Cambridge: You may be the tech capital of Massachuse s right now, but Somerville is hot on your heels. In January, SmartBear So ware (450 Artisan Way) joined the retail, residential and restaurant spaces at Assembly Row. The first office tenant to move into the 45-acre development, SmartBear won’t be alone for long—as we told you in our last issue, Partners WINTER HILL COMING HealthCare has also WINTER HILL broken ground SOON on BANK LOAN an 85,000 squareCENTER foot office building Winter Hill Bank at Assembly. That celebrated the project is estimated grand opening of Photo courtesy of to bring 4,500 its new loan center Winter Hill Bank permanent and (377 Broadway) 1,500 construction jobs to the in January. “Somerville is neighborhood. experiencing rapid and dramatic growth in all areas, and history WELCOME proves that a thriving community NEW ESMS/ must have relevant local banking to USMS EXECUTIVE help fuel growth in every sector,� Winter Hill Bank President and DIRECTORS CEO Sandra L. McGoldrick said In our January/February edition, in a statement. “As we celebrate we told you about Carrie Dancy our new loan center, we usher in a Niemy’s departure from East modern era of community banking Somerville Main Streets a er that will build on our 109 year more than eight years with the tradition of exceptional service.� organization. We also wrote about
CITYWIDE
DOWNTIME PARKING
E
ver driven past the “No Parking� signs in an empty bank or church lot on a Friday night and wondered if you should just park there anyway? “You’ve probably thought to yourself, ‘You know, if that business owner was here, I’m sure they’d take my 10 bucks so that I could go to dinner,’� says Downtime Parking’s Erik Bullerjahn. His company has developed an app to facilitate that exchange. By working with businesses that own private lots and contracting out their parking spots during off hours, Downtime Parking is offering unused commercial spaces to drivers at a cost that’s lower than what you’d pay in a privately-owned lot. So far, the company has 20 spaces in three areas—Ideal Automotive (100 Dover St.), Wedgewood Crane & Connolly (19 College Ave.) and Vining Law Office (761 Broadway)—though they’re optimistic about expanding over the coming months. 14
March | April 2015 scoutsomerville.com
MENU CH-CH-CH-CHANGES UNION SQUARE
THE INDEPENDENT
The Independent (75 Union Sq.) closed up shop in February for renovations, but a er just ten speedy days of repairs it reopened in time to host an anti-Valentine’s party. The updated space boasts back-of-the-house changes like new kitchen and bar equipment, but Indo chefs are also cooking up new menu items like Mortadella deviled eggs, a crab and pance a chowder and mac and cheese with house-made chorizo.
Palmer on March 5 and have a pierogi and music night scheduled for March 27.
Photo courtesy of Saloon
DAVIS SQUARE
SALOON
SPRING HILL
CUISINE EN LOCALE
A pop up no more, Cuisine en Locale (156 Highland Ave.) is now open nightly. Since January 12, the Spring Hill favorite has been dishing out dinner from 5 - 10 p.m. every day of the week, and the bar now stays open until 1 a.m. Live music lovers have nothing to fear, as Cuisine en Locale will continue to put on concerts and special events. They just hosted Laura
Saloon (255 Elm St.) debuted a brand new, whiskey-friendly menu back in February. Fresh snacks—like a sweet potato cornba ered chorizo corndog and chips benedict (that’s the handcut fries with pork belly, fried egg and hollandaise you see pictured here)—not only sound super tasty, but are designed to compliment the restaurant’s 120 varieties of whiskey. And of course, the “devils on horseback� are still on the menu.
HOT POT MOMOS AND TORTAS OH MY! COMING SOON
DAVIS SQUARE
HOT POT
A er less than a year in business, the Davis Square Pinkberry (263 Elm St.) officially closed its doors in January. A sign appeared in the shop’s front window shortly a er promising that a hot pot and sushi spot was coming to the location, though additional information was scarce at press time. Davis Square froyo lovers can still get their fix at iYo (234 Elm St.) and Orange Leaf (256 Elm St.) MAGOUN SQUARE
TASTY MO MO
Sophiya Thakali, momo maker extraordinaire, is opening up a shop called Tasty Mo:Mo in Magoun Square (503B Medford St.). The small storefront will be serving take out and frozen momo at the outset and hopes to offer catering as well, though they have
Photo courtesy of Tasty Mo:Mo
plans to eventually transition to a sit-down destination. Thakali says she hopes the restaurant will be dishing out dumplings sometime in March. DAVIS SQUARE
TENOCH MEXICAN
A third Tenoch Mexican location (378 Highland Ave.) will open soon in the ‘ville. “Our menu will be similar to the one in Medford and the North End ‌ heavy on the tortas,â€? says Tenoch’s Alvaro Sandoval. He also says that, if everything goes according to plan, the new restaurant should be open in May.
Scout This! Contest
Scout this! Scout This! Winners Timothy and Christi Eisen
C
ongratulations to Timothy and Christi Eisen for correctly identifying the Scout This! photo from our January/ February issue. The mural celebrates HONK! Fest and was spo ed on the Rogers Foam Factory building near the Central Street Bridge. The pair recognized the painting, by Heather Balchunas, from their drives to New Hampshire to see family, hike and hit the slopes. It has always held “good memories for us,” says Timothy. The victorious duo plan on using their winnings towards a cooking class at their favorite Somerville spot: Dave’s Fresh Pasta. “We can’t wait—Jason, the chef, is the best!”
Where in Somerville was this photo taken? Win ! $50 Three Ways to Enter:
» E-mail scout@scoutmagazines.com with “Scout This!” in the subject line. » Call 617-996-2283. » Enter on our website at scoutsomerville.com.
Please include your name, contact info and a photo of you with the object in the photo, if possible. Winners must be available for interview and photograph. Largest climbing wall on the East Coast - Watertown location
W
e at Scout Somerville are commi ed to being direct, vibrant and local. We love showing up in your mailbox every other month, but a lot happens between those mailings. That’s why we’ve put some elbow grease into our website. The redesign is easier to read and share, and updated almost daily, so you can get your Scout fix any time. We’ll being showing up online with news, restaurant and music reviews and our weekly Scout Picks to keep you busy on the weekends. Check it out at scoutsomerville.com!
