Scout Somerville July/August 2016 by Scout Magazines

July 2016 New Listings...

26 Pinckney Street Unit 3, Somerville $155,000 Cozy, studio condo with private storage room in basement. Walk to Assembly Row/Assembly Orange line T stop or Sullivan Sq. Listing Agent: Brendon

52 Hamilton Road, Somerville $525,000 Bright corner first floor 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom condo with private side yard and front and back porches. Exclusive basement storage and laundry. Near Teele and Davis Sq. Listing Agent: Thalia

26 Adams Street Unit 3, Somerville $869,000 Stunning Winter Hill 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom condo with central air, 2-car garage, and wrap-around deck with panoramic views. Listing Agents: Thalia and Brendon

50 Hamilton Road, Somerville $888,000 Walk to Davis and Teele Sq. from this beautifully renovated 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 2-level condo with 2-car garage, 2 private porches, and private backyard. Contemporary finishes blended with lovely original details. Listing Agent: Thalia

Free Classes How to Buy and Sell at the Same Time for homeowners contemplating a move Wednesday, August 17th 6:30-7:45 pm

Tuesday, September 13th

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, includes a 45-min presentation and 1/2 hour Q&A session. Handouts and refreshments provided. To reserve space in any class, please email Adaria@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com. Admission is free, but we appreciate donations of canned goods for the Somerville Homeless Coalition.Â

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

Jennifer Rose

36 Hudson Street, Somerville ~ $1,200,000 Beautiful, oversized Spring Hill 2-family lived in and loved by the same family for six decades. Lower unit has 2 bedrooms, 1 bath; upper unit has 5 bedrooms, 2 baths. Wonderful original details, large corner lot, driveway. Listing Agents: Team Jen & Lynn

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

Residential Sales Specialist, Realtor ® 617.895.6267 cell/text Brendon@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com

Adaria Brooks

Executive Assistant to the President, Realtor ® 617.308.0064 cell/text Adaria@ThaliaTringoRealEstate.com

About our company... 983 Memorial Drive Unit 302, Cambridge ~ $979,000 Spacious 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom co-op in classic brick building along the Charles River in Harvard Sq. Elevator building with professional management, on site super. Listing Agent: Thalia

Coming Soon Davis Square Single Family ~ Beautiful 4-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom Victorian on a large lot in a premier location.

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.

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JULY | AUGUST 2016 ::: VOLUME 40 ::: SCOUTSOMERVILLE.COM

contents 8 // EDITOR’S NOTE We love you, citizens of Somerville, but y’all are entirely too modest. 10 // WINNERS & LOSERS The GLX is making (slow, tentative) progress. Unfortunately, so are Emerald Ash Borer beetles. 12 // WHAT’S NEW? Good news: We’re getting a Trader Joe’s! Bad news: It won’t be here until late 2017. 16 // INDUSTRIAL DESIGN As Somerville’s economy shifts away from manufacturing, former meatpacking and brickmaking plants are becoming artist spaces and luxury lofts.

30 16

22 // PICTURE THIS Nadia Dixson wants to get city archives out of the basement and onto your Facebook feed. 27 // SCOUT’S HONORED FINALISTS You choose the winners. Voting ends July 25. 30 // FEATURE: IT TAKES A ‘VILLE-AGE To celebrate the magazine’s 40th issue, we caught up with 40 local leaders to talk about the past, present and future of the city. 54 // SCOUT OUT: ICE CREAM FUN-DAY There are sweet shops to help you cool down in every corner of the city, and each one has a flavor that’s all its own. 56 // SCOUT THIS Win $200! 58 // CALENDAR 60 // MARKETPLACE 62 // SCOUT YOU

Photo, top: Bug, of Bug’s Bikes, shows off his superhuman side. Photo by Jess Benjamin. Photo, bottom: The brand new Millbrook Lofts embraces the industrial. Photo by Elan Sablich. On the cover: Just a handful of the local leaders you’ll find in the pages of this issue. Photos by Jess Benjamin.

EDITOR’S NOTE

“I

t didn’t happen just because of me, or even just because of Som|Dog,” Michèle Biscoe said when we met to talk about her canine and open space advocacy (p. 40). “It was a whole team effort, a community effort,” Sassy Estany explained when asked how she helped reinvigorate Somerville’s Center for Teen Empowerment (p. 30). “We created it—I always say we, it wasn’t me alone,” Joe Lynch noted of the efforts to revitalize Magoun Square (p. 41). This was the refrain echoed by nearly every activist, community organizer, city Photo by Jess Benjamin. official and business owner who spoke with us for our “It Takes a ‘Ville-age” profiles: I didn’t do it alone. It made it nearly impossible to limit ourselves to just 40 community leaders, and it’s why in many places we cheated ever so slightly, counting Sergio and Sassy Estany, or Tucker Lewis and Jen Park, or the Arts Council staff, as a unit, when any of them could have rightfully stood on their own. But this is also precisely what makes Somerville such a great place for a hyperlocal magazine. There are so many people doing necessary, important, challenging work here—people who see where there are improvements to be made and then step up to make those changes. We could have profiled 50 local leaders. Or 100. We probably could in every issue. This 40th edition of Scout Somerville is quite a milestone for us—it would be for any publication that got its start in the middle of the Great Recession. What’s kept us going through all the turmoil—the barely-met deadlines, the barely-met budgets—is that this community is full of individuals who deserve to have their stories told. One where residents are happy to work with us, to take time to show us around their workplaces or talk shop over a cup of coffee. You let us know when one of your neighbors is doing amazing work; you call us out when we make a mistake. You come to our events. And above all, you faithfully pick up our magazine, month after month. We couldn’t have gotten here alone, either. Thanks, Somerville.

PUBLISHER Holli Banks hbanks@scoutmagazines.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Emily Cassel ecassel@scoutmagazines.com emilycassel.me DEPUTY EDITOR Katherine Rugg krugg@scoutmagazines.com OFFICE COORDINATOR Shannon Aubourg saubourg@scoutmagazines.com ART DIRECTOR Nicolle Renick design@scoutmagazines.com renickdesign.com PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Jess Benjamin jbenjamin@scoutmagazines.com jsbenjamin.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Nicole Carpenter, Eliza Rosenberry, Kat Rutkin COPY EDITOR Joshua Eaton WEB HOSTING Truly Good Design trulygooddesign.com BANKS PUBLICATIONS c/o Scout Somerville 191 Highland Ave., Ste. 1A Somerville, MA 02143

Emily Cassel, Editor in Chief ecassel@scoutmagazines.com

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02143 TO 02134 Aeronaut heads to Allston for a summerlong, family-friendly music series. scoutsomerville.com/aeronaut-allston

July | August 2016 scoutsomerville.com

ALL THE FARE IN DAVIS SQUARE Dozens of restaurants. Hundreds of neighbors. More food than any person could eat in one afternoon. Check out our photos from Taste of Somerville. scoutsomerville.com/tos-2016

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IMPROVBOSTON • 40 PROSPECT ST. CAMBRIDGE - IMPROV, SKETCH & STANDUP COMEDY + BEGINNER AND ADVANCED CLASSES, YOUTH PROGRAMS AND MORE! scoutsomerville.com July | August 2016

W&L WINNERS

LOSERS

SAV-MOR Sav-Mor may have eventually conceded to McDonald’s in the punny late May sign battle that raged across McGrath Highway, but with superior jokes like, “MY BOSS IS ALSO A CLOWN,” and “I ALWAYS WANTED AN ARCH ENEMY,” we can confidently say that, at least in our book, the liquor store was victorious. The shop’s Medford location even got in on the action, woefully pining for a little attention with a sign reading, “I WISH I HAD A MCDONALDS SIGN TO PLAY WITH.” So do we, Medford Sav-Mor. So do we.

EMERALD ASH BORERS Somerville’s tree-lined streets got a little less tree-lined in June, when more than 100 trees throughout the city were cut down to prevent an Emerald Ash Borer beetle infestation. The nasty little bugs, which have already been spotted in Cambridge and Boston, are known to prey on weakened trees first. In an effort to prevent the beetle’s spread into Somerville, ailing specimens had to come down—much to the chagrin of residents, many of whom channeled their inner Lorax and spoke for the trees at a May hearing. In the end, the city removed 155 trees.

LAWN KITSCH Dozens of wooden cutouts mysteriously appeared on a Union Square traffic island in May, where they rested until a complaint from a concerned resident had the DPW poised to remove them. But the works of “guerilla art” have a friend at city hall. “The mayor has decided to grant the wooden ducks and bunnies and other items a pardon,” city spokeswoman Denise Taylor told the Boston Globe in an email. “No decorations are to be removed.” At least for now, the cartoon critters remain. THE GLX (KIND OF) On May 9, The MassDOT and MBTA Fiscal Management and Control Board approved a $2.3 billion plan that will—theoretically— see the construction of seven new Green Line stations. The downsized proposal still needs federal approval, which isn’t guaranteed given changes to the initial plan including smaller, open-air stations and a new route for the corresponding Community Path Extension. Mayor Curtatone told the Somerville Journal that he felt optimistic and satisfied with the outcome, adding, “There will be a ribboncutting some day.” Will that day come before the year 2070? To be determined.

ANWAR FAISAL Residents were wary when notorious Boston landlord Anwar Faisal bought several Somerville apartment buildings in February. Faisal had said that he planned to raise the rents in those units by no more than 7 percent in the first year, but that seems unlikely now; Abigail Taylor, who has lived at 163 Summer St. for the last three years, recently told the Somerville Journal that her two-bedroom apartment will be converted into a threebedroom and that the rent will increase from $2,200 to $4,200. She and other residents of the buildings purchased by Faisal have formed a 50-member tenant organization to negotiate both the rent increases and poor living conditions they’ve noted since the ownership of the buildings changed hands. “It’s still below the market—why should they be complaining?” Faisal asked the Journal’s Danielle McLean in May. THE DAIRY AVERSE Apologies to the vegan and lactose intolerant readers who will find this news item mozzirrelevant, but we need to alert everyone to a very important upcoming event: The Massachusetts Cheese Festival. The fifth annual feta-stival, which will take place at the Center for Arts at the Armory, isn’t until September 24, but at press time more than 15,000 people had already expressed their interest in attending this grate event on Facebook. You’ll want to get your tickets fast if you’re planning to asia-go. It should brie a gouda time.

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. 10

July | August 2016 scoutsomerville.com

SP ECIAL COM M E MORATIVE 40 TH ED I TI O N

SCOUT TO THE SOUTH Here’s just some of what you’ll find in the July/August edition of our sister publication, Scout Cambridge.

HIP HOP AND YOU DON’T STOP A program called The Hip Hop Transformation encourages creativity and collaboration as it teaches area youth to write rhymes.

MEET THE REGULARS You might recognize some familiar faces at these no-frills Cambridge watering holes.

A WORLD OF FLAVOR We talk cooking and culture with Cafe Sushi’s Seizi Imura and the people behind five other international eateries. Scout Cambridge is available at Brass Union, Aeronaut and hundreds of other locations throughout Somerville and Cambridge. Head to scoutcambridge.com/pick-up-spots for a full list of drop spots!

DR. KATIE TALMO received her DMD from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 2010. Upon graduation, she joined her father, Paul Talmo, in his practice located in the historic English Tudor house at 180 Highland Avenue on the corner of Highland Avenue and Benton Road. Dr. Talmo graduated first in her class from Tufts and continues to be involved in her alma mater where she teaches parttime as a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Comprehensive Care.

Her patient-centered treatment philosophy focuses on prevention and conservative treatment modalities. She is a member of the American Dental Association and the Massachusetts Dental Society and is a fellow of the International College of Dentists. She is engaged in the community, serving as the Advisory Committee Chair to Somerville High School’s Dental Assisting Program. Dr. Talmo also travels to the Dominican Republic to provide dental care as part of a global outreach mission project.

