Kristen Mills show at Bob's Your Uncle

This Is Really Good and Worth Your Time
An exhibition by Kristen Mills
Bob's Your Uncle - www.BobsYourUncle.com
25 Channel Center St.

Opening reception Wednesday, March 31st, 6-8 PM.
Regular hours: Tues - Fri, 11 am - 6 pm

Berkeley Faces Foreclosure on FP Properties

UPDATE: In the Banker & Tradesman, Park says rumors of his demise are premature:


Developer Denies Fort Point Foreclosure Threat
By Paul McMorrow
Banker & Tradesman Staff Writer
03/24/10
Berkeley Investments principal Young Park is denying reports that he is close to losing much of his Fort Point office portfolio, saying talk of a foreclosure at the former Boston Wharf Co. warehouses is a negotiating tactic by lender Wells Fargo.

"We are in negotiations with them," Park said. "The story is, it's a maturity default, we're cooperating with the lender to find a solution, and a solution will be found one way or another. These properties are cash-flowing. We've never missed a payment. There's no distress of any kind."

Berkeley will negotiate a loan extension, find replacement debt for the maturing loan or buy back its own note from Wells Fargo, Park said.

"We certainly have the financial capacity to do one of those three things," he said. "This is not great publicity, but it is what it is, and we need to deal with it. There's no way we're going to walk away."



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Fort Pointless
Foreclosures a setback for neighborhood
By Donna Goodison | Tuesday, March 23, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Real Estate

Berkeley Investments is staring down a foreclosure auction for nine of its Fort Point Channel properties in Boston’s Seaport District, including office buildings at 368 and 381 Congress St.

Wells Fargo Bank set a May 5 sale of the parcels after Berkeley defaulted on a mortgage, according to a legal notice announcing the auction. The sale is yet another potential setback for Seaport development that’s been stalled by financing constraints.

The properties constitute a large portion of the 700,000 square feet portfolio of a dozen buildings, parking garages and lots that Berkeley bought for $97 million from Boston Wharf Co. in 2004.

Its goal was to turn Fort Point Channel into a more active neighborhood.

Berkeley president Young Park said his company is in negotiations to avoid the foreclosure sale.

“We’re working through it,” he said yesterday. “The note reached its maturity date . . . and the bank doesn’t want to renew the loan.”

The real estate investment and development company previously sold five of its former Boston Wharf properties, totaling 335,000 square feet, to Newton’s National Development.

Parcels headed for the auction block also include 22 Boston Wharf Road, an eight-story building with six levels of parking and 58,000 square feet of office space; and 12 Farnsworth, a six-story building with ground-floor retail.

Park is a “visionary” who understood Fort Point Channel’s potential to be a unique neighborhood by converting its warehouses for 21st-century uses, said Vivien Li, executive director of the Boston Harbor Association. He lured two of the city’s top chefs: Barbara Lynch, who opened Sportello, Drink and Menton on Congress Street; and Joanne Chang, whose Flour Bakery is at 12 Farnsworth.

“It would be a major setback for this district if for some reason he was not able to hold onto these properties,” Li said. “But the real estate market is very tough right now, and financial institutions are really scrutinizing every loan. They are not lending money, which is what put a halt to all the development on the waterfront.”

Berkeley’s Fort Point Channel parcels might not be its only properties in trouble.

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette this month reported that a March 31 foreclosure auction had been set for three downtown Worcester properties that are part of Berkeley’s stalled $563 million, 20-acre CitySquare development plans. The newspaper said it erroneously printed a legal notice for the auction that the mortgage holder had pulled. Last week, however, Hanover Insurance Group’s Opus Investment Management signed a purchase and sale agreement with Berkeley to become the project’s new developer. Berkeley, meanwhile, will retain ownership of the three buildings in question, the newspaper said.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/view.bg?articleid=1241704

BPL Community Meetings

In order to share information and gather additional feedback from the community, the Boston Public Library is offering a series of neighborhood meetings:

Saturday, March 27 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Harborside Community Center 312 Border St. East Boston

Saturday, April 3 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Codman Square Branch 690 Washington St. Dorchester

Monday, April 5 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Honan-Allston Branch 300 North Harvard St. Allston

Tuesday, April 6 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Curley Middle School 493 Centre St. Jamaica Plain

Wednesday, April 7 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. www.bpl.org Online Moderated Chat

For more information: www.bpl.org/budget

Barlow's Licensing Hearing Wednesday, 3/24

Barlow's licensing hearing is this coming Wednesday, March 24 at 10:00 am.  If you want your opinions to be heard about the extended hours and entertainment proposed by Barlow's, the licensing board requests letters to be mailed or hand delivered, no emails. You can mail it to:

Daniel Pokawski

Licensing Board

Rm 816

City Hall

Boston MA

Their application asks for three things:


1. Live entertainment for Jazz brunch on Sunday
2. Extend current 12:30am close time to 1:00am
3. Extend patio hours from 10:00pm close to 11:00pm *


I have heard (though don't have official confirmation) that they're going to remove the third item and, for now, keep the close time of the patio to 10 PM, which is what their current license allows. 