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Scout Out Local Business
Scout Out!
YEASTIE BOYS
stage if the fire alarm goes off. We can’t use the clips we like to use for the lights, so we have get real industrial clips. There are so many things that can be funny in a place like this.� Whereas many business owners are quick to kvetch about the layers of bureaucracy and regulation, Holmes seems to accept that these are parts of the grand experiment of entrepreneurship. The microbiology and genomics student has the air of a mad scientist, his grin beaming as he discusses mutations in yeast DNA and the chemical composition of the sugars that will become beer. The beer, of course, is what powers the whole operation to begin with. Since the days when Holmes and co-founders Ronn Friedland and Dan Rassi were overzealous homebrewers amassing a collection of industrial grade equipment at their Somerville apartment, their mission has been to make good beer and to share good beer with their community. To judge strictly by their popularity— they had 300 people show up to grab a beer in the middle of the aforementioned blizzard, if that puts things in perspective—the mission has been a Photo courtesy of Aeronaut resounding success. “The future is bright, man. We’re trying to produce more beer—there is no shortage of fun, awesome recipe ideas. The beer keeps ge ing be er too.� says Holmes. “It’s fun to home brew and it’s fun to come up with your own recipes that you’re excited about, but we’ve been able to do so much and see what people like, to learn from people.� But what about competition and entering a crowded craft beer market? It’s one thing to be welcomed by the rock climbing gym and the silkscreen shop on your block, but another to squeeze your way into the almost-overcrowded craft beer market, right? “Breweries are extraordinarily welcoming, and the breweries around here have been great,� says Holmes. “When we first started formulating this idea ... Ryan and our co-founder Dan and I traveled across the country and visited many, many breweries and were asking, ‘What is the beer experience?’� “What is the social experience?,� Holmes continues. “What do we build? How do we build a new place which supports all this stuff together? And what kind of beer do we make? And all of the brewers around here have been crazy supportive.� Aeronaut makes sure to show the same support to budding brewers, paying it forward in the form of homebrewing competitions and tank time for the winners. They also let the community guide their production, soliciting opinions and advice from customers as recipes develop from idea to experiment to full scale brewing. Peer into the heart of Aeronaut and you will see curiosity. Peek into its brain and you’ll find a scientific methodology. But if you were to stare into the soul of this Somerville upstart? You’d find an excitement about the endless combinations of water, grains, hops and yeast and the joy of sharing with those around you. “There’s still tons of room to grow,� says Holmes. �And to grow as a community of makers. It’s really a crazy adventure.�
Aeronaut Takes us Behind the Beers By Sean L. Maloney
“N
othing is ever done, everything is always building.� It is a sunny Wednesday a ernoon and while the rest of Somerville digs itself out from the Blizzard of 2015, Scout is at Aeronaut Brewing talking to co-founder Ben Holmes. The air is warm and moist and the scent of fermentation wa s through the expansive facility, a former envelope factory turned 21st century business park. Our host is simultaneously very chill and very excitable, taking us to every corner of the facility with the same glee as a kid opening birthday presents. “It’s a massive place that’s been under construction since day one and probably always will be,� says Holmes. “It’s new construction, new permits ... we’re all at once a bar, a brewery, a scientific facility, a food manufacturing facility, a restaurant.� Not only home to the massive brew tanks, fermentors and a bar that serves up the final product, Aeronaut also shares space with micro-roasting coffee-savants Barismo and sustainable food delivery service Something Gud. A new restaurant and a chocolatier are currently in the preparatory stages, poised to bring more epicurean delights to their bustling corner of the city. Then of course, there are the non-stop events that fly through the facility on an almost nightly basis, from trivia to performance art to music of every stripe. Thanks to labyrinthine regulations in Massachuse s, many require their own special permits and permission. It is all part of a learning process, one that clearly delights Holmes. “[Aeronaut] always needs new construction, new permits. We learned that to play music legitimately you need to work with fire alarm companies and electricians to build shut offs to flip the power in the
“The future is bright, man ... The beer keeps ge ing be er too.� – Ben Holmes
16
March | April 2015 scoutsomerville.com
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Trains, Bike Lanes and Automobiles Community
Photo courtesy of the City of Somerville
Trains,
Bike Lanes Automobiles AND
THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION IN THE ‘VILLE By Emily Cassel and Emily Hopkins
I
ssues of mobility have demanded a lot of our a ention lately. This cruel winter especially illustrated the importance of safe streets and sidewalks. We’ve been trapped inside by snowbanks too high to scale, or we’ve been stranded by a network of trains that were at least partially shut down for nearly a month. Photos of packed MBTA platforms made the city’s overwhelmed transit system a national headline, and even if you could drive or take the bus, narrowed streets created bo lenecks and traffic remained at a near gridlock. scoutsomerville.com March | April 2015
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Community
Trains, Bike Lanes and Automobiles
Bo om line: It’s been hard to get around. But look beyond this winter, and you’ll see a Somerville that is changing the way it moves. More people than ever are biking and taking the T, and new infrastructure is on its way to get people who want to stay out of their cars off the road. There are a lot of changes on the horizon, so Scout asked the question: Where is Somerville going?