• FA MI LY AND CO SMET IC D ENTISTRY • T EETH W H I TENING

BEST DENTIST

• C R OW N AN D BR ID G E WO R K • R E STORATI ON O F D ENTAL IMPLANTS • V EN EERS • C L EAR ORTHO D O NT IC AL IG NER S

2016 NOMINEE

2015 NOMINEE

2014 WINNER

DR. KAT I E TALMO , D .M. D . • 6 1 7 . 8 6 4 . 6 1 1 1 • 1 8 0 HI G HL A ND AV E N U E

WHAT’S NEW?

A WORLD OF FLAVOR DAVIS SQUARE

POKEWORKS

ushi burritos are coming to Davis Square (261 Elm St.). Pokeworks, a small but growing fast-casual chain with outposts in New York, California and Seattle, is making its way to Massachusetts, according to Eater Boston. The eatery specializes in poke (raw fish salad) bowls as well as “pokirritos” packed with up to three proteins, veggies and sauces, according to Eater. No word yet on an opening date.

DAVIS SQUARE

Sushi burritos are coming to Davis Square. Getting Déjà vu? That’s because a second sushi burrito joint is slated for the space that was briefly home to Yumi—right next door to Pokéworks. A sign posted in the window at 263 Elm St. promised that the forthcoming restaurant would have a focus on “all natural sushi, Japanese cuisine and grill,” and that it would be making its debut this summer.

In late April, Opa Greek Yeeros made its debut at 378 Highland Ave. with traditional gyros, salads, skewers and “opatizers” including spanakopita and Aegean Fries topped with feta cheese and spices. Come for the rotating spits of skewered meat, stay for the house-made tzatziki and yogurt.

SUSHI BURRITOS

July | August 2016 scoutsomerville.com

OPA GREEK YEEROS

POWDERHOUSE SQUARE

MINT INDIAN EATERY

You now have another momo option here in Somerville: Mint Indian Eatery COMINGdishing out (868 Broadway), which started SOON Indian and Nepalese street fare in early June. The husband-wife duo behind the eatery

grew up eating street food, according to the Mint website, and they wanted to serve the simple, quality food they loved in their youth. The eatery is open 11 a.m. through 10 p.m. daily and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. And best of all: They deliver! WINTER HILL

PIKLIZ INTERNATIONAL KITCHEN

Winter Hill got even more vibrant in late April, when Pikliz International Kitchen opened up its bright orange doors at 288 Broadway. The menu at this Caribbean eatery changes daily, but you’re often able to grab rice dishes, curry goat, plantains and stewed pork, along with a mac and cheese that already has Yelpers raving.

SCOUT’S HONORED: VOTE NOW UNTIL 7/25 AT SCOUTSOMERVILLE.COM/VOTE

COMING SOON

OATMEAL, OAT WHISKEY

ASSEMBLY ROW

SOUTHERN KIN COOKHOUSE

Chicken and waffles, white cheddar stone ground grits, biscuits, pie—what’s not to love at Southern Kin Cookhouse? The restaurant (500 Assembly Row) made its debut in May with a menu that’s chock-full of Southern fare guaranteed to make your mouth water. And don’t even get us started on the whiskey program: more than 100 American-distilled varieties of COMING Kentucky and

Tennessee bourbons, house Bourbon infusions and other offerings (Rye, Wheat, Corn, Oat, American Single Malt). DAVIS SQUARE

OAT SHOP

A first-of-its-kind breakfast spot in Greater Boston is making its way to Davis Square. Oat Shop, from founder Alan Donovan, will be a cafe that specializes in oatmeal. Details are scarce for now, but Eater Boston reports that the restaurant will also offer a variety of hot drinks and that it’s looking towards a fall opening.

SOON

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE CITYWIDE

BAG BAN

Bye bye, bags! The first phase of Somerville’s citywide plastic bag ban goes into effect on September 1, when large retailers—those that are 10,000 square feet or more— will no longer be able to distribute plastic bags at the checkout counter. On December 1, the ban will extend to all stores in the city, giving smaller shops a chance to use up their existing inventory. Vendors who have questions or concerns about the ordinance can attend information sessions on September 13 at 10 a.m. or September 29 at 6 p.m. in the second-floor Aldermen’s Chambers at City Hall (93 Highland Ave.).

DAVIS SQUARE

THRIVE EXCHANGE

You’ll be able to buy, sell, trade and consign your clothing at Jeff Casler’s forthcoming second hand shop, Thrive Exchange, which will soon open in the old Found space (255 Elm St.). Thrift runs in the family for Casler; his mom founded the consignment chain Second Time Around, where he worked for many years. But the focus of his new venture isn’t just on clothing. The thrift shop has partnered with charities including Goodwill, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Walsh Foundation. “Thrive Exchange is also going to be a store where ideas are exchanged,” explains Casler, who says he always knew he wanted to set up shop in Davis Square. “Ideas about helping people live a healthy life. Helping them to thrive.”

Photo, top left: Courtesy of Pokeworks. Photo, top right: Courtesy of Southern Kin Cookhouse.

Where you come to be. Discover our new flexible weekend and online class schedules. See how we make it possible for school to fit your busy life. Learn about licensure and certification options. Find out what financial aid resources and scholarships are available to you. School of Education School of Psychology & Counseling School of Management School of Undergraduate Studies Information Session July 14th, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. Open House August 6th, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge RSVP - info@cambridgecollege.edu

CambridgeCollege.edu | 1.800.829.4723

scoutsomerville.com July | August 2016

What’s New?

BUILDING UP phased plan for developing the former venue into a mixed-use, residential-commercial property. Phase one of the buildout at 17 Holland St. will see the addition of three floors of commercial space, which DeLellis hopes to begin renting out ASAP; the second phase will involve the construction of seven residential units (one of which will house DeLellis herself). WEST SOMERVILLE

CLARENDON HILLS TOWER RENOVATIONS

The city is looking to redevelop the Somerville Housing Authority’s Clarendon Hills, preserving the existing 216 public housing units and adding 40 to 50 middle-income units and 250 market-rate units. “We think the public housing stock in Somerville is a hugely important part of the affordable housing stock, and I think many of us have known for years the Clarendon Hills development is not in good physical shape,” Somerville Community Corporation CEO Danny LeBlanc told the Somerville Journal in May.

CITYWIDE

ZONING

CITYWIDE

ere’s a fun fact: Only 22 of Somerville’s buildings are legal under the city’s current zoning law. In a June article for Vox, Matthew Yglesias wrote that most of the city, as it exists, is illegal under its own zoning code. Somerville isn’t alone in this—40 percent of Manhattan’s buildings are illegal, as is almost all of Georgetown in D.C. But the city is one of the most egregious offenders. While the Vox story is technically accurate, city officials and local developers told the Somerville Journal that it was a bit misleading. Yglesias doesn’t take into account the new zoning code that was proposed in December, nor does he differentiate between “illegal” and “nonconforming” properties. Anything that was built before the most recent zoning code was completely overhauled in 1990 was grandfathered in, meaning that, while the structures may not meet current requirements, they’re also not illegal. DAVIS SQUARE

program,” Garden Club member Janet Campbell says, “and this puzzles us.” She and other gardeners have formed a resistance group. They’re hoping to push through an updated, greener proposal.

WEST BRANCH LIBRARY PLANS

The West Branch Library is very much in need of renovations, but not everyone is thrilled with the current proposal for revamping the building. The current design involves paving over the surrounding gardens in favor of “low-maintenance plaza space.” Members of the Somerville Garden Club, which 14

July | August 2016 scoutsomerville.com

DAVIS SQUARE has maintained the gardens for years, are baffled by the decision. “This goes completely counter to Somerville’s ‘green spaces’

SP ECIAL COM M E MORATIVE 40 TH ED I TI O N

WHAT’S NEXT FOR JOHNNY D’S

At a neighborhood meeting in late May, Johnny D’s owner Carla DeLellis explained the two-

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

On May 9, the Board of Aldermen unanimously passed a new housing ordinance that requires 20 percent of developments with 18 or more residential units to be affordable. The new law also states that 17.5 percent of projects between eight and 17 units must be affordable. “This is a significant compromise that allows flexibility … It allows us to get 20 percent at a higher level, and still allow smaller developers to create housing,” Alderman at Large Dennis Sullivan said, according to the Somerville Journal. “We cannot kill that growth if we’re going to do the things we hope to do, if that 10year capital plan I gave to you all is going to be achieved,” added Mayor Curtatone.

DON’T GET STUNG,

GET COOKIN’ river in the space that formerly housed Sports Authority (133 Middlesex Ave.). The forthcoming TJ’s isn’t slated to open until October 2017, but we already have dreams of cookie butter dancing in our heads. EAST SOMERVILLE

FOUNDATION KITCHEN EXPANDS

ARLINGTON

THE LOCAL FARE

A trio of local makers—Kitchen Millie’s Michelle Wax, Nutty Life’s Caroline Huffstetler and Boston Bonbon’s Rita Ng—have teamed up to open their own shared kitchen and storefront in Arlington. The Local Fare (2 Lake St.) will serve as the cooking headquarters for these three, and they’ll be selling

their wares alongside products from other small, independent businesses in the area. “We’re bringing the farmers market to your neighborhood,” Ng told us in June. The Local Fare should be open by the end of July. ASSEMBLY ROW

TRADER JOE’S

Good news for Two Buck Chuck lovers and Assembly Row residents—a Trader Joe’s is (finally!) coming to our side of the

“We’re looking at stimulating new, creative businesses and really centering them here out of Somerville,” Foundation Kitchen’s Ciaran Nagle told us in June. “There’s such an eclectic and diverse ethnic mix of people here.” Nagle and wife Tara Novak debuted their shared kitchen space at 121 Washington St. in November and were immediately at capacity with tenants including Black Magic Coffee and The Chicken and Rice Guys. Thanks to the overwhelming interest, they’re already opening another culinary incubator just down the road at 3 Washington St. At press time, the second space’s opening was imminent.

FARM-FRESH FRUITS AND FACTS out the concept; he’s hoping to host popups at Winter Hill Brewing Company starting this summer. ONLINE

WINTER HILL

NEIGHBORHOOD PRODUCE

“I’ve seen a lack of fresh produce in a lot of neighborhoods around Boston,” says Matt Gray, the man behind Neighborhood Produce. “Even in Winter Hill, where I live, there’s just a lack of access to fresh food.” Gray, who also works with the Greater Boston Food Bank, plans to open a corner store that stocks locally grown fruits and veggies by the end of 2016. But you may not have to wait until the year’s end to check

DATA FARM

Ever wondered how Mayor Curtatone and his staff make decisions about policy and operations here in the city? Thanks to the Somerville Data Farm, which launched in early June, residents now have access to the same data and trends that city officials do. The punheavy web portal houses “locally sourced and handpicked food for thought,” according to its splash page, and encourages residents to “dig in” to the data with a daily dashboard that visualizes 311 calls about graffiti and tree removal, criminal activity and “quality of

life” calls made to the police department about animals or excessive noise. You can also filter 311 data to see what problems people are having in your neighborhood and take an interactive look at the city budget. “Data helps us track everything in the city, from potholes filled to overtime worked to residents’ happiness,” Skye Stewart, director of the Mayor’s Office of Innovation and Analytics (SomerStat), said in a statement. “We want to also share that same information with residents in a way that is accessible both to the data newbie and the data nerd.”

Photo, top left: This map from the city shows all 22 of its legal buildings. Photo, bottom left: Courtesy of West Branch Library. Photo, top right: From left, Nutty Life’s Caroline Huffstetler, Kitchen Millie’s Michelle Wax and Boston Bonbon’s Rita Ng. Photo by Emily Cassel.

