Friday, September 21, 2012
With the threat of a bank moving in now gone, neighbors heard ways to keep a favorite marketplace on Charles Street.
In order to keep Charles Street Market at its current location, owner Tracy Hollander says he needs to install basement storage and expand his cooked menu, which requires a grill and, therefore, more rooftop venting. The market needs to generate more revenue to be able to offer an attractive rent to its landlord, Linear Realty, which earlier this year tried to lease the space at to Capital One bank – a move the neighborhood mobilized against and shut down. By expanding its services, Hollander said, it can come to a deal with Linear that would allow it to remain at 62-66 Charles St. In addition to storage, more cooked food, the market would expand its frozen food offerings, produce and meals to go. With a grill, it could offer burgers as …
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The store's owner appeared before the city's board of appeals Tuesday morning to get permission to open across the street.
Provided he enter into a Good Neighbor's Agreement, Charles Street Market owner Tracy Hollander can relocate his store to the spot now occupied by Charles Street Laundromat. Hollander appeared before the city's board of appeals Tuesday morning to ask them not to oppose a variance he needs to open at 39 Charles St. Hollander had been before the Beacon Hill Civic Association's Zoning and Licensing Committee April 4 on the same issue. That committee – which has no official power to decide whether a variance is granted but whose decision informs the association board's vote, which is communicated to the city – voted to support the move contingent on Hollander entering a Good Neighbor Agreement. The city's board of appeals likewise voted not …
Thursday, April 5, 2012
The market won a neighborhood committee's support Wednesday night to move to the laundromat space.
If all goes well for Tracy Hollander, he could have his Charles Street Market relocated to the space now occupied by Charles Street Laundromat by this summer or fall. Wednesday night Hollander got closer to that goal when the Beacon Hill Civic Association's Zoning and Licensing Committee voted not to oppose his request for a variance to move into the 39 Charles St. spot. Although the committee's vote carries no official weight, the vote informs the Beacon Hill Civic Association board of directors decision, which the city board takes into consideration when deciding whether to grant a variance. Hollander will appear before the city's zoning board April 24 and Board of Health after that. He said that ideally he'd like to open in September …
Friday, February 24, 2012
The Tuesday hearing has been canceled. The next step for the property is uncertain.
Linear Retail has withdrawn its request to seek a zoning variance to open a Capital One Bank in the space now occupied by Charles Street Market. In a letter to the zoning board dated Feb. 24, Linear attorney Dennis Quilty simply wrote: "On behalf of [Linear Retail], I am writing to repectfully request a withdrawal without prejudice of [the application] from the Board's February 28, 2012 public hearing agenda." A call to Joel Kadis, the Linear partner handling the property, was not immediately returned this afternoon. But a Capital One spokeswoman, Amanda Landers, told the Boston Globe that her company is "currently reevaluating our opportunities in the area and are determining what will work best for us and our business in Boston." Linear …
Thursday, January 26, 2012
In a Joint Charles Street Committee meeting, many Beacon Hill residents expressed concern that the street as they know it is undergoing a profound change.
If Charles Street is the main artery that runs through Beacon Hill, dozens of residents who turned out to the Joint Charles Street Committee Wednesday night are concerned about its ability to keep the neighborhood alive. Among the top concerns was the reduction in foot traffic that is hurting small markets and boutiques, sometimes causing them to close, while bigger, wealthier institutions like banks move in. "Banks are trying to destroy neighborhoods all over the city. There is no way the bank helps a neighborhood if it is on the ground floor," Karen Cord Taylor said during a discussion about Capital One bank's effort to lease the space now occupied by Charles Street Market. Despite deep neighborhood opposition to the plan, and the …
Friday, January 13, 2012
The Beacon Hill Civic Association and a separate petition both ask for the neighborhood's help to stop the move.
A number of efforts are under way on Beacon Hill to thwart Capital One Bank's attempt to move into the location now occupied by Charles Street Market. In in email sent to members Friday afternoon, the Beacon Hill Civic Association asked the neighborhood to stand together to oppose an attempt by New Hampshire-based Linear Retail to install a Capital One Bank in the property it now leases to Charles Street Market, also known as the former 7-Eleven. "The Board is committed to maintaining a vibrant and diverse business community made up primarily of non-franchised, locally owned businesses that meet residents' needs on Beacon Hill ... We ask for your help," the email reads. On Jan. 9 the BHCA board of directors unanimously voted to oppose the…
John D
3:40 pm on Saturday, September 22, 2012
the NIMBY squad is at it again. perhaps they can step up to the plate and purchase the building from Linear, only then should they be allowed to dictate how others utilize their space. more ›