A City on Two Wheels
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umbers aren’t as flashy as the racing bikes you see parked in the windows of local shops, but they’re just as important to Somerville’s cyclists. The latest annual report from the League of American Bicyclists—which used American Community Survey data collected through the US Census Bureau in 2013—found Somerville to be the top city for bike commuting in the Northeast. With 7.8 percent of commuters regularly cycling to work, the city is also tied for fourth nationally in commuter biking. And the overall number of city cyclists is also on the rise: The Somerville program ResiStat found that in 2013 (the most recent year for which there is data), there were 7,881 total
20 March | April 2015
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cyclists in the city, a figure 16 percent higher than the previous year and 80 percent higher than in 2010, the first year that ResiStat tracked this information. Not bad, when you consider that Somerville only installed its second-ever bike lane in 2008. “That really starts at the top, with the mayor,” says Hayes Morrison, Director of Transportation and Infrastructure in the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development. “He has a saying, and it’s our overarching goal for the department, which is we want to be the most walkable, bikeable, transit-accessible city in the nation. When you make such a bold statement, everything else just kind of follows, and if you say it enough, everyone who lives here believes it too.” Morrison, who talked to Scout at length about the city’s plans for all modes of transportation, calls the spike in cycling numbers “statistically extremely impressive.” She credits the rapid growth to a dual effort from the city to invest financially in infrastructural improvements and a empt to foster a culture that makes people feel safe ge ing on their bikes. “We in Somerville take this very seriously,” Morrison says. “Bicycling is not a hobby, bikes are not children’s toys. This is a real mobility system.” “The things that make a city bikeable are also things that make it
Trains, Bike Lanes and Automobiles: The Future of Transportation in the ‘Ville Community
Photo by Shawn Musgrave
a pleasant place to live: density, a variety of restaurants and shops and experiences,” adds Carice Reddien, owner of the bike shop Bicycle Belle (368 Beacon St.) “So those things that make it a ractive—bicycling is just a part of that.” She adds that the changing culture is significant because more families are staying in the area, and they no longer feel that it’s unsafe or inconvenient for them to get around the city on two wheels. (She would know: A mother herself, Reddien responded to interview questions with one eye on her toddler, Erin, who was crawling around the shop. She frequently rides around the city with her daughter in tow.) Somerville has systematically added to and improved upon its bike lanes in the past five years in an a empt to embrace the “8 to 80” idea—a belief that urban cycling should feel safe and comfortable for anyone between the ages of 8 and 80. The city has increased the visibility of cyclists by painting sharrows (the small white bike decals with what look like chevrons painted above them) in roadways to designate lanes shared by bikes and cars. The first green bike lanes were painted on area streets in 2014, and more are on the way. And the Beacon Street reconstruction project, which should wrap up this year, includes a designated cycle track on each side of the road. The Beacon Street track will be the first of its kind in the city, and it’s an important safety measure, as that stretch of road is one of the busiest and most
“[THE MAYOR] HAS A SAYING, AND IT’S OUR OVERARCHING GOAL FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS WE WANT TO BE THE MOST WALKABLE, BIKEABLE, TRANSITACCESSIBLE CITY IN THE NATION.” – HAYES MORRISON
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dangerous cycling routes in Greater Boston. Then, there’s Hubway, a system that is significant both infrastructurally and culturally. Somerville’s first Hubway stations—12 of them—opened last year, and four more are scheduled to open in 2015. “Sixteen stations in 4.1 square miles is a good number, but more importantly, it makes biking a legitimized mode [of transportation],” Morrison explains. “Hubway is a transit system. Just like the T, you have a membership, you use it, and people use it for their mobility and access.” Still, the biggest forthcoming infrastructure change for the city’s cyclists could be the Community Path extension (CPX) that will accompany the coming Green Line tracks. By 2020, the CPX will connect Somerville with the rest of Greater Boston, allowing bikers, as well as pedestrians and joggers, to travel from Somerville through Cambridge and on into Boston proper—all on a route that’s entirely free from cars. The city is also taking cyclists into account in the design of the newest Green Line stops—the Washington Street station will have close to 300 designated bike parking spots inside a “bike cage” that commuters can access with their Charlie Cards. “Again, it goes back to culture,” Morrison notes. “You wouldn’t leave your car in an unsafe location, and you want to park as close as humanly possible to your destination.” 22
March | April 2015 scoutsomerville.com
That’s not to say that everyone is in favor of these major infrastructural overhauls to the city. The Beacon Street cycle track means a loss of parking spaces along that road, and local business owners have expressed concerns that taking away those spots will affect sales. Even within the cycling community, there are those who voice their doubts about the cycle track and other expensive projects like it. “What have you been hearing it’s going to cost?” asks Ace Wheelworks’ Bruce Weber. (According to the city, the total for the entire Beacon Street reconstruction project—including road resurfacing and the repair of old water and sewer pipes—is a cool $8.9 million.) “It’s huge, compared to painting a stripe or paving a nice surface.” “If the roads are a true boulevard size and you can make [a cycle track] work, that’s great,” his coworker, Jason Paige, adds. “When you try to do it with narrow roads there just seems to be too many people who have different interests in how to use the roads.” Rather than trying to fit parking, a route for cars, a designated right of way for cyclists and a sidewalk on Somerville’s narrow streets, Paige says he thinks it’s simpler and more cost effective to simply paint sharrows and take care of potholes. “If you can at least get a picture of a bike and an arrow on the ground, cars remember that they’re going to see cyclists ... I think the li le things make the biggest difference.” Still, the city’s ultimate goal is to get more people on bikes, and as
it continues to build up its bike infrastructure, the number of cyclists is likely to climb. It doesn’t seem far-fetched to say that someday in the not-too-distant future the number of cyclists in Somerville will be much higher than 7,881, or that the percentage of people commuting by bike will be far greater than just 7.8 percent. The League of American Cyclists gets that—they awarded the city with a silver “Bicycle Friendly Community” rating last year. “There are so many places that you can get to easily by bicycle, but they’re a li le too far to walk, just a li le bit too inconvenient to get to by T or bus,” says Bicycle Belle’s Reddien. “But they’re perfect for a bicycle.”