GET EVEN Ouch! That’s what you don’t want to say this summer. Being where we are on the calendar, insects like bees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets have had plenty of time to nest. They want to get outside the roost, too. And they can be pretty rowdy. These stinging insects might have spent the spring setting up shop in bushes or trees around your home, or even in the siding of your house. If they have a nest, you’ll want to take action to make sure these aggressive little guys don’t come after you, your family or your friends. An attack isn’t pleasant on its own right, but allergy problems can render an agitated insect’s sting potentially lethal. It’s just not worth the risk of letting them stick around. You should spend your summer outside laughing in the yard, not holed up inside worrying about that buzzing nest above. If you think you have a stinger 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.

63 ELM ST, SOMERVILLE 617-625-4850 • bestpest.com

DEVELOPMENT

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN BY ELIZA ROSENBERRY

AS SOMERVILLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ECONOMY SHIFTS AWAY FROM MANUFACTURING, FORMER MEATPACKING AND BRICKMAKING PLANTS ARE BECOMING ARTIST SPACES AND LUXURY LOFTS.

“Original features.” “Exposed brick and beams.” “Loft-style.” “Raw space.” If you’re a peruser of real estate listings or an obsessive viewer of home design shows, these phrases are likely familiar to you. They’re regularly used by real estate agents to signify a particular brand of charm—one that indulges contemporary design trends while strategically embracing aspects of a property’s history. These buildings, with their exposed pipes and concrete floors, are usually characterized as “industrial.”

The greatest satisfaction is understanding our client’s needs to translate their vision into form and functional art.

Architectural Services

• New construction, additions, renovations • Interior design • Sustainable materials & methods

amortondesign.com 617.894.0285 info@aMortonDesign.com Photo by Wrecked Photography

scoutsomerville.com July | August 2016

Development Industrial Design

A COFFIN FACTORY HAS BECOME MILLER STREET STUDIOS; MIXIT STUDIOS OPERATES OUT OF AN OLD SOAP FACTORY. THE ORIGINAL NEW ENGLAND BAKING COMPANY BUILDING NOW HOUSES JOY STREET STUDIOS.

But while this language may seem like a way to sell real estate, repurposing industrial spaces isn’t just a trend. In Somerville, factories and industrial properties have for decades been adapted to house businesses, artists and residents—and to suit the evolving needs of a changing city.

omerville was home to a variety of industries in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Railways offered a cost-effective way to transport goods throughout the Greater Boston area, and as Somerville’s population grew—reaching its peak during World War II—factories and storage facilities sprung up along the train tracks and beyond. Meatpacking and brickmaking were major industries in earlier years, but even as companies came and went, Somerville’s economy remained rooted in manufacturing. In the second half of the twentieth century, a combination of forces—highways, competition from overseas markets, the shift from a production economy to a services economy—led to a gradual departure of manufacturing and industry from urban centers like Somerville. In 1958, the Ford Motor Plant in Assembly Square closed down, and by the mid-’70s, many other major manufacturers throughout the city had followed suit. Over the past 60 years, Somerville’s industrial land use has declined by more than 50 percent, according to a city report. Meanwhile, individual factory buildings were changing hands and adapting to new commercial uses. What was once the American Tube Works complex on Somerville Avenue became the Ames Safety Envelope Company in the 1930s. When Ames shuttered in 2010, those buildings were again repurposed. They now host Greentown Labs, Brooklyn Boulders and Artisan’s Asylum, among other innovative ventures. In Boynton Yards, a similar turnover occurred. “561 Windsor used to be a meatpacking plant, then a paper bag factory, then a bakery, then industrial lofts, which is as it remains,” says Taza Chocolate founder Alex Whitmore of the building where his company currently operates. But businesses haven’t been the only drivers of industrial transformation; artists and residents have created new uses for factories as well.

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July | August 2016 scoutsomerville.com

SP ECIAL COM M E MORATIVE 40 TH ED I TI O N

n 1974, Rogers Foam Factory at 20 Vernon St. posted a sign reading “Space for Rent.” Rogers had purchased the former Derby Desks property a year prior and intended to lease the top two floors to

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another business. Instead, a small group of artists, led by the late Maud Morgan, saw the sign and arranged to meet with the building’s new owners. The meeting went well, and some of the artists signed fiveyear leases; thus, Vernon Street Studios was born. Rogers provided hot water pipes to heat the space and installed electrical outlets while the artists got to work sanding floors, scrubbing windows and installing drywall to divide the enormous rooms into practical studio spaces. “The rent was incredibly low,” artist and tenant Jackson Gregory remembers. “But it was a mess. The windows were broken and there were pigeons inside. The whole place was full of dirt.” “As I recall, someone came in and shot [the pigeons] so we could get started on the renovation,” said Karen Moss, another of Vernon Street’s original artist tenants. Industrial buildings were then and continue to be appealing to artists for a variety of reasons—the relatively low cost, the sizeable spaces, the opportunity to foster a sense of community. Vernon Street Studios “enabled me as a young artist to do very large canvases and have visibility through open studio events and visits from curators,” says Moss. “All of these people, and many others, built a community of shared ideas and information which was invaluable for me.” At the time, this practice was already common elsewhere in the country. “Artists are always seeking out places they can afford,” Gregory says, remembering the affordable artist lofts he saw in New York City in the ‘60s. But the Vernon Street group helped pave the way for artists to adapt industrial buildings here in Somerville. In the mid-’80s, a different group of Somerville artists collectively purchased what had been a cannery and storage facility in the Inner Belt district. The resulting livework condominium complex Brickbottom—“named after the section in Somerville for the clay deposits used for brickmaking,” according to its website—became a model for artists who could no longer afford to stay in the communities they had helped to reinvigorate. “Instead of letting ourselves be moved out by our attraction as neighbors, we took advantage of the real estate boom artists create,” Brickbottom Artists Group member Chris Enos told the New York Times in 1987. Today, Vernon Street Studios is home to more than 93 artists, according to Rogers Foam representative Ellie Jones, and both Vernon Street and Brickbottom are in good company. Elsewhere in the city, Photo, left, by Wrecked Photography. Photo, right, by Elan Sablich.

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Development Industrial Design

a coffin factory has become Miller Street Studios, and Mixit Studios operates out of an old soap factory. The original New England Baking Company building now houses Joy Street Studios. “I’m not a leader in repurposing spaces,” Gregory laughs. “I was just an artist looking for a studio.”

n the future, artists like Gregory might have help finding studios as the city pursues a new housing opportunity that will support affordable live-work units for artists. Behind Twin City Plaza, a short-ish walk from the Lechmere Green Line T stop, an industrial building nestled on the SomervilleCambridge border is finding new life as a residential property. Built in 1916, Millbrook Lofts was a cold storage facility until as recently as 2013, insulating 10 million pounds of frozen seafood within concrete walls, thick cork insulation and about a foot of ice. Boston developer Berkeley Investments purchased Millbrook and moved forward with the redevelopment—after a months-long defrosting process—in 2014. Two years later, Millbrook is now open for business, and tenants are moving in. The building at 9 Medford St. includes 100 apartment units and features an art gallery, a shared kitchen and lounge area and a roof deck with a rather impressive view.

20 July | August 2016

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The fixtures and design throughout the building are clean and contemporary, but Millbrook is also leaning into its history; a photograph of the cold storage facility is included in the development brochure and on social media, and floor plans are titled to keep with the theme—Polar, Arctic, Siberian, Frost. Stainless steel doors open into airy lofts where wide concrete columns sit in the middle of living areas. Millbrook is the latest residential development on a former factory site. The concrete feel of the apartments differs from the warmer, bricksand-beams-style units over at Davis Square Lofts, though the buildings share a similar origin story: Davis Square Lofts are located on a site formerly occupied by M.W. Carr & Co., a manufacturer of jewelry and other products. But factory buildings aren’t always adapted; former box factory Maxwell Packaging was demolished to make way for the housing complex Maxwell’s Green, though the buildings were still designed to “reflect the site’s industrial past,” according to Boston.com. Berkeley Properties development director Eric Ekman, who oversaw development of Millbrook Lofts, notes that he made decisions during the development process based on design and aesthetics, but says it was a priority to keep as much of the exposed original features as possible. He suggests that prospective tenants are attracted to such unique features, which he describes as “the character offered by the adaptive reuse nature of the property,” in addition to conventional attributes like amenities and location. Real estate agent Paul Santucci of Somerville Lofts agrees. In his experience, prospective residential loft tenants are often artists interested in community and the specific accommodations of a space. But today, there’s another group of people vying for lofts. These tenants could be empty nesters moving from the suburbs or “luxury tenants” drawn by Greater Boston’s booming biotech and pharmaceutical industries. They all have one thing in common: None of them want to live in “cookie-cutter” apartments. “People want unique spaces,” Santucci says, “people who might not be artists but who are attracted to the creative flavor.” This desire for proximity to art is reflected at Millbrook. Their brand motto is “Creative Living,” and works by Brickbottom artists are displayed throughout the building. Zoning laws support this connection: 5 percent of Millbrook’s total square footage has to be used for arts-related purposes. At Millbrook, that manifests in a gallery space and five artist live-work units. Based on the size and location of the building, zoning laws required 15 total affordable apartment units, and the Somerville Arts Council “requested that the artists units be five of the 15 required affordable units,” according to a city staff report. As a result, Millbrook offers five affordable live-work spaces for citycertified artists who qualify based on median income requirements, leaving 10 affordable units for non-artist residents. According to the city’s website, this is a “first-of-its-kind” offering. Boston has a similar program in which affordable artist live-work units count towards minimum required affordable housing through the city’s ArtistSpace program, and applicants are held to the same median income requirements as other affordable housing. Neither Cambridge nor Brookline currently offers such a program for artists. Somerville’s efforts to accommodate and support its artistic community are not going unnoticed. “Wary of the way artists have fled Boston ahead of the latest wave of gentrification,” wrote Nestor Ramos in the Boston Globe Magazine in May of this year, “Somerville is attempting to save its vibrant arts community while it still can.”

ackson Gregory remembers feeling like an interloper when he moved to Somerville in the early 1970s. But today, Somerville’s artists are integral to the city’s identity. Somerville’s industrial buildings will continue to adapt to the changing needs of businesses, artists and residents. Whether those uses will evolve as the city changes or remain—at least partially—artsfocused remains to be seen.

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Photo, top, by Wrecked Photography. Photo, bottom, by Elan Sablich.

HISTORY

Picture This SOMERVILLE’S CITY ARCHIVES FACEBOOK PAGE CONNECTS ‘VILLENS OLD AND NEW TO THE PAST BY KAT RUTKIN

n an evening a few years ago, Frank McSorley was When one of the page’s 1,400-plus fans like and comment on babysitting his grandchildren and scrolling through these photos, it’s archivist Nadia Dixson who sees her phone Facebook when he stumbled across something light up with notifications. Dixson has been working unexpected: a photo of himself as a young man of for the city archives since 2008, and she became about 11 or 12, holding an apple in his teeth. Somerville’s first full-time archivist in 2012. “OMG that is me! I remember this picture! I That year, as she began to digitize part of the think I just won an apple bobbing contest!” he collection, she created Facebook and Tumblr commented. profiles. These pages now showcase visual This photo—and hundreds of others on gems of city history that were previously the Facebook page for the City of Somerville buried among the boxes and files that contain Archives—provides a window into the city’s notother city administrative records. A presence so-distant past. For McSorley, finding the page on social media offered a broader reach, brought back many happy memories of growing up connecting with residents where they were here in the 1970s, when the lives of young people already hanging out: online. Interest grew slowly, were centered around the parks where they would until early 2013, when someone posted a photo from Nadia Dixson hang out. the archive’s page in the Somerville “The Good Ole

test in the 1970s.