Binford Greenspace Meeting, 3/24

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Please inform all occupants of 25 / 35 Channel Center  that a community presentation on the upcoming renovations to Binford Green will occur on:

                                When:    Wednesday, March 24^th at 6pm

                                Where:    30 Channel Center (the former Sales/Marketing Office)

We will be providing an overview of the project and displaying drawings.

Barbara Lynch's Menton Opens 4/3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MENTON, CHEF BARBARA LYNCH’S FORT POINT FINE DINING RESTAURANT, TO OPEN ON SATURDAY, APRIL 3RD
Chef Lynch’s Eagerly Anticipated Menton Will Offer Boston an Unforgettable New Option in Fine Dining
Between classic and modern there is a beautiful place that is Menton

March 16, 2010, Boston, MA….James Beard Award-winning chef Barbara Lynch will open the final concept to complete her Fort Point trifecta on Saturday, April 3, 2010. Menton, which will join neighbors Drink and Sportello, is named for a small French village near the Italian border. The restaurant will be a glamorous expression of fine dining that will reflect Chef Barbara Lynch’s shared love for the cuisine of these two countries.

“I am so excited that the moment has finally come to open Menton,” said Chef Barbara Lynch. “I have such an amazing team that has been working incredibly hard over the last four years to make this dream a reality. As Boston continues to grow and evolve, it is nothing short of exhilarating to be a part of that growth and we hope that Menton will represent Boston on a national and international stage. From the sourcing of ingredients and the design of the dining room to the selection of beautiful wine offerings, china and glassware, the creative process has been a dream - we can’t wait for guests to experience Menton!”

For the opening of Menton, Chef Barbara Lynch has assembled an incredibly talented team of both longtime employees and welcome additions to the company. Chef Colin Lynch, the Executive Chef for Barbara Lynch Gruppo and former Co-Executive Chef of No.9 Park, will be the Executive Chef of Menton and has worked closely with Chef Barbara Lynch (no relation) over the last four years to design the kitchen, source the china, select purveyors, and create the menu. Chef Colin will oversee the daily operations of the kitchen and will be assisted by Executive Sous Chef Wyatt Maguire. Kevin Gravito, formerly of No.9 Park, will be the Pastry Chef.  Front of House operations will be led by General Manager Alec Riveros, who most recently served as the General Manager and Wine Director at Clio and Uni Sashimi Bar. Wine Director Cat Silirie, with whom Chef Barbara Lynch has worked with for over 20 years, has created a stellar wine program for Menton. The list celebrates Cat’s love for old world wines from some of France, Italy, and Austria’s most beloved and distinguished producers and, as with all of Cat’s selections, will pair beautifully with the cuisine.

Often described as Boston’s new frontier, Fort Point features an artsy, urban cityscape with a sense of history and an eager eye towards the future. Neighborhood architecture varies from the historic brick buildings that once housed warehouses to sleek, futuristic design statements. Menton, which captures the duality of being both classic and modern, is perfectly at home in this old/new neighborhood as well as within FP3, the Berkeley Investments-owned, AIA award-winning luxury condominium complex that has been praised for its impressive historical-modern design. The interior space was designed by Cheryl and Jeffrey Katz of C&J Katz Studio. Longtime friends of Chef Barbara Lynch, Cheryl and Jeffrey also designed No.9 Park, Stir, Drink, and Sportello. Using a palette of gray with touches of silver and black, C&J Katz created a glamorous yet inviting aesthetic in a space which was expertly constructed by Ed McCabe, David O’Connor, and John Cash of Cafco, a Boston-based construction management and general contracting firm. Artwork for Menton was created by Burgundy, France-based artist Matt McClune, a one-time bartender at No.9 Park and B&G Oysters. In addition to the elegant dining room which will seat 6o guests, Menton will feature a private dining room that can accommodate up to 50 guests for a seated dinner and the Chef’s Table, an intimate space with a dynamic view of the kitchen which can seat up to 14.

Menton will offer dinner Sunday through Saturday; the lounge will open at 5pm each evening and the dining room will begin serving at 5:30pm. Reservations for Menton may be made beginning Tuesday, March 16th online (www.MentonBoston.com) or daily from 10am-10pm by phone (617.737.0099).  Two menu formats will be offered: a four-course prix-fixe menu ($95) and a seven-course chef’s tasting menu ($145). The cuisine of Menton, an artful blend of French technique and Italian soul, will display Executive Chef Colin’s preference for precision, purity, and visual artistry. Guests will relax and enjoy a carefully choreographed culinary experience under the direction of Chef Colin and his team.

flour closed tomorrow (3/15)

flour bakery on Farnsworth St. will be closed tomorrow (March 15th) for renovations.

Archon Scales Back 319 A St.

Fort Point Developers Downsize Project, Succumb To BRA’s Demands
http://www.bankerandtradesman.com/news137344.html

The Archon Group and Goldman Properties have scaled back the size of their proposed Fort Point residential tower, bowing to pressure from the Boston Redevelopment Authority and neighborhood residents.