Somerville’s Green MOnster
T
he Boston area got a real taste of what it’s like to live without the T this winter, but for much of Somerville, this is a daily reality. Though bus lines run throughout the city, the T is what connects the Somervillian limb to the Greater Boston body. The Red and Orange lines have added stops in the past few decades, but that still leaves much of the city without direct access to the train. The promise of an extended Green Line seals the bright future for the city and will integrate these underserved residential pockets to a vast existing train network and, therefore, the Greater Boston Area. It’s a big change, and Somerville has been waiting—and waiting—for it to arrive. “If I expressed any frustration it would be because this is such a complicated project and that no one seems to understand that in an engineering sense,” says Morrison of the long time it’s taken for the Green Line Extension (GLX) project to proceed. There’s a lot that is going into this infrastructure: not just new rails, but pedestrian and cycling rights of way that will run parallel to the track. If that wasn’t a design achievement in itself, the entire project must be completed around the commuter rail tracks that the Green Line will abut—all without interrupting commuter rail service. “The whole project has to be designed so that rail never goes down. Amtrak is on that line as well as four different commuter lines,” says Morrison. Keeping those lines operating during construction “is a feat of engineering, and that gets lost in all of this. This is extremely complicated.” It’s also expensive. Late last year, the Federal Transit Administration asked that the MBTA set aside an additional $300 million as a price contingency should the construction take longer than expected, increasing the total cost estimate for the project from $1.6 to $1.9 billion. That’s a er a previous escalation from $1.3 to $1.6 billion. The added money is meant to go towards expenses like the extension of the Community Path from Lowell Street Station to Water Street in Cambridge. Somerville is a city with big visions for itself, and according to Morrison, that price tag reflects a commitment to doing it right so that they don’t have to do it again. “For the majority of the community path … you will be in a right of way that has two commuter rail tracks, two Green Line tracks and a dedicated bike and pedestrian right of way,” says Morrison. “That’s a lot of mobility in one nice li le package.” Critics of the extension believe that expensive additions to an ailing, aging and underfunded system are the wrong targets for MBTA funds. Terrance Regan, a professor of city planning and urban affairs at Boston University transportation policy expert, spoke against the GLX in an interview in February. He likened it to “pu ing an expansion on your house when the roof leaks.” Regan wrote a report in 2007 that found the MBTA to be in $19 billion dollars of structural debt. Much of the system is too old to function consistently on a day to day basis, and unexpected events like the heavy snow we saw this winter can stop operation altogether.
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March | April 2015 scoutsomerville.com
On the MBTA, I think we have focused too much on expansion and not enough on what is called “state of good repair,” Regan told BU Today. “If you asked the guys who actually make the T run on a daily basis, they would probably put every penny they have in state of good repair.” Others are worried about the increased housing costs associated with the expansion. Like the expansions of the Orange and Red Lines, the GLX is expected to drive commercial development. Rising housing costs are also a concern, though Morrison says that that isn’t necessarily a direct result of more T tracks coming to the city. “There’s simply just not enough housing in Somerville to accommodate the people who want to live there; it drives rents up,” says Morrison, adding, “whether or not that is a direct result of the Green Line, I don’t know that data-wise, anyone could definitively say, but it does make the area more a ractive.” Affordable housing is a big part of Somerville’s redevelopment plans, just like transportation. The city has commi ed to building 6,000 housing units as part of its SomerVision master plan, 1,200 of which will be dedicated affordable housing units—a number that is being reviewed and may increase in coming months. The rising cost of living, like transportation, tends to be a largescale issue that is plagued too o en by myopic consideration. Some view the impending GLX on a neighborhood to neighborhood basis— how is the Union Square stop going to affect that area, and so on. This is a frustration for city officials who are looking at the bigger picture, not just for Somerville as a whole, but for the region. Complaints about GLX construction delays, for example, might come from folks who don’t take the commuter rail—the continuous operation of which is one of the reasons the project has been so hard to plan. “If you look at it geographically, we’re almost like a borough,” says Morrison. “So whatever we do also needs to be replicated in Cambridge
Trains, Bike Lanes and Automobiles Community
and in Boston and in Chelsea and Revere as far as affordable housing and [transportation] access as well,” she says. “The rising tide li s all boats.”
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March | April 2015 scoutsomerville.com
Trains, Bike Lanes and Automobiles Community
Car Talk
R
ead between the lines of Mayor Curtatone’s plan to make Somerville the most walkable, bikeable, transit-accessible city in the nation, and you’ll notice that there’s no specific mention of making the city easier for drivers to navigate. That’s because ge ing people out of their cars is an expressed goal of this administration—one that’s already being achieved. “There are more people parking in Somerville, but actually, statistically, Commonwealth-wide there are less vehicle miles traveled,” Morrison notes. “People are … making very intelligent and informed decisions about their trips. They may still own cars, but they’re driving less.” Morrison explains that the city is encouraging a “mode shi ” away from single-occupancy vehicles. In SomerVision, the city’s comprehensive plan for the future, one of the biggest transportation goals is for 50 percent of new trips to be taken by bike, transit or walking—in other words, not in a single-occupancy vehicle—by 2030. But while cars may not be the most efficient way to travel around the city, it’s hard to argue against their convenience. Todd Whitelaw is the brand manager of the smart car dealership Smart Center Boston (259 McGrath Hwy.), and while he agrees that it’s “greener” to walk, pedal or take the T, he says those are not always the most advantageous options. “What if your commute is an hour and a half on the MBTA but 20 minutes in a car?” he asks. “How valuable is your time?” As brand manager of a smart car dealership, Whitelaw admits he has a vested interest in the sale of these vehicles. Still, his points ring
true; this winter has been an especially brutal one for public transit commuters. O en, the MBTA was shut down entirely or operating on a limited schedule, and when the system was up and running it still frequently inconvenienced travelers with vicious delays and even breakdowns. And although Whitelaw acknowledges that the new Assembly Row Orange Line station and the coming Green Line extension will no doubt improve the ease with which citizens can travel around Somerville, there are the greater problems plaguing the aging transit system. The Massachuse s Senate just passed a proposal that cuts $14 million from the MBTA budget, continuing a long history of underinvestment in Massachuse s transportation. And despite the popularity of late night T service, it could be on the chopping block later this month as the pilot program comes to an end. “In an ideal world where public transportation were always quick and efficient and easy and timely, I think people would go that route,” Whitelaw elaborates. “But that’s not our reality.” The good news for car owners is that while Somerville doesn’t explicitly outline improvements for drivers as part of its long-term transportation goals, drivers can still expect changes that make the area a be er place to drive. The city has introduced a comprehensive pavement management plan to ensure that streets are well-maintained. Pay by phone parking is now an option at every public meter in Somerville thanks to the Parkmobile app, and the city is working with another app, Downtime Parking, to bring the same convenience to privately owned spaces. “We do want to be at the forefront of parking management,” Morrison notes. “That’s extremely valuable to land use and allows us to develop in a smarter way that is aligned with our SomerVision goals.” Morrison recognizes there are times when traveling by car is the best option, and that there are people for whom driving is the most convenient, if not the only, safe way to get around the city. “We are not
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27
Community
Trains, Bike Lanes and Automobiles
anti-driving in Somerville … We do not have, you know, an agenda to try to get you to never drive again,” she says. Instead, city planners hope to encourage drivers to use other modes when appropriate. She points to national transportation statistics, which say that 18 percent of a person’s vehicle miles traveled by car are associated with their commute. The city isn’t coming for that 18 percent. Instead, they’re looking for ways to get at the other 82. By prioritizing the needs of walkers, bikers and MBTA riders, the city plans to chip away at their goal of reducing single occupancy vehicle travel by 50 percent. “If you can come home and park your car and you never have to get back in it, and you can walk to the correct land use—and this is where zoning and planning comes in—then we can effectively shi your mode for you,” Morrison says.