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Days” Facebook group during a snowstorm, when people were bored and stuck inside. “It was a huge expansion [of followers],” Dixson laughs. Stephanie Almeida discovered a photo of herself almost a year after it was initially posted. “That is ME jumping rope at Conway Park, probably 1981 or 1982,” she commented. “Notice the Skating Rink in the back. I have NEVER seen this photo! I was Stephanie O’Donnell then... THANK YOU for sharing it!” While Almeida had many memories of growing up in Somerville, she says the photo was particularly surprising—and special—because she doesn’t have a lot of pictures of herself from that time. (Getting people to help identify the photo subjects has been a challenge, as many were simply stored, unlabeled, in boxes among the hundreds that are now stacked in the center of Dixson’s office.) Those moments are exactly what Dixson was hoping for as she began sharing the photos, garnering interest among current and former residents of Somerville in the work she does preserving the city’s records.

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History

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me every year,” says Almeida. The city employed recreation leaders at all the parks for the summer to engage the kids in programming that ranged from arts and crafts to an all-city park vs. park athletic meet at the end of the summer. “[Summer recreation] leaders were really instrumental in child development, really powerful, empowering and supportive,” says Almeida, who recalls spending all day with her friends in the park. “They made the parks a safe place to be. And the fun didn’t end in the summer. McSorley remembers fall having its own seasonal activities, including apple-bobbing contests like the one he won. Almeida says she’d spend the whole year in Conway Park, switching to the ice rink when the weather got cold. For Dixson, these . artment memories carry ion Dep t a e r c e erville R m o both emotional and S e rom th , come f e n historical weight. After o is h s, like t posting the photos, she al photo e archiv h t f o y almost never adds to the Man comments or discussions on the page. “I like to leave space for people to have their own memories and conversation,” she explains. Information that is provided through social media will also be added to the metadata stored with the photos in the digital collection. This information is more than interesting; it will actually help people search the archives in the future. As Somerville continues to grow and change, Dixson will be there to make sure it’s documented. “Some people think archivists are only obsessed with the past,” she says, “but we also want to make sure what’s happening now is also preserved for the future.” That includes potentially Local youth jump rope at Conway Park circa the mid-’80s. preserving the social media presence for the archives and other city offices, a strategy that Dixson and the city’s Communications Department are beginning to roll out. Many of the photos on the Facebook page come from the To make sure that residents have easier access to Recreation Department. Both McSorley and Almeida remembered the archives and therefore to Somerville’s history, the being involved in city recreational activities growing up, and there’s a department will be moving this summer from the City Hall reason why the Recreation Department had so many photos. “They Annex to an office in the Edgerly School. With windows used to have a camera club,” McSorley explains, “run by a man named treated to block UV light and prevent the degradation of the Jack Hayes. We would take photos all over the city and develop them documents, this space will be much more friendly to visitors and open in a darkroom in the old police station on Bow Street.” by appointment. These photos are not only visually interesting; they also highlight Dixson wants to encourage residents to explore and connect with the importance of the Recreation Department in the lives of Somerville’s historical documents, which she says can be surprisingly fascinating. youth at that time. “Recreation was a huge piece of the summer for

July | August 2016 scoutsomerville.com

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While the photos of people and houses, like the ones on social media, usually garner the most interest, old records can be just as compelling. These documents are more than lists and numbers; they’re crosssections of city life over the last 174 years. Pulling out a book of property tax records, Dixson pores over a list of names, occupations and prior residences of Somervillians circa 1890, a snapshot in time of the city’s shifting demographic from newly arrived immigrants specializing in industries like masonry or fruit selling to an emerging middle class that was taking office jobs. Many of the people in these recent pictures still live in and around Somerville, but rising property values have made it harder for many to stay in the city, particularly while raising a family. McSorley still lives in Somerville, in the house where his high school sweetheart—now his wife—grew up. Almeida has relocated to North Carolina, but she returns often to see family who still live here. McSorley and Almeida agree that the city has changed in myriad ways, and they say the fabric of the community seems much more loosely knit than when they were growing up. But as the city continues to change,

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SERGIO AND SASSY ESTANY

A SSOCIATE PROGRAM COORDINATORS, SOMERVILLE CENTER FOR TEEN EMPOWERMENT

A few years ago, Somerville’s Center for Teen Empowerment (TE) was in trouble, down to just two staffers: Danny McLaughlin and Sassy Estany. “And I was part-time, but I was definitely doing way more than part-time,” Sassy laughs. “It was a lot.” Undeterred, Sassy helped work to rebuild the program. She and McLaughlin sent countless emails, made scores of phone calls and got out into the community, connecting with the city, other activists and neighborhood groups to show how important Teen Empowerment’s work was. “TE was the program that gave us the platform and the understanding of how to critically think about our surroundings and the social interactions we had in our everyday lives,” says her brother, Sergio, who today works alongside his sister as an associate program coordinator. “We just kind of stuck around. We always knew the door was open.” Sergio and Sassy say that Somerville’s young people are wise beyond their years. They speak intelligently and thoughtfully about issues that are of concern to them—racism, drug addiction, gentrification, mental health. “Their way of thinking is beyond me, sometimes,” Sassy says. “I’m just like, man, maybe you should be in this position.” For this dynamic sibling duo, the job is often as simple as being there for their teens, many of whom don’t have someone they can talk with and relate to on these issues. “We always think it’s, in a sense, so simple. Why don’t people just do that? Why aren’t people just nice and caring?” asks Sassy. “But that’s because we’ve had figures like us,” adds Sergio. “It’s like a ripple effect … it makes you appreciate the program that much more.” It’s why many Somerville teens return to Teen Empowerment year after year—and why many, like Sergio and Sassy, continue to do important work with the organization as fulltime staff members after participating in their youth. scoutsomerville.com July | August 2016

Community

It Takes a ‘Ville-age

02 BUG FOUNDER, BUG’S BIKES When we meet Bug, he’s looking very stylish in a Superman shirt and cape. But a few minutes later, he turns to his parents, Kelly and Steve. “I should have worn a Bug’s Bikes shirt!” Bug is a strategic salesman and a dedicated professional. He’s also only seven years old. He and his parents run a 501(c)(3) charity called Bug’s Bikes, which raises money to help differently-abled children and their families purchase adaptive bicycles, like Bug’s own. Bug is visually impaired and has medical complexities and high-functioning autism— but nothing stops him from riding his bike, which has three wheels, a seat belt and a seatback. Adaptive bicycles come with a variety of features depending on the child. Bug’s Bikes has raised money to provide bicycles to seven overjoyed recipients in the Greater Boston area, plus three more as part of a collaborative program with Franciscan Children’s Hospital. Bug and his parents say there’s no feeling like telling a family they’ll be receiving a bike—particularly because these bikes are more than just toys. An adaptive bicycle often marks the first opportunity for an entire family to go on rides together, and hospitals and other programs use adaptive bikes for therapy to help kids build strength. But insurance companies consider the bikes a “luxury” expense and don’t help with costs, which can run upwards of $800—a prohibitive expense for many families. Community support has been integral to their success so far, according to Bug’s parents. Businesses including Kelly’s Diner, the Winter Hill Community School, Maxwell’s Green, East Cambridge Savings Bank and the local police and fire departments have supported their cause. At one lemonade stand, Somerville Fire Department trucks drove by throughout the day to take photos and show support. “Bug was over the moon,” Kelly says. With the support of his parents and Bug’s own unending enthusiasm, things are going strong. They hope to expand the nonprofit; their goal is to consistently raise enough money to give away multiple bikes a month. When Bug originally met with the Maxwell’s Green property manager, she asked him why he wanted to give these bikes away. Bug responded so perfectly that they have since adopted his response as their tagline: “Bikes like mine, for kids like me.” Bug’s Bikes will hold their annual lemonade stand fundraiser, featuring lawn games, face painting and more, on Saturday, August 20, at Maxwell’s Green. The event is rain or shine, and all are welcome. If you’re interested in donating to or volunteering with Bug’s Bikes, you can reach out at bugsbikes.org.

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CHRIS MANCINI

XECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GROUNDWORK E SOMERVILLE

Groundwork Somerville promotes community building and sustainable environmental practices through youth programming, urban agriculture and other green practices and social engagement efforts. And its executive director, Chris Mancini, is dedicated to all parts of the nonprofit’s mission. Since 2011, Mancini has guided the Groundwork Somerville team through a wide range of projects. It isn’t always easy—one of the organization’s signature programs, which entails creating green space and gardens in unused lots throughout the city, has become increasingly difficult

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as there’s less and less open space available. But through strategic direction and partnerships, Mancini is helping Groundwork—and the city—to thrive and grow while embracing these changes. Mancini’s involvement with other organizations like Somerville Food Security and Shape Up Somerville shows his community-minded approach to leadership, with a focus on empowering others. He says that collaborative, outcome-driven work is most meaningful to him as a leader. Somerville youth who participate in Groundwork programs are encouraged to envision themselves as leaders, and Mancini says it’s one of the most rewarding parts of his job. “To see a shy kid get up in front of an crowd at an agriculture conference and deliver—it’s so great,” he says. Today, one of Mancini’s goals is to attract more residents to visit Groundwork’s South Street Farm, in the same way they might a city park, by hosting events and improving accessibility. But the best leaders know their limits. “Having a three-yearold at home who I can’t convince to clean up after herself is pretty humbling in the leadership department,” Mancini laughs. Even this holds a lesson: “Having a partner and a child is very grounding,” he adds, “and I encourage my staff to value and prioritize their family and personal lives.”

MEREDITH LEVY

DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SOMERVILLE COMMUNITY CORPORATION

“We have so many great amenities coming into this community. How do we make sure everyone gets to benefit over the long haul?” Meredith Levy joined the Somerville Community Corporation (SCC) 13 years ago as the organization’s director of community organizing. Driven by big-picture urban policy challenges and a desire to work with people, she set out to answer community equity

questions through grassroots work and policy changes. Now, as Deputy Director of SCC, she’s working behind the scenes to bring economic opportunities to a diverse population. “There’s just a lot happening here in Somerville,” she explains. “It’s a dense city, and there are a lot of opportunities. It’s a great place to do this work and to build relationships with so many different people.” For Levy, affordable housing has been one of the keys to connecting people to their community. In May, when the city passed the inclusionary zoning policy requiring 20 percent of all new residential development in the city to be affordable, she saw it as the culmination of a decade of hard work. “Somerville has one of the most progressive inclusionary zoning policies in the country now, because of this campaign,” she says. “To be in a job for 13 years and to see it happen, it’s just gratifying beyond words.” Going forward, Levy hopes to be able to build opportunities for low-income residents beyond affordable housing. She wants people to belong to the culture of the community, to feel connected to a network and, ideally, to become leaders. Considering Somerville’s thriving creative economy, she asks, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could connect that growth with a whole part of our population that doesn’t always have access to that world?”

KAREN NAREFSKY

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, SOMERVILLE COMMUNITY CORPORATION

As Community Organizer for Somerville Community Corporation, Karen Narefsky spends a lot of her time going to neighborhood events, knocking on doors and talking with Somerville residents. “It’s really about bringing people together and activating that sense of passion and the desire to take leadership,” she says, adding with a

03 PHOTOS BY JESS BENJAMIN

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Community

It Takes a ‘Ville-age

06 laugh, “You’d be surprised how many people open their doors and go, ‘Oh, someone wants to talk with me about my community? Okay!’” Narefsky believes that city and institutional structures can make it hard for members of the community to feel like they can be engaged, which means that knowledge and energy often go untapped. Her job is to find the people who may not even realize their own potential, to help them get involved in their community and to be a part of the decisionmaking process. She recalls meeting one woman at a First Source Jobs Program workshop aimed at connecting residents looking for jobs with local employers. Narefsky asked the woman, who had lived in Union Square for eight years, if she had ever been involved in any community organizing. The woman admitted that she hadn’t, but that conversation sparked an interest. “This is someone who goes to school, who works, who’s a parent ... but she became really involved in the Union United Coalition, and she’s developed all of these relationships with people in the community,” says Narefsky. “People recognize her and wave to her on the street. People want to know what her opinion is on a particular issue.” For Narefsky, tapping into these individuals isn’t just for their personal growth—it’s about strengthening the community by connecting people directly to it.