In backing off plans to plant a 240-foot tower at 319 A St. Rear in South Boston, Archon and Goldman are also pulling a significant community benefit - the donation of a Summer Street warehouse for artist live/work space.

The BRA told the developers Thursday that its proposed warehouse donation at 327 Summer St. did not constitute enough of an "exceptional" community benefit to warrant a building height 60 feet over the current 180-foot zoning limit. The BRA asked Archon and Goldman to either reduce the size of their proposed tower, or to significantly increase their benefits package.

...

Barlow's Applies to Expand Liquor License

Barlow's, the bar at 241 A Street, is looking to expand their licenses to include some changes:

1. Live entertainment for Jazz brunch on Sunday
2. Extend current 12:30am close time to 1:00am
3. Extend patio hours from 10:00pm close to 11:00pm

There will be a community meeting about this:


Barlow's License Meeting
Tuesday March 16th at 7pm on
241 A Street, 2nd Floor

HAZMAT Team at 27 Wormwood St.

There are a number of fire trucks, police cars, ambulances, and HAZMAT vehicles on A St. in response to an incident at 27 Wormwood St. (the office building on the end, away from A St). Someone in that building opened an envelope with a suspicious powder in it and a number of floors of the building have been evacuated.  The Boston Police have issued two statements so far:

HAZMAT incident on Wormwood St in South Boston has been raised to a LEVEL 3.


HAZMAT responding to State Parole offices, 27 Wormwood St South Boston, for report of suspicious package.

Greenway Community Mtg Tomorrow Night

The Greenway Leadership Council
Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy
invites you to a Neighborhood/Community Meeting on
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
from 6:00 – 8:00 PM
at 185 Kneeland Street, Boston

AGENDA

• Welcome and Introductions by Ann Thornburg, Chair of the Greenway Leadership
  Council
  
• The Upcoming 2010 Park Season – Nancy Brennan, Executive Director
  
• Seasonal Enhancements
  
• Food vending
  
• Tables, chairs and shade
  
• Programs, including Mothers Day weekend event
  
• “Connection” Initiatives including possible introduction of WiFi and expansion
  of the volunteer program
  
• Interactive Forum for Input on the 2010 Park Season
  

Rep. Wallace to step down

Southie state Rep. Brian Wallace to step aside
By Dave Wedge

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1236811


Veteran South Boston state Rep. Brian Wallace is stepping away from the Golden Dome to focus on his family and pursue a writing career.

“On December 31, 2010, I will walk out of my office . . . just down the corridor from where I walked in 40 years ago, for the final time. It has been a great experience,” said Wallace, who worked at the State House before becoming a lawmaker in 2003.

FPAC Gallery: Exquisite What ?

Exquisite What?

Ian Henderson & Clint Fulkerson

March 12, 2010 - April 16, 2010

FPAC Gallery

300 Summer St.

Artists' Reception: Thursday, March 18th 5:30 - 8:00pm


Artists' Presentation: Friday, March 26th 7:00pm
-a short talk about working process with images
-a short demonstration of some wax working techniques

Reception tonight: Kate Gilbert Miller at Fort Point Framers

Deciphering the Devine
March 3-31

Opening reception March 4; 5-8 pm
Fort Point Framers
300 Summer Street (lower level)
Boston, MA










Deciphering the Divine
artist statement

My work is a visual account of my everyday experiences – a narration of the mundane and sublime in each day and how these seemingly varied experiences exhibit nature's transformative, restorative and live-giving forces.

The work in this show draws from two recent bodies of work, both using the human mind as a centerpiece and references neuroscience, meditation and the remapping of brain circuitry. While the subject of this show draws directly from my cognitive life, the abstract imagery references fragments of indecipherable characters and letters, as well as the natural world of aquatic organisms.

As I work, I try to tap into a state of flow and decipher something not immediately known. A secret alphabet may appear from the swoosh of a gesture line, or the shape of a human heart might be suggested by a crevice in a sea sponge.

All of the mediums exhibited in this show (watery inks pooled on paper or film, thinned oils, and human hair on paper) are difficult to control. This allows the mediums to come to life and exhibit their own natural properties, diminishing my power over the outcome. Working in this manner is like redefining how one interprets the world through cognitive remapping practices, such as meditation. The immediacy of finding a solution, or controlling the situation, seems to fade away and the richness of the details takes hold of the mind.

Kate Gilbert Miller
February 23, 2010
kategilbertmiller.com

Made in Fort Point: March Artist of the Month

The March Artist of the Month at Made in Fort Point is Daniel J. van Ackere.

A graduate of The School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Daniel J. van Ackere's photographs appear regularly in The New York Times, Boston Magazine, Cook's Illustrated and Yankee Magazine. He specializes in food photography and portraiture.


There will be an opening reception:

Thursday, March 11, 2010
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Made in Fort Point Store
12 Farnsworth St.
Boston, MA