Get on Your Feet
W
alking and driving are seemingly on opposite ends of the transportation spectrum, and yet they are the two modes most heavily linked to each other through infrastructure. Miles of sidewalks and roads are married to each other. The history of the pedestrian-driver relationship is an ebb and flow, at times a full-on power struggle. Today, our sidewalks serve to keep pedestrians out of the road, which is largely considered to be designated for motor 28
March | April 2015 scoutsomerville.com
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vehicles. This wasn’t always the case: Before the advent of the car, streets used to be pedestrian malls, and except for the occasional horse-drawn cart, the streets were packed with people. Since then, automobiles have placed themselves at the center of the country’s transportation ideals, and a lot of our infrastructure reflects that. But as our culture begins to move away from that paradigm, cities like Somerville are looking ahead to optimize roadways for all types of transportation. “We’re going to look into the future and say, okay, what are the changes in how you physically access goods and services in the future?” Morrison says. As Somerville looks forward to huge changes and redevelopment via SomerVision and Somerville by Design, this issue of a safe and enjoyable pedestrian experience is at the top of the list of priorities. It’s a cold clear day in January. Nobie, who is ten months old, meanders down the street, pulling dog walker Jessika DuBay. Nobie is a golden retriever. He’s most interested in the edges of the sidewalk and, when we reach the park, the underbelly of a large evergreen tree. He’s hunting for sticks. “Sometimes he’ll pick his favorite one and carry it all the way home and deposit it in his backyard to save for later,” reports DuBay. Walking has become an integral part of DuBay’s life since she started her dog walking and pet care service Thoughtful Paws in 2012. Between her business and taking recreational strolls, DuBay says she can rack up 10 to 12 miles on foot every day, which she says is a testament to Somerville’s walkability.
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Community
Trains, Bike Lanes and Automobiles Automobiles: The Future of Transportation in the ‘Ville
Rendering of Union Square Station Pedal and Park Interior Photo courtesy of MBTA
“When I lived on Highland, I didn’t have a car when I first moved,” says DuBay. “You know, I could walk to Davis, I could walk to Union, Porter, Harvard, and I did all the time.” The growth of DuBay’s business has prompted her to get a car, but she still admires the city’s pedestrian friendly streets. She’s spent most of her time in the Boston area in Somerville, but for a short time lived in Boston’s Hyde Park, whose walkability, she says, is night and day to that of this city. There’s only one neighborhood that seems out of reach for DuBay: East Somerville, because she says it’s “separated from everything else.” Automobile-heavy roadways like Broadway and McGrath Highway make it difficult to perceive East Somerville as a walkable destination, even if the trek itself might not be that long. How do you fix that? How do you create a safe space for pedestrians on a automobile-dominated road? These are the questions the city is trying to answer as it moves forward on redevelopment strategies. Take Winter Hill as an example. One of the most o -heard complaints brought to the city during the research phase was the issue of pedestrian safety along the Broadway corridor, roughly between Medford Street and Temple Street. Community members complained about insufficient lighting and the high speed of traffic. These are the types of things that keep people from being able to get from one part of Somerville to another without a car, or at all, and means diminished foot traffic along those streets for existing or potential commercial centers. These are all factors that are taken into account by city planners. They’re looking not only at how to make all streets accessible by foot, but also how to make these areas destinations for pedestrians. This is where the Complete Streets Ordinance, passed in June 2014 to promote the optimization of all 4.1 miles of Somerville streets for all modes of transportation, meets SomerVision and SomerVille by Design. A different part of Broadway has already experienced this kind of faceli . Between 2012 and 2014, East Somerville Main Streets oversaw 30 March | April 2015
scoutsomerville.com
the reconstruction of Broadway from Sullivan Square to Route 28. More than just a redesign of the road itself, the redevelopment of this stretch of pavement was a reimagination of the sidewalks there. Walkways were widened, trees and benches were added and crosswalks were enhanced. This helped the street become a more pronounced business and cultural center. Cars, bikes and pedestrians all safely share the same pavement. Quality sidewalks have helped with the success of events like Carnaval and the East Somerville Foodie Crawl. And all that makes for a be er neighborhood.
Moving Forward
A
ccording to 2014 national Walk Score ratings, Somerville is the seventh most walkable city and the ninth most transitfriendly city in the nation. We continue to earn high marks as a bike-friendly region. But with more and more people packing into Somerville’s already densely populated 4.1 miles, the city has some pre y serious infrastructural challenges in front of it. “I’m not going to sugar coat it: I truly believe that Boston, Cambridge and Somerville have a daunting task,” Morrison says when asked about future plans to accommodate the needs of drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and public transit riders. “The way the city was designed—these are the oldest cities in America—the right of ways are very constrained, and it’s hard to fit everything in.” Somerville isn’t doing this in a vacuum. The Greater Boston Area as a whole is experiencing a steep population increase. Each city is doing its best to solve the problems caused by so many people trying to access an already limited resource. As Somerville and the surrounding cities make decisions about their respective
You came to Somerville to be part of the community.