Lewis and Park’s Diesel Cafe welcomed its first customers in 1999. Nine years later, they launched Bloc 11 in Union Square, and Forge Baking Company on Somerville Avenue opened its doors in 2014. From coffee to baked goods to lunch fare, all three locations have become bustling hubs of activity, attracting the work-from-home set, families balancing babies and sandwiches, friends sharing coffee cakes and solo residents taking it all in. Their eateries collaborate whenever possible; all breads and pastries are baked at Forge, the shops have similar coffee programs and Lewis and Park host cross-staff trainings for their more than 100 employees—but the locations have their own identities. “Each store—as a result of being in a different community—kind of reflects that neighborhood,” Park says. At Diesel, which draws from a young, professional customer base, seats with proximity to outlets are stalked (and pounced upon) by customers clutching laptops. Outdoor seating at Bloc 11 accommodates big groups of friends and families gathering for weekend brunch. And though it’s a newer spot, customers already know to squeeze in, elbow-to-elbow, and share tables at Forge during peak hours. In this way, Lewis and Park are quite literally bringing residents closer together. With each new location, they’ve been at the forefront of Somerville’s neighborhood and community building. No longer newcomers to the restaurant industry, the duo is finally ready to take on their white whale. This summer, right next door to Forge Baking Company, you can visit the brand-new Forge Ice Cream Bar.

TUCKER LEWIS AND JEN PARK

CO-OWNERS, DIESEL CAFE, BLOC 11, FORGE BAKING COMPANY AND FORGE ICE CREAM BAR

Tucker Lewis and Jen Park met more than 20 years ago when they were working at the now-closed Herrell’s Ice Cream in Harvard Square. They shared an entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to start their own scoop shop. However, concerned that the seasonal ice cream biz was too risky for first-time business owners, they opted instead to open a coffee shop with year-round appeal. 34 July | August 2016

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SP ECIAL COM M E MORATIVE 40 TH ED I TI O N

SANDRA MCGOLDRICK

PRESIDENT AND CEO, WINTER HILL BANK

Winter Hill Bank is celebrating its 110th year in 2016—no small feat for an independent, local bank with just five locations that’s competing against monolithic financial institutions. “And we have done so by remaining true to our core belief that at the end of the day, it is people and the relationships that are developed that really make it work,” PHOTO BY JESS BENJAMIN

says president and CEO Sandra McGoldrick. “And that is what community banking is all about.” McGoldrick’s neighborhoodbased approach isn’t solely reflected in her role at Winter Hill Bank, though she’s taken great pride in leading the organization for more than two decades. The Somerville native has also had her hands in countless nonprofits and business organizations throughout the city. She serves as treasurer for the Somerville YMCA and has served on the board of the Somerville Home. She’s worked to provide transitional and affordable housing for low-income families. She served as past president of the Kiwanis Club, and in 2007 she initiated the Kiwanis Annual Appeal, which to date has raised more than $100,000—100 percent of which has gone back to the community in the form of donations to area nonprofits and scholarships for Somerville High School seniors. For decades, McGoldrick has been using business as the launching pad from which to give back to her city. The former chair of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has received numerous accolades from the chamber, including a 2010 lifetime achievement award. She currently serves on the chamber’s Government Affairs Committee, working with Mayor Curtatone and the Board of Alderman to formulate initiatives that benefit both businesses and residents. “Today, with the other developments and initiatives that have taken place, when people mention Boston and Cambridge they now say Boston, Cambridge and Somerville,” McGoldrick explains. “And that’s quite an accomplishment.”

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JESSIE BAHNEZL CEO, GREEN CITY GROWERS

In 2008, Jessie Bahnezl left an unfulfilling job in television production in New York City and was living at her parents’ house in Wayland, with just the seed of a business plan in her brain. “My parents are both entrepreneurs,”

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09 she reflects today, “so they were a good support system.” The idea was this: Start a business in Massachusetts, the likes of which existed on the West Coast but not yet here, that would build and maintain gardens for commercial and residential clients. Bahnezl started small, working with a friend out of her parents’ house, then out of coffee shops throughout Cambridge and, finally, from an office space in Somerville. She hasn’t looked back since. Her company, Green City Growers, now employs 20 staffers and works with clients in the region ranging from restaurants to private homes, schools and hospitals—even Fenway Park. Now in its second season, the Fenway rooftop farm attracts half a million people each year. (“We’re the Red Sox’s other farm team,” Bahnezl jokes.) That project launched GCG onto a national platform; this year, they signed on to partner with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Partnership for a Healthier America initiative. But Bahnezl isn’t satisfied yet. She wants to expand and focus more on gardens that are publicly accessible, like Fenway, to help challenge people’s understanding of how food can be grown and their knowledge of what they’re eating. “Personally, it’s really exciting to see the business grow,” she says. “But what’s great about having a social mission is that while you grow in scale, you can impact more people … How do we create spaces for people to understand the importance of fresh food, and also to access that fresh food?” 36 July | August 2016

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JESSE CLINGAN

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, SOMERVILLE OVERCOMING ADDICTION AND OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, RYAN HARRINGTON FOUNDATION

“It’s like a tale of two cities, where you have cool events like Fluff Fest or the Honk Parade, and meanwhile, you have kids overdosing in the bathrooms of Davis Square. Clearly, there’s a problem that needs to be addressed.” Jesse Clingan is a community organizer who has worked with Somerville Overcoming Addiction (SOA), an organization with a mission to eliminate drug overdose fatalities, remove the stigma of addiction and connect the community with addiction support and recovery services. A small group of community activists formed SOA in 2014 after thengovernor Deval Patrick declared a public health emergency in response to the growing epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose deaths. The group’s first event was a free screening at the Somerville Theater of The Anonymous People, a documentary about the more than 23 million Americans living in long-term recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. The screening was well-attended, and Clingan helped facilitate a training for Narcan—an opiate antidote—at the event. “We were a conduit,” explains Clingan. “We were your neighbors and we were your friends bringing you the resources that were already out there but that so many people don’t know about.” SOA continues to hold Narcan trainings at their events, which Clingan believes is necessary in preventing drug overdose fatalities in the community. Just a few days after the screening at the Somerville Theater, he heard that someone in the audience that night had to use the Narcan they received from that training on their daughter. “That was extremely powerful to hear,” he recalls. “We knew we were on the right path then, and we knew we had to continue to bring this lifesaving antidote and this message to people. And we’re still doing it.” Clingan currently works with the Harrington Foundation—a charitable family foundation in memory of Somerville resident Ryan Harrington, who died of an overdose in 2011. The foundation supports local youth organizations and assists people struggling with addiction. “So now, within a 4.3 square mile city you have Somerville Overcoming Addiction, the Harrington Foundation and the Alex Foster Foundation,” Clingan explains. “Certainly, there’s a problem in Somerville like every city, but it’s easy to ignore because there’s such a difference in population. We definitely have made the city take notice.” “We need to stay vigilant,” he adds.

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JESSE CLINGAN PHOTO BY JESS BENJAMIN JUSTIN HILDEBRANDT PHOTO BY SHARONA JACOBS PHOTOGRAPHY

PIUMA 10 CASSIE CHEF AND CO-OWNER, SARMA Sitting at the Sarma bar, sipping a glass of sauvignon blanc and taking tiny bites of the bluefish falafel (to make it last as long as possible), you can see directly into the bright, open kitchen where chef and coowner Cassie Piuma spends her time. Piuma and Ana Sortun worked together for almost a decade at Sortun’s iconic Cambridge restaurant Oceana before opening Sarma together in 2013. A mezze-style Middle Eastern restaurant with small dishes like fava bean pate and steak tartare—and plenty of options for vegetarians—Sarma is reliably delicious, innovative and satisfying. “We wanted to be part of a lively neighborhood where people actually live,” Piuma says, “and contribute something meaningful to the community.” Sarma is tucked behind Somerville High School, in a residential Winter Hill nook. “I think a location speaks to you.” Under Piuma’s guidance, Sarma walks an enviable line between casual and fancy. It’s both a neighborhood restaurant for residents and a destination for foodies from throughout the region. “I think Sarma is successful because it’s approachable, comfortable and fun,” Piuma observes. “It appeals to folks from all walks of life and doesn’t take itself too seriously.” As a resident, Piuma is a fan of the varied food scene in Somerville. She rattles off a dozen of her favorite spots, including Spoke, 3 Little Figs, Istanbulu and Tasty Momo. But there is one missing piece for Piuma: breakfast and coffee spots distributed throughout each neighborhood—“preferably on my walk to work.” What’s next for the local chef? “I’d love to do a fast-casual lunch place someday, or maybe an outpost for our fried chicken and hummus,” says Piuma. Luckily for Somerville, Sarma remains her primary focus—for now.

JUSTIN HILDEBRANDT

XECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT FREEDOM E CONNEXION AND LEAD PASTOR AT CONNEXION

When Methodist pastors are appointed to a new church, that nomination isn’t only to their congregation but to that city or town at large—a commitment that Justin Hildebrandt takes seriously. “Maybe I’ve got 25 people here on a Sunday, but there are 80,000 people in Somerville,” Hildebrandt explains. “I say that I spend my time accordingly.” His community-focused space on Broadway in East Somerville is a frequent host to organizations that need a place for their board meetings and retreats, and the church holds a monthly meal in partnership with area nonprofits. Every summer, the building houses Freedom Connexion, a six-week program that provides free education to students who are at risk of learning loss during the summer months. There’s no better metaphor for that community-first focus than the communion table where Hildebrandt and his congregation break bread each week. It’s a simple card table; Hildebrandt believes that communion shouldn’t feel like it’s happening in a formal dining room, meant for special occasions and fancy table settings, but instead in the family room, where meaningful conversations between loved ones take place. Groups that borrow the church’s space will sometimes use the communion table for their work, and Hildebrandt recalls once looking on as members of Somerville Overcoming Addiction (SOA) made posters memorializing those who had been lost to addiction on its surface. “This is kind of beautiful,” Hildebrandt thought to himself as he watched SOA members cut, draw and paste on the table where his congregation communes on Sundays. “It’s the communion of life.”

COME IN AS A CUSTOMER, LEAVE AS A FRIEND After moving from Brooklyn, my husband, Cole, and I wanted to buy our first car together and decided to look for a used Prius. We visited multiple dealerships and found the salespeople to be too aggressive or uninterested. Disheartened, we temporarily put our search on hold. Until one day when I saw a Prius in John’s Auto Sales lot down the street from our apartment. When we finally stopped by to ask about it a week later, the car had already been sold, but another Prius had just come in. One of the salespeople, Dan, was very helpful and told us to take it out for as long of a test drive as we wanted. It was great that we were able to talk freely about what we wanted to do without a salesperson in the passenger seat. When we got back, Dan introduced us to John, the owner, who answered our questions honestly. Cole and I felt that the price was fair, but more importantly, we appreciated that we never felt pressured into making a decision. We gave them a deposit on the spot. Knowing that John, Dan and the staff are available right in our neighborhood to help with any possible issues in the future is a big relief and we’re glad we found them. – Katie & Cole

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ANDRADE 12 CHRISTINE OWNER, HAIR BY CHRISTINE & CO. During her first year in business on Highland Avenue, Hair by Christine & Co. owner Christine Andrade flew a rainbow flag outside of the salon during pride week—a decision that prompted a friend to ask if she was worried it would turn people away. Andrade realized that they might be right. “So I put a pride flag on every window,” she recalls. Reaching out to LGBTQ individuals has always been a priority for Andrade, whose salon is a judgement-free, safe space. Hair by Christine & Co. stylists recently held a “Dress for Success” beauty tutorial day for the transgender community at Fenway Health, and Andrade always teaches those who are transitioning how to style their hair and makeup free of charge. When the #IllGoWithYou ally project to promote safety in gendered spaces like bathrooms launched earlier this year, she immediately ordered 500 of the pink, white and blue buttons, which she gives out for free. Andrade, who always wanted to have her own salon—in elementary school she was snagging her mom’s bleach to put streaks in her hair—is a firm believer in using beauty care for the greater good. Her stylists cut hair for homeless women at St. Francis House, and she recently hosted a cut-a-thon to benefit the Boston Children’s Hospital. A graduate of the cosmetology program at Somerville High School, she welcomes current students into her shop to learn the tricks of the trade. “I like to take people from where I was and build them up,” she says. “I think it’s really important to build people up in this business.” “To me,” Andrade adds, “hairdressing is helping people.”