SO DID WE. Our bank opened in Somerville in 1906. transportation futures, they’re also starting to communicate with each other to make decisions as a region. Just as it’s impossible to talk about the GLX without thinking about the CPX, or to add cycle tracks to a roadway without considering the implications for drivers, it’s impossible to talk about Somerville’s future without thinking about Cambridge and Boston and Medford and so on. “It is only recently though, in the past four to five years as we have grown, that mayors and city managers have turned inward and joined together,” says Morrison. “It’s all about moving—quite literally, moving— the region forward.”
Curious what Mayor Curtatone has to say about the state of transportation in Somerville? So were we. Head to ScoutSomerville.com and read his take on the city’s future in a special online-only feature.
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Calendar
calendar Arts March 14
The Fabled Hare and a March Tale 6 - 10 p.m., Free Washington Street Art 321 Washington St. Stop by the opening reception for Washington Street Art’s latest display—a “multi-media group exhibit featuring works based on the song ‘The Fabled Hare,’ by Maddy Prior; The Mad Ha er (the March Hare); and what we love or hate about the wild, wild month of March.” Exhibit on view March 7 through March 28.
March 19 - March 22
Irish Film Festival Somerville Theatre 55 Davis Sq. Billing itself as the “largest event of its kind outside Ireland,” Irish
Film Festival Boston bestows awards including Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Short Fiction or Animation and Director’s Choice.
movement and “the Second American Revolution.” Free to members of Historic Somerville.
March 25 - April 12
God’s Ear 2 p.m. or 7 p.m., $25 - $50 Davis Square Theatre 255 Elm St. Charles Isherwood of The New York Times dug the drama and clever wordplay in Jenny Schwartz’s “arrestingly odd” production “God’s Ear” when it debuted—now’s your chance to catch it in the ‘ville.
Ballet des Dieux: Musical Delights from Renaissance France 3 p.m., $19 Somerville Museum 1 Westwood Rd. The El Dorado Ensemble will perform selections from the French ballet de court. Students, seniors and museum members can grab discounted tickets at $14.
March 29
April 23 - May 2
Barbara Berenson: Boston and the Civil War 2 - 3 p.m., $8 Somerville Museum 1 Westwood Rd. Join author Barbara Berenson as she discusses Boston’s abolitionist
Scout picks
1
MUSIC | April 9
Jesse Malin with Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3 6 p.m., $12 - $15 Thunder Road 381 Somerville Ave. Curious about what’s in store at Somerville’s newest live music venue? Stop by Thunder Road’s inaugural show—it promises to be a great one. New York-based rocker Jesse Malin will be celebrating the release of his new album New York Before the War, his first record in five years. With support from Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3.
2
April 26
Theatre@First Presents The Knight of the Burning Pestle 8 p.m., $15 Unity Somerville 6 William St. Recently staged at the Globe Theatre in London, this modern
retelling of Francis Beaumont’s 1607 play comes to Somerville. Like farcical Shakespearean comedies? You’ll love this.
Music Sundays
Live Music 10 p.m., No Cover Highland Kitchen 150 Highland Ave. There’s never a cover and the musician changes every week, so you can come out and discover your new favorite artist on the cheap.
Thursdays
Dub Down Reggae 10 p.m., $5 Bull McCabe’s 366 Somerville Ave. Groovy locals the Dub Down take the stage every week at Bull McCabe’s.
ARTS | May 2-3
Somerville Open Studios - Citywide Okay, yes, technically Somerville Open Studios isn’t until May. But if you’re at all interested in volunteering at the event, this is your chance to sign up. Interested volunteers can contact Ellie Laramee-Byers at coordinator@ somervilleopenstudios.org. (Sorry, artists—the deadline for artist applications has already passed.) As always, this annual citywide artistic exhibition will feature painters, photographers, sculptors, jewelers, po ers, textile designers and more, and there will be a sneak preview at selected sites on May 1.
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Calendar
Thursdays
Live Music 7 p.m., No Cover Orleans 65 Holland St. Live, acoustic jams. No cover. Every week.
March 11
Boston Jewish Music Festival presents Saints and Tzaddiks with Susan McKeown and Lorin Sklamberg 6 p.m., $18 Johnny D’s
3
17 Holland St. That lengthy title pre y much explains it all.
March 21
Vinyl Festival 2 p.m. - 12 a.m., Price TBD Aeronaut Brewery 14 Tyler St. Details are scarce about this upcoming vinyl festival, but combine beer with food trucks and music, and you have a guaranteed awesome a ernoon on your hands.
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EVENTS | March 15
Rás na hÉireann USA 5K 11 a.m., $36 Race starts on Elm St., in front of the Burren 247 Elm St. This annual 5K is an Irish-themed celebration of spring in Somerville. The race starts and ends in Davis Square, but takes participants through Teele Square, Ball Square and Powder House Boulevard. The $36 registration fee gets you a race tee shirt, a finisher’s medal and admission to a truly awesome a erparty. And no, you don’t have to be Irish to compete. Sign up online (baevents.com/rasnaheireann), but hurry—registration was already 80 percent full at press time.
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Calendar
Scout picks
4
5
FOOD & DRINK | Second Mondays
Science by the Pint 7 p.m., No Cover The Burren - 247 Elm St. Not that there’s anything wrong with meeting over beers to catch up on the latest celeb gossip, but once in a while we prefer a slightly headier conversation topic (pun intended). Enter Science by the Pint—a monthly lecture series at the Burren hosted by Harvard grad student organization Science in the News. On March 9, join Andrew Berry and Janet Browne for a discussion about Charles Darwin and natural selection, or stop by on April 13, when Dr. Mark Vogelsberger will be talking about cosmic origins, “the science of simulating a universe in a computer.�
May 2
Tragedy: An All Metal Bee Gees Tribute 8 p.m., $15 Thunder Road 381 Somerville Ave. You had us at “All Metal Bee Gees Tribute.�
Events Mondays
Learn English at the Library 6 - 7 p.m., Free Alternates Between West Branch Library and East Branch Library 40 College Ave. or 115 Broadway These English classes are free, there’s no waiting list and no registration is required.
Tuesdays and Thursdays
LBT Women Fit-4-Life 6 p.m., $ per month Holland St. Center 167 Holland St. Open to LBT women 55 and older, these hands-on nutrition and exercise classes aim to improve the fitness and all-around well being for seniors.
Third Tuesdays
Somerville Bicycle Advisory Commi ee Meeting 6:30 p.m., Free City Hall Basement Floor
34 March | April 2015
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Conference Room 93 Highland Ave. Did our transportation feature get you wondering how the infrastructure and planning changes coming to Somerville will affect cyclists? Join the Bicycle Advisory Commi ee each month as they discuss pertinent issues for the city’s bikers.
Wednesdays
TJ The DJ Presents The People’s Karaoke 10 p.m., No Cover Highland Kitchen 150 Highland Ave. Grab some food and drinks and sing your heart out.
March 18
Adult Night 6 - 9 p.m., $22.50 Legoland Discovery Center 598 Assembly Row Unleash your inner child at the Discovery Center’s monthly adult night—just don’t step on any of the legos.
Food & Drink Weekdays
Appy Hour 3 - 6 p.m., No Cover
FOOD & DRINK | March 19
First Annual Chili Cook Off For Respond 7 p.m., $12 Cuisine en Locale - 156 Highland Ave. Who cooks the best pot of chili in Somerville? That question will be answered this month as Cuisine en Locale hosts their first annual chili cook off. Judges will be dishing out awards for the best classic chili and most creative chili, while a endees will vote to determine the crowd favorite. Need another reason to go? Proceeds from the event will benefit RESPOND, the oldest domestic violence agency in New England. This is undoubtedly the spiciest, most delicious way to benefit those in need.
Earls Kitchen and Bar 698 Assembly Row Duck out of work a li le early and chow down on apps like chicken tacos, tuna sushi cones and Leroy’s crispy dry ribs, all priced between $2 and $10.
Sundays
Trivia Night 8 p.m., No Cover The Thirsty Scholar 70 Beacon St. What be er place to show off your wits than the Thirsty Scholar? The first place finishers take home a $50 gi card, while second place earns free tee shirts for your team.
Mondays
Tacos Tacos Tacos! 5 p.m., No Cover Cuisine en Locale 156 Highland Ave. Come to Cuisine en Locale for their not so alliterative Taco Monday, and your Taco Tuesday will still be wide open.
Tuesdays
Trivia Night 8 - 11 p.m., No Cover Aeronaut Brewery 14 Tyler St. Can’t make it to trivia at the Thirsty Scholar? Then get your geek on with this weekly trivia night at Aeronaut. Super rad food trucks Bone Daddy’s Burgers and Rhythm ‘n Wraps will be dishing out the food.
Thursday - Saturday
Open Taproom 4 - 7 p.m. Weekdays, 1 - 7 p.m. Saturdays, Price Varies Bantam Cider 40 Merriam St. Visiting the Sam Adams brewery in JP is so last year. Do yourself a favor and check out Somerville’s Bantam Cider taproom instead.
Saturdays
Jazz Brunch 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., No Cover Johnny D’s 17 Holland St. Nothing goes together quite like breakfast food and jazz. Tunes start at 9:45 a.m.
March 6
Cooking Class: Vegetarian Nepalese Curry 6:30 - 9 p.m., $40 KitchenInc 201 Somerville Ave. The Somerville Arts Council presents an evening of hearty Nepalese cuisine featuring vegetarian curry with debaki and samjhana lamichhane. We don’t know what that means, exactly, but it’s almost definitely delicious.
March 21
Cooking Class: Festival of Ugadi 3:30 - 6:30 p.m., $40 KitchenInc 201 Somerville Ave. This hands-on cooking class
March 23
MA Local Tap Takeover 6 - 8 p.m., Cash Bar Redbones 55 Chester St. More than 20 Massachuse s breweries—including Mayflower, Pre y Things, Slumbrew, Night Shi and Idle hands—will be taking over the taps at Redbones. Cash bar, free apps.
March 27
Pierogi Night 7 p.m., $10 for music Cuisine en Locale 156 Highland Ave. “More pierogi, more music, less chaos,” boasts Cuisine en Locale’s website.
Kids & Teens Mondays
Knucklebones Playspace 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., $15 Center for Arts at the Armory 191 Highland Ave. Each week, the Armory’s performance hall becomes a play place for kids ages 8 months to 5 years. Caregivers are required to stay, but Knucklebones staffers will be on hand to make sure everyone is having a great time!
Saturdays
Saturday Open Shop 12 - 2 p.m., Sliding Scale Parts and Cra s 577 Somerville Ave. Bring the kids to Parts and Cra s on Saturdays, when they can have free reign over all of the fun the space has to offer.
SEE FULL LISTINGS AT SCOUTSOMERVILLE COM/ CALENDAR
ENCROACHING
ROACHES
You can’t ask for much worse than a roach from an uninvited house guest: Not only do they come right on in, eat your food, and leave a mess – they also stink, can get you sick, and are sure to bring along even more guests. In Somerville, the most common forms of roaches are the American cockroach, the Oriental cockroach and the German cockroach. These roaches will eat about any form of organic material, be it human food, pet food, or even dried glue on a cardboard box. For that reason, once they’re in your home, they can be difficult to defend against. And, once they’re in, you don’t want them to stay long. Aside from the foul odor they’re known to leave behind, their feces can cause allergic reactions. The allergens they produce have been linked to an increased risk of asthma. Beyond that, a few roaches in your home today may mean a few hundred down the road. Each egg capsule can carry up to 40 eggs. Should you find a roach or roach fecal matter, which would look like fine coffee grounds splattered about, encroaching on your home, it’s best to act fast due to the health risks and rapid reproduction rates. If you think you have a problem – or just want the peace of mind that comes with knowing you don’t – make a quick call to Best Pest Control Services. Unlike other companies, Best Pest will treat your home only if it’s necessary. We are a locally owned and family-operated business. We’ve been serving Somerville and greater Boston since 1984 – and not just for roaches. Ants, bedbugs, mice, rats – you name it, we’ll get rid of it. Our rates are reasonable and customer service is our top priority.