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SP ECIAL COM M E MORATIVE 40 TH ED I TI O N

MCLEAN 13 DANIELLE REPORTER, SOMERVILLE JOURNAL For Danielle McLean, being a reporter—especially one working in the same city where she resides—is a big responsibility. She believes that free press is crucial to democracy and government functionality. “You need to have that oversight,” says McLean. “There’s no government that’s perfect, there’s no politician that’s perfect and there’s nobody that can represent the voices of everybody. You need the media there to hold people accountable for decisions that may affect different groups of people.” Most cities have their own issues, identities and problems, but McLean doesn’t think there are many that have as much complexity and as much at stake as Somerville. The cost of living skyrocketing and forcing low income and working families out of the city, while drawing in developers, is a story about changing demographics that McLean feels an obligation to tell. She wrote a story in February about the high cost of living in Somerville after a study revealed that the yearly income to afford the average monthly rent in the city, without being rent burdened—or paying more than a third of your salary on rent—is more than $95,000. “That number has really stood out to me because it just shows how difficult it is to live in Somerville,” she explains. “And so there’s that huge push and pull, and I think it’s a very interesting time, a very complex time and a very important time to be in news media here in the city.” It can be difficult for just a two-person staff to cover such a busy, ambitious city. McLean makes a great effort to address the important topics in the city, to share the stories of the marginalized members of the community and to give them a voice. PHOTO BY EMILY CASSEL

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Julie, Justin Grunau, Lisa McFarren, Frank Cresta, Genevieve Jones, Shannon Pendleton, Ben Worthen, Tir na nOg owner Feargal O’Toole, Alice Napoleon and Bill Ritchotte, the eventual unofficial “mayor” of the Nunziato Field Dog Park—Biscoe started organizing park cleanups. The group wanted to get the word out that dog owners love and need parks—and that they would be willing to take care of them. After 18 months of advocacy, the city’s first dog park opened at Nunziato Field. These advocates weren’t only working on behalf of four-legged residents; they often attended meetings about public gardens or skate parks, promoting the importance of open space for all. In a dense city like Somerville, you might think that different groups that wanted open space for their own uses would have a “piece of the pie” mentality—that they’d work against each other to ensure their own needs were met. “We didn’t see it that way,” Biscoe says, pointing out that the Zero New Washington Off-Leash Recreation Area is on a piece of land that was initially slated for development. “We saw that we could just, you know, bake more pie.”

“When we’re able to tell a good story and we’re able to point out an important issue that nobody else has known, it’s great,” says McLean. ”It’s an amazing feeling. It’s why I do what I do. It makes you feel like you really are contributing to the community.”

MICHÈLE BISCOE

CO-FOUNDER, SOM|DOG AND OPEN SPACE ADVOCATE

When Michèle Biscoe adopted a dog in 2004, she was excited to explore Somerville with her new canine companion—until, that is, she realized that dogs were expressly forbidden in every public park. “Even the Community Path,” Biscoe recalls. It’s hard to imagine now; in 2016, Somerville is a great place to own a dog. But throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, dog owners had a reputation as scofflaws—a reputation that endured in the mid-2000s. Legally, dogs weren’t allowed in parks and playgrounds, which meant someone had to convince the city that those laws should change. Biscoe and other Somerville dog lovers were willing to do the work. With the guidance of the late Alderman Tom Taylor, a dog owner “and everything a community could hope for in an elected representative,” Biscoe says, she co-founded Som|Dog and kicked off a grassroots campaign to make the city more dog-friendly. Working with a host of advocates—School Committee Member Steve Roix and his wife, 40 July | August 2016

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SP ECIAL COM M E MORATIVE 40 TH ED I TI O N

EMILY REICHERT

CEO, GREENTOWN LABS

As one of the Boston Globe’s 2016 Game Changers and with a profile in Forbes last year, Emily Reichert something of a Somerville celebrity. After a career in chemistry research and laboratory work—with an ever-increasing focus on green research—Reichert enrolled at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. In 2013, she joined up with Greentown Labs, an incubator for green technology startups that offered the right combination of business and environmentally-minded science. She currently serves as Greentown’s CEO. Reichert’s first decision was to move the company from South Boston to Somerville. Through a “fortuitous” connection, she was able to work collaboratively with Mayor Curtatone’s administration to bring Greentown to the city. “I think [the mayor] could see the potential of this organization, and he wanted it to be part of the landscape in Somerville,” she says now. The city assisted in helping Greentown make the move, and the business has been here ever since. While Reichert doesn’t live in Somerville—“I have Somerville envy!”— she says the city was the perfect spot for the green-tech incubator. “Somerville is a place where entrepreneurs are and where entrepreneurs want to be,” she says. The city’s enthusiasm has been a significant component of her organization’s success. In fact, with additional support from the city and the state, Greentown is planning to expand its facilities here, having recently made an agreement with the owner of the Maaco building at 444 Somerville Ave. The expanded space will offer significantly more room for events and will triple the number of entrepreneurs Greentown can house while enabling the company to expand globally and attract clean technology startups from around the world. MICHÈLE BISCOE PHOTO BY JESS BENJAMIN

Though she’s left her hands-on lab research behind, Reichert is as committed to scientific development as ever. “I think I’ve found something that is more powerful to me than being an individual contributor,” she muses. “If I can contribute to making all 50 of these companies more successful than they would have been otherwise, I feel like that’s a pretty significant impact.”

JOE LYNCH

CO-HOST, GREATER SOMERVILLE, CO-ANCHOR, SOMERVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS AND CO-FOUNDER, MAGOUN SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

“I love when the community gets involved in what’s happening locally,” says Joe Lynch. “Your government starts locally, and I love covering hyperlocal politics.” Regional government has always interested Lynch, who grew up here in the city talking Somerville politics with his family at the dining room table. Today, he puts that interest into practice with two SCATV programs: Greater Somerville, which he created in 2009, and Somerville Neighborhood News, for which he became a co-anchor last year. But while you may recognize him from those SCATV productions, it’s Lynch’s slightly more behind-the-scenes work as a Magoun Square neighborhood leader that really showcases his keen interest in local affairs. As recently as the early 2000s, he recalls the square being a very different place than it is today—rundown buildings, empty storefronts, a few scattered bars. Noting that the city can only do so much, he and his neighbors drafted their own plans to redevelop the neighborhood and make it more attractive to businesses. “We were ready, with a shovel-ready project, and that’s how the Magoun Square revitalization got into the front of the queue for all of that federal money,” Lynch explains. It was somewhat serendipitous, he admits—but they made their own luck. Lynch says he still gets a few emails a week from concerned Magoun neighbors. But today, he credits the area’s continued growth to its business owners—people like On the Hill Tavern owner Robert Antonelli and Gregory Coughlin of Olde Magoun’s Saloon who have actually invested in the square and are guiding its future. It was Daddy Jones Bar’s Dimitra Tsourianis who rallied the region together for the first-ever Magoun Square Food and Dance Festival in May. “You get four or five people together, and before you know it, you’ve got a movement,” Lynch says. “I’m glad to see it’s happening. I think Magoun Square is going nowhere but up.”

PAT JEHLEN

MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATOR, 2ND MIDDLESEX DISTRICT

Senator Pat Jehlen has served the city of Somerville for four decades. In her current role as Somerville’s State Senator, Jehlen fights for progressive values on issues ranging from elder affairs to criminal justice reform and public education, including ending high-stakes testing. The Green Line Extension “takes up enormous amounts of time, and energy, and anger, and frustration,” but she works to keep Somerville’s priorities front-of-mind on that project, advocating for job opportunities and training for Somerville workers on the GLX. Jehlen, who also represents Medford and parts of Cambridge, originally became involved in Somerville politics as an educator during the city’s reform movement in the 1970s. She decided to run for school committee, a position she held for 16 years, advocating for state funding and parental involvement. Jehlen then served as state representative from 1991 to 2005, during which time she led efforts on behalf of

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It Takes a ‘Ville-age

disabled residents and senior citizens, education reform and the legalization of gay marriage. After voting in favor of marriage equality in both the house and the senate, due to timing of the votes in relation to her senate swearing-in, “I got to officiate at three weddings, including some of my dearest friends who had been together for decades,” Jehlen recalls. Her powerful role in Massachusetts politics has rippled through the country—because then-Governor Bill Weld supported her medical marijuana bill, he was later denied an appointment as U.S. ambassador to Mexico. This year, Jehlen is running for reelection against Cambridge City Councilor Leland Chung. Though she’s more focused on serving her constituents than election-year politics, Jehlen did endorse Bernie Sanders in the Massachusetts primary and today reflects that “inequality is the biggest issue this country faces—inequality of money and power—and I think that’s where my focus has been.” And lest you forget: Jehlen founded the OPENAIR Circus, which her son currently oversees, and still teaches stiling at every opportunity.

BATTINELLI 18 EVELYN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOMERVILLE MUSEUM When lifelong Somerville resident Evelyn Battinelli’s daughter went off to kindergarten in 1973, Battinelli and another friend were determined to reconnect with the local community. Together, they began attending Somerville Historical Society lectures organized by their former teacher Isabel Cheney. Battinelli has been a member of the Somerville Historical Society ever since. Today, she serves as the Somerville Museum’s executive director. The museum is owned and operated by the historical society. Along with exhibition director Michael O’Connor and many dedicated volunteers and board members, Battinelli has put together three decades of programs, events and exhibits. The Somerville Museum has an expansive collection of archives that are showcased in exhibits by local artists and historians. One of Battinelli’s favorite exhibits was Lifting the Veil (1997), about the burning of the Ursuline convent. She also fondly recalls a year-long exhibition on the history of Somerville’s theaters that featured a memorable opening event with searchlights and Hollywood actress Frances Dee. “Each of these exhibitions touch on so much of our history,” Battinelli says. She remains dedicated to the museum’s mission: “To keep alive the history and to bring alive the culture and art seen here in Somerville.” “The museum is our treasure,” Battinelli emphasizes. “No other area locally has such a magnificent little building.”

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STEPHANIE HIRSCH

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND ADVOCATE, SOMERVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS (AND MORE!)

Over the past 12 years, Stephanie Hirsch has worked for both the municipal and the school divisions of city government, where she’s helped to make data a centerpiece for strategy in Somerville. On the municipal side, her work in the mayor’s office, including the launching of SomerStat—Mayor Curtatone’s tool for managing departments and initiatives using data—has made a difference in the lives of residents and in government transparency. When it comes to her educational work, she relies on data to ensure students have what they need to succeed, whether that’s extra enrichments or family services. “You do see how it’s a whole system that has to work together to make sure children, families and individuals in Somerville have what they need to be happy, healthy, successful and able to contribute to the community,” says Hirsch. In addition to her work in the mayor’s office and for the schools,

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Hirsch has been an advocate for families in Somerville. She volunteers her time organizing community groups such as Happy Hour, a social network for new moms, and she has coordinated affordable programs and camps for kids. Hirsch, who has lived and worked in Somerville since 2004, believes we have a unique culture that can be a model of socioeconomic diversity for the country. But the relationship between this culture and the schools’ continued successes—which bring resources to the city for program investment—makes this a crucial time in history for the city. “We can’t freeze time right now,” she says. “We know families are being priced out of the city and we will lose that economic diversity.” Her goal is to continue expanding resources while finding ways to stabilize households and preserve the diversity within Somerville. “How do we continue to be this very special place and hopefully provide an example for how you can preserve a strong middle class and strong working class and integration across socioeconomic backgrounds?” she asks. “That’s the question we work to answer.”

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KEN KELLY

R ESTAURATEUR, THE INDEPENDENT, BRASS UNION, FOUNDRY ON ELM, SALOON, RIVER BAR

“I like to say that when I opened the Independent, I did the wrong thing in the wrong place at the wrong time, and did a bad job of doing it,” Ken Kelly joked when we spoke with him for the “Fierce Over 40” feature in our July/August 2015 edition. “It was a very bad move for a long time. It went from bad to worse for a while.” Kelly passed away in December at age 44 after a long battle with cancer, but his willingness to take that risk with the Independent, and later, with Brass Union (formerly Precinct), Foundry on Elm, Saloon and River Bar, forever changed the dining scene in Somerville—and the fabric of the community as a whole. “Building the Independent really set the whole tone for the neighborhood … Ken came in and made a dramatic change to the building and made a significant investment when nobody else would,” former Union Square Main Streets Executive Director Mimi Graney told the Somerville Journal last year. “He had a sense of faith in the neighborhood before anybody else.” His contributions weren’t limited to Union Square; Foundry on Elm was the first eatery to bring high-end dining to Davis, setting the tone for the neighborhood and paving the way for the restaurants that have opened there in the years since. The beloved restaurateur also had a sense of faith in a certain hyperlocal magazine; when Scout publisher Holli Banks was struggling to find funding to print the magazine’s first issue in 2009, Kelly generously purchased back cover ad space at the last minute, ensuring that the inaugural edition went to press. Scout would likely not exist today without him. Kelly volunteered with Union Square Main Streets, the Somerville Little League and Groundwork Somerville. He also served on the board of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce, from which he received a lifetime achievement award in 2014, as the chairperson of the Union Square Business Group. He contributed his time and financial resources to scores of nonprofits throughout the region. But when we spoke last year, he was quick to defer the credit for Somerville’s revitalization to people in the community who made his achievements possible—the other members of the Chamber of Commerce and the local Main Streets organizations, especially. “Now, we’ve gotten to the stage where a business comes [to Somerville], and they do well right out of the gate,” he said, adding that while he had briefly looked for restaurant space in Cambridge and Newton, it was Somerville where he saw long-term potential. “And that’s a great thing to see.”

EVELYN BATTINELLI PHOTO BY JESS BENJAMIN KEN KELLY PHOTO BY TODD DANFORTH

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STEED 21 ANTWAN PROGRAM DIRECTOR, SHORTSTOP “What we know about young people is that they’re at an age of transition, and we can hear their story,” says Antwan Steed. Steed is the Program Director at Shortstop, a transitional living program for homeless young adults ages 18 to 22. He’s been with the organization for more than 10 years and believes that Shortstop’s success comes from its nurturing environment—one that focuses on goals and aspirations unique to each individual. Most homeless young adults don’t have family members supporting them, so Steed makes sure that Shortstop is a place where they can find positive reinforcement. “We pride ourselves in welcoming all identities,” says Steed, recalling one young gay male who came to Shortstop after his father kicked him out of his home because of his sexual orientation. “It was a blessing to witness this young person blossom from where he thought he did something wrong and he was abandoned by his family, to him graduating and feeling like he can be a part of his community.” Steed applies a strength-based approach to the support Shortstop provides, meaning that he recognizes that most homeless young adults have been silenced and wants to empower them to find their voice. “We allow a young person to be who they want to be, or we simply coach them on how to be better at what they do,” he says. After an individual assessment, along with resume and cover letter guidance, Shortstop helps young people discover their interests and recognize their potential so they can follow a career or education path that’s the best fit for them. According to Steed, Shortstop doesn’t only provide a platform so that homeless young people can have options; the program tries to remove any limitations. “I always say, you can go higher and further, but you have to believe and put the hard work into it.” 44 July | August 2016

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SP ECIAL COM M E MORATIVE 40 TH ED I TI O N

CLOUD 22 KATE RESPOND, RESIST AND THE SOMERVILLE COUNCIL FOR CHILDREN JACK HAMILTON

XECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY OF E SOMERVILLE When Jack Hamilton passed away earlier this year, the line to attend his wake in Union Square stretched out the door and around the block—despite a cold, steady rain—for hours. “A number of people came up to me and told me how he had helped them,” recalls his wife, Kate Cloud. “People who I didn’t know, who I had never met.” During his 25 years as the executive director of the Community Action Agency of Somerville, Hamilton was committed to helping the city’s vulnerable populations: the poor, the young, those with mental health issues. “Jack loved people,” Cloud explains. “And he had the Irish gift of gab.” He spoke several languages—Portuguese, Spanish, some Creole. In 2008, he told the Boston Globe that “to have fun in Somerville, you have to speak at least two languages.” “And he attracted people who were also interested in making change,” Cloud says. “He was able to rally people behind him to work on projects.” Cloud, too, has lived a life of activism here in Somerville. She worked with the Somerville Council for Children throughout the ‘80s, setting up task forces, conducting needs assessments and working with teachers, educators and parents on issues affecting city youth. “In those days, we had a very vibrant community of activists,” Cloud says. “And there was funding for activists.” In the ‘90s, she came on board as the director of RESPOND, the first domestic violence prevention agency in New England. She also served on the board of Resist and was involved in the anti-war and anti-nuclear movement. In fact, she

literally wrote the book on parenting during times of war: Watermelons Not War!: A Support Book for Parenting in the Nuclear Age, which came out in 1994. But while activism was important to both Cloud and Hamilton, they rarely brought it home with them. “We didn’t really talk about work that much outside of work,” Cloud says. “Home was a place to rest and be comfortable. We could be quiet together.”

CINDY HICKEY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOMERVILLE COUNCIL ON AGING

Somerville’s annual senior picnic. Trips to Tanglewood, a dude ranch and Florida. Outdoor yoga, home fitness and nutrition advising. Cindy Hickey can speak to all of these varied events and programs, because she’s the one running them for the senior community in Somerville. “It’s a very small group,” she says of the department she oversees, “but we get a whole lot of stuff done.” Hickey says she’s held almost every position at the Council on Aging over the past 22 years. The office has a mission of ensuring that seniors can stay in their homes and engaging them as active members of the community. The Council on Aging works to coordinate intergenerational programming, home visits, friendly calling and some medical escorting, as well as outings and events. According to the 2010 census, Somerville has nearly 7,000 seniors. Hickey works tirelessly to find ways to engage each member of this important community. It’s clear, after speaking with Hickey for even a few minutes, how passionate she is about her work. “You know, it’s that smile on their face when you help somebody,” she reflects. “It’s really completing that circle for them socially, physically, educationally. It’s being of service to them.” This year, Somerville’s 37th annual senior picnic will be held on August 3rd. Hickey is also the executive director of Toys for Local Children, a charity that provides toys to families in need around the holidays and to fire victims all year round. More information can be found at www.toysforlocalchildren.org.

ANDREA SHAPIRO

FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SECOND CHANCES

For the past 10 years, Second Chances has provided free clothing to homeless and low-income people in Somerville and Cambridge. “They’re folks who are doing all kinds of things once they get clothing,” explains founder and CEO Andrea Shapiro. “So we provide the full range of clothing that folks might need, from something to wear to church to something to wear on a job interview.” Shapiro first discovered the need for this service through her work as a management consultant with nonprofits in the community. She noticed these organizations were receiving an overwhelming amount of requests from the public to take in clothing and other donations. They accepted the donations, hoping there would be a match, but didn’t really have the storage space or the staff to handle the sheer weight. Donations piled up, to the point that one organization had to turn its conference room into a storage room. Shapiro started to think about her own resources and how she could help get these donations to the people who needed them. “Housing and homelessness and equity in the community have always been things I care a lot about, and I’ve worked most of my career on those issues,” says Shapiro. She believes that Second Chances is most successful when the ANTWAN STEED PHOTO BY JESS BENJAMIN ANDREA SHAPIRO PHOTO BY ELLEN ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHY

people receiving the donations go on to be donors themselves. She recalls a client from about eight or nine years ago—a mother with a twoyear-old son who had just left a domestic violence situation and was living at a local shelter. Second Chances brought them clothes several times during their first year in the shelter, and the mother would send them photos of her son. About a year ago, Shapiro received an email from that same woman. This time, she was contacting Second Chances because she wanted to donate a stroller. Shapiro followed up and discovered that the woman had finished her bachelor’s degree and now has a great job that she loves. She’s living in market-rate housing in Somerville. Her son skipped a grade and is a year ahead at his school. “Her life is stable; she’s happy, and, best of all, giving back,” beams Shapiro. “Which is a big part of completing the circle—being able to be in the position to give back.”

DENISE PROVOST

MASSACHUSETTS STATE REPRESENTATIVE, 27TH MIDDLESEX DISTRICT

State Representative Denise Provost has lived in Somerville since 1982. And when we observe that she must have witnessed some significant changes in the city over that time, she responds, “Well, I made some changes.” She’s absolutely right. During her time as a state representative, a seat she’s held for a decade and for which she’s seeking re-election in 2016, Provost has worked on energy and environmental policy issues, zoning laws and the Green Line Extension. “That’s been a long struggle,” she acknowledges. As an alderman from 2000-2005, Provost led the city through the Assembly Square redevelopment process and capital projects with a focus on good governance. Provost attended law school at Boston University before accepting a position working for the city of Somerville. She says that when she came here in the early ‘80s, Somerville was known for political corruption and not much else. But under then-Mayor Eugene Brune’s leadership, and with the hard work of residents like Provost, Somerville got back on track. Provost met her husband working for the city in what sounds like a meet-cute straight out of Parks & Recreation—he worked in the auditor’s office, she in the legal office—and they’ve raised their family here. Today, Provost continues to fight for the people of Somerville on issues ranging from women’s health to clean air to transgender rights. “Somerville always has lots going on,” she says.

COURTNEY O’KEEFE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOMERVILLE LOCAL FIRST

“My life was Somerville’s local businesses,” says the Somerville born-and-raised Courtney O’Keefe of her childhood. “I can talk about walking up the street and buying my brother’s birthday cake at Cara Donna’s bakery … I can tell you about going to Frenchies every Saturday for breakfast, going to Gino’s shop on Broadway after church on Sunday. That’s what I grew up with.” There is, perhaps, no better person to speak for Somerville’s small businesses today, which is why O’Keefe’s role as executive director of Somerville Local First makes so much sense. She’s a frequent patron of the area’s shops, bars and restaurants—not because she has to be, but because she genuinely enjoys connecting with local business owners. Her parents met in the space that’s now Daddy Jones Bar—they ran a scoutsomerville.com July | August 2016

Community

It Takes a ‘Ville-age

business together next door. “The needs of businesses are evolving here in Somerville,” O’Keefe explains. “When Joe Grafton started Somerville Local First eight years ago, it was really about bringing the business community together. It was about showcasing Somerville as a business destination.” Today, Somerville is a destination, which means she’s addressing new concerns that are specific to business owners in the area. “They want to be here. It’s getting more and more expensive to be here,” O’Keefe says. She’s working with shops and restaurants to foster creative collaborations and points to pop-up markets at eateries like 7ate9 and Slumbrew as one of the ways the business community is rallying together to support one another. While her Somerville roots run deep, O’Keefe isn’t averse to new residents who have been attracted to the city by its thriving food and cultural scene. “You want to live in Somerville?” she asks. “Great, we already have something in common.” Though she does wish—as do we all—that you’d register to vote here.

ED HALLORAN

PRESIDENT, SOMERVILLE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

“Our workers are superb. Not a knock on any other city or town, but you won’t get what you get in Somerville.” Ed Halloran sees his job as more than just union president for the 220 members of the Somerville Municipal Employees Association (SMEA); he says he has a responsibility to the city. Halloran credits his love for the community and his passion for labor law to growing up in tight-knit Somerville neighborhoods— and to coming from a long line of union workers. “We were always protective of the name of Somerville,” recalls Halloran. “We were street educated, and we learned how to respect the city. I love the old Somerville, but I also love the new one.” By negotiating for higher wages, better hours and improved working conditions, Halloran defends the rights of workers ranging from librarians to Department of Public Works employees to school nurses. But his efforts don’t end at the union contracts. “We want what’s best for the city, and affordable housing is currently a number-one priority,” he explains. “I’m thrilled to see they actually raised the cap on that to 20 percent.” Because Halloran believes that an important part of his job is reaching out to the city, SMEA offers scholarships to high school students and is active in local charities and fundraisers. Halloran makes an effort to meet with community organizations like the Somerville Homeless Coalition and Somerville Overcoming Addiction and to connect with people from all wards. “I don’t just sit behind a desk,” he laughs. “I really do enjoy it, Halloran adds. “We’re only a small labor association, but I always knew this is where I was meant to be. Our workers are so important to the city, and I didn’t want to lose that.”

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BRAD RAWSON

DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE, CITY OF SOMERVILLE

There isn’t much that Brad Rawson isn’t doing. In addition to raising his 8-month-old son with his wife in Teele Square, he’s the city’s director of transportation and infrastructure and the mayor’s point person on the Green Line and Community Path Extensions. He’s the head of a five-person team that deals with issues like bicycle and pedestrian planning, parks, public space work and forestry issues. And he’s quite literally mapped out Somerville’s future thanks to his extensive work with SomerVision, the city’s comprehensive longterm plan. “It is grueling work, and we make a lot of sacrifices, says Rawson, “But it’s also very rewarding and special to help shape the community that I live in.” Rawson got his start in Burlington, Vermont, but moved to Somerville and began working in city hall in 2007 after realizing he wanted to practice as a city planner in a larger, more diverse environment. For Rawson, the main attraction to the profession comes from a basic curiosity about why things happen where they happen. “Every time I’m walking down the street, or I’m on my bicycle or riding the

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bus or driving around, I’m just fascinated by what I see. You notice different things at different times of day.” Rawson believes that everything we love or hate about our community is rooted in public policy. To him, the city is shaped by those decisions. “As planners, we are ambassadors to the public, and we try to make sure that people understand that they have an opportunity to face the future of their communities,” he explains. “Because if we stick our heads in the sand ... if we don’t make proactive choices, then the communities will change. And often, they’ll change for worse and not for better.”

KELLEY LANE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SIBLING CONNECTIONS

“Imagine losing your caregivers and then your siblings,” says Kelley Lane, who started working with Sibling Connections in 2009. “A lot of times, the kids in our program depend upon each other. Big brothers and sisters parentify; they care for these siblings, they change their diapers—and then they get separated.” In foster care, siblings are often separated due to the lack of available homes. But with Sibling Connections, Lane has been fighting to keep them together. Brothers and sisters participate in the program for up to six years, during which time they’re picked up once a month for sibling days that involve activities like rock climbing and roller skating. Sibling Connections also offers week-long overnight camping trips where kids spend their days reconnecting and sharing new experiences, all of which are photographed and documented in scrapbooks that participants take home with them. This is a personal cause for Lane, who was herself separated from her siblings in the foster care system. “That’s what drives me to do the work,” she explains. “Had my siblings and I had the program, I think we would have a better relationship than we do now.” Lane lived in seven foster homes throughout her youth, and at just 20 years old, she knew she wanted to begin fostering herself. She and her partner, Jeff, have welcomed more than 40 kids into their Somerville home over last 12 years, and they’re in the process of adopting their fifth child. It’s selfless work, and it isn’t always easy, but people have taken note of Lane’s efforts. In December, her work with youth earned her a profile in Good Housekeeping. “A sibling relationship is the longest relationship you’re going to have in your life,” Lane says. “If you lose your caregivers, you still need that sense of who you are and where you came from. I think that siblings do provide that for one another.”

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WENZDAY JANE

FOUNDER, METRO PEDAL POWER

Building something with your own hands is a powerful experience. No one knows this better than Metro Pedal Power founder Wenzday Jane. As a child, she was always eager to learn how things worked. This curiosity drew her first to art school, then to a metal fabrication shop in downtown Boston. Eventually, she started building bicycles on the side. Metro Pedal Power was born in the summer of 2007. Jane wanted to create a business from the ground up and saw an opportunity for a company that provided distribution-by-bike for goods on a local scale. Today, Union Squarebased Metro Pedal Power’s 10 employees provide home distribution for farm CSA programs, act as a conduit between small farmers and local restaurants and perform recycling pickup for the city of Cambridge. Jane views the accessibility and affordability of bicycles, not to mention their environmental benefits, as a key component of her business model and her personal worldview. “To me, bikes are about autonomy, freedom, selfreliance,” Jane says. “When I started riding a bike as my primary mode of transportation, with every pedal stroke I was awakening the knowledge that

SP ECIAL COM M E MORATIVE 40 TH ED I TI O N

KELLEY LANE PHOTO BY JESS BENJAMIN

it was my own power that was going to get me where I needed to go.” Let’s put it this way: “I definitely wouldn’t be running a distribution company with trucks,” she laughs.

SKUNK

FOUNDER, SCUL

“It feels like the city changes whenever we ride through it. You can ride your regular bike through Somerville, but then if you ride your disco sparkly bike and groove through the streets, it’s totally different. It really has a huge impact on the the world when you change yourself.” Skunk is the founder of SCUL, a bicycle gang that has been building and riding experimental bikes since 1996. SCUL used to be an acronym for Subversive Choppers Urban Legion, but they outgrew the acronym as SCUL evolved from hard to hip. “After a while, we didn’t really care about sounding tough,” Skunk recalls. “Instead of playing rock music, we started playing funk and disco and groove ... We just kind of lightened up a lot.” SCUL has built an imaginative science fiction culture; everything the gang does or builds has a sci-fi twist. Its members are called pilots, bikes are deemed spaceships and they ride on missions through star systems (cities), occasionally crossing galaxies (state borders). This relationship between bicycles and science fiction started at an early age for Skunk. He was 7 years old when Star Wars came out, which happened to be right around the time that he started riding his bike. He would pretend the wind in his ears was rocket ship thrusters. “When you first start riding you have that sense of freedom and exploration,” says Skunk. “And sci-fi brings out that same sense of adventure, for me.” SCUL’s motto is “be a superhero version of yourself,” and Skunk believes that many of the gang’s pilots live up to this. He’s watched people develop as individuals, taking on challenges and having a lot of fun along the way. “It’s really for us,” he says. “We wind up having a really good time, and it feels really contagious wherever we go.”

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THALIA TRINGO

REAL ESTATE AGENT AND NONPROFIT ADVOCATE

“If you’re making money by helping people buy homes, you have to think about the people who don’t even have a home,” real estate agent Thalia Tringo says simply. That’s why she serves on the board of the Somerville Homeless Coalition—which honored her with a Davis Area Residents and Business Initiative award in 2012—and works with Community Cooks and a number of other local nonprofits. “I live in the community, and I feel like if you’re making money in the community, it’s kind of your responsibility to put money back into it.” Each time one of Tringo’s agents makes a real estate transaction, $250 from the sale goes to local advocacy organizations like the Charles River Conservancy, the Steppingstone Foundation and Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services. “Real estate, in particular, is working with a lot of people who are lucky. They’re able to, and they have the resources to, buy homes,” she says. “Especially in the area that we live in, that’s a luxury.” While Tringo is a huge believer in philanthropy, the idea behind this donation model goes beyond the financial. She asks her clients to choose the local nonprofit where they’d like the money to go, in the hopes that when they move to the area they’ll become engaged with one (or more) of those organizations as a volunteer or donor. Nonprofit work is as important to Tringo as it is to her agents, three of whom work with Community Cooks themselves. It’s a commitment they take very seriously. Tringo recalls how one of her agents, Adaria Brooks, recently came into the office looking exhausted. Her Community Cooks scoutsomerville.com July | August 2016

Community

It Takes a ‘Ville-age

or improving schools, Echevarria wants developers to understand that they are signing up for a partnership not only with the city, but also with the diverse voices of the community.

RACHEL STRUTT, 34 HEATHER BALCHUNAS, NINA EICHNER AND GREGORY JENKINS

SOMERVILLE ARTS COUNCIL STAFF

33 recipe assignment was fried chicken, and when she didn’t think her first two batches were good enough, she stayed up until 3 a.m. to make a third. “I thought, ‘I really hired a good person here,’” Tringo says. “I’m so lucky to have a bunch of people who share that philosophy.”

BEN ECHEVARRIA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE WELCOME PROJECT

When it comes to empowering immigrant youth, adults and families in Somerville, Welcome Project executive director Ben Echevarria sees opportunities through community. “By strengthening our immigrant residents, we strengthen the city,” he explains. The Welcome Project is a community-based organization that advocates for immigrant rights and offers programs for immigrant and lower-income families throughout Somerville. “We work with bicultural students to help them realize that knowing a second language is a great asset,” says Echevarria. “We teach them how to interpret. And we work with their parents to help them be involved.” To Echevarria, these are valuable resources that aren’t available in a lot of communities. He’s proud of a new program called English for Parents, which is dedicated to helping moms and dads stay engaged in their child’s education. The class gives non-English speaking adults tools to navigate the system, such as the ability to ask the right questions at parent-teacher meetings. Echevarria has been on The Welcome Project’s board for the past nine years, having served as board president for most of that time. He recently accepted the position as executive director after the previous executive director, Warren Goldstein-Gelb, suffered a stroke. Community Benefits Agreements are especially important to Echevarria, and The Welcome Project holds developers accountable to the needs of working class and immigrant communities. “Developers want to come in. Great—we welcome you!” says Echevarria. “But you’re coming here because you understand how lucrative the market is. And the reason why it’s lucrative is because of all the people who put in the hard work.” Whether it’s green spaces, improving community policing 50 July | August 2016

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For the staff of the Somerville Arts Council, encouraging and promoting the arts doesn’t just mean working with gallery spaces and museums. That’s a part of the job, of course, but what really interests this group is the way that art intersects with culture at large. “It’s really exciting to me to bring a lot of different communities together,” says special events manager Nina Eichner, who grew up in Somerville and joined the arts council staff just over a year ago. “Even though there are so many communities living in Somerville, they don’t always overlap directly.” Eichner is the first full-time staffer to take on this events-focused role. She, Executive Director Gregory Jenkins, Cultural Director Rachel Strutt, Office Manager Heather Balchunas and a whole host of volunteers are responsible for much-loved annual events like Porchfest and Artbeat, as well as recurring happenings like SomerStreets. And they’re looking to expand their live programming, connecting with new people and neighborhoods by helping locals bring offbeat ideas to life. (See: last year’s Pity Party and this year’s Tiny Tall Ships Festival.) Their reach is broad and getting broader, with new yearly happenings like Haiti in the ‘Ville and last year’s first-ever Evolution of Hip Hop Festival. This small but mighty team wants to connect the city at the intersection of arts, athletics, food, music and fun. At last year’s SomerStreets festival on Highland Avenue, for example, Eichner recalls watching skateboarders from Maximum Hesh roll their boards through paint to create murals. They’re open to new perspectives; they want to try new things. They see the potential in a new, unexpected or unusual idea—and they’re willing to build off of their small successes. “From the international market tours [in Union Square], we did the Nibble blog,” Heather Balchunas explains. “From the Nibble blog, we did the cookbook, and from the cookbook we did classes, and from the classes we did pop-ups and from the pop-ups we also did the Culinary Entrepreneurship Program.” “Sometimes, it’s just these seeds,” she adds. “And they grow into other