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celebrates The Festival of Ugadi (Sanskrit for “the beginning of a new age”), which highlights the beginning of the Lunar New Year. Presented by the Somerville Arts Council.
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Mom never liked her, anyhow...
Please visit www.olsonhomes.net for information on our two new contemporary condos in the Union Square / Cobble Hill area of Somerville. Louise Olson, Senior Associate, 30 years of expert real estate counseling & Scott Kistenberger, Assistant/Partner Your team for excellent service. Celebrating 30 years, representing Buyers & Sellers in Cambridge/ Somerville and surrounds. Accessibility, accountability and steady communication are hallmarks of their approach.
Now a Founding Member of Robert Paul Properties’ New Cambridge Office
HARVARD SQUARE | 19 Arrow Street, Cambridge
www.robertpaul.com lolson@robertpaul.com | (617) 470-5077
True Home Partners 1730 Mass. Ave. 617-930-1288 TrueHomePartners.com
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT/ MAINTENANCE
CLEAN HOMES LLC 166 School St. 617-412-0026 www.cleanhomesllc.biz TUTORS Bootstrap Tutors 517-214-0430 www.bootstraptutors.com ryan@bootstraptutor.com
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Photos by Chrissy Bulakites
Yuao and Eric wait for the bus at Davis Square Station
Bob hangs out at Rockin’ Bob’s Guitars
Muhammad works at Coffee and Donuts in Davis Square Station
Johnathan and his son pass the Somerville Theatre on their walk home
Jake plays in the snow at Davis Square 38 March | April 2015
scoutsomerville.com
Adam, Vanessa, Oliver and Joshua head home from school in Davis Square
Emily works behind the counter at Diesel Cafe
Deliveries left out in the cold? Become a mailbox customer and we’ll accept all of your packages for you. So you can take care of business–wherever it takes you... • Shredding • Printing / Wide Format • DHL Shipping • Freight • Notary The UPS Store Print & Business Center 519 Somerville Ave., Somerville 617-591-0199
store4978@theupsstore.com www.theupsstorelocal.com/4978
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am – 7:00pm Sat 9:00am – 5:00pm Sun: Closed
FREE Storefront Parking Available
37 Davis Square • 617.440.7361 BostonBurgerCo.com
Best Burger Winner
NOW ! OPEN
cambridge
1105 mass ave | cambridge
Davis Square
37 Davis Sq | Somerville
Boylston Street
1100 Boylston St | Boston
in e s • be er • w n in is • fr ie pa • s g in w al ad s • bu rg er s • s
March | April 2015 Scout Somerville 235e Highland Ave Somerville, MA 02143
ROBERT PAUL PROPERTIES YOUR BEST CHOICE FOR THE 2015 REAL ESTATE MARKET ROBERT PAUL PROPERTIES YOUR BEST CHOICE FOR THE 2015 REAL ESTATE MARKET
CAMBRIDGE
BOSTON
CAMBRIDGE
BOSTON
METRO WEST
CAPE COD
METRO WEST CAPEexceptional COD Robert Paul Properties is a respected independently owned private brokerage firm committed to delivering service from Cape Cod, the South Coast to Boston and Metro West, and now serving Cambridge and surrounds. Robert Paul Properties is a respected independently owned private brokerage firm committed to delivering exceptional service from Capeis Cod, to Boston West, andagents now serving Cambridge Our secret to success thatthe weSouth hand Coast pick each of theand bestMetro and brightest in a market placeand andsurrounds. support them so they
can effectively assist their buyer and seller clients to achieve their personal goals.
Our secret to success is that we hand pick each of the best and brightest agents in a market place and support them so they can effectively assist their buyer and seller clients to achieve their personal goals.
YOU HAVE A CHOICE YOU HAVE A CHOICE
An experienced agent who only has your best interest at heart is your only solution when buying or selling real estate in this complicated market. Callhas or text our exceptional to solution experience thebuying benefits of quality An experienced agent who only yourone bestof interest at heart is agents your only when or selling real advice. estate in this They help you wherever you to be. the benefits of quality advice. complicated market. Call or text onecan of our exceptional agents towant experience They can help you wherever you want to be.
Ferle Bramson Ilona Kuphal Tara Spitzen BriBri Grady Ferle Bramson Ilona Kuphal Tara Spitzen Grady 610.745.8536 617.304.1129 617.592.2310 617.592.2310 610.745.8536 617.312.0764 617.312.0764 617.304.1129
Robin Repucci Robin Repucci 617.388.3312 617.388.3312
Louise Olson Scott Kistenberger Susan Wayne Susan Schlossberg
Terrie Hayden
Louise Olson Scott Kistenberger Susan Wayne Susan Schlossberg Terrie Hayden 617.733.3633 617.899.8800 617.899.8800 617.799.2175 617.799.2175 617.283.9823 617.283.9823 617.470.5077 617.733.3633 617.470.5077
HARVARD SQUARE SQUARE || 19 HARVARD 19 Arrow ArrowStreet Street AGASSIZ || 1693 1693 Mass AGASSIZ Mass Avenue Avenue
617.876.1414 www.robertpaul.com www.robertpaul.com 617.876.1414
IN BEACH. ROBERTPAUL.COM INTHE THECITY. CITY.ON ONTHE THE BEACH. ROBERTPAUL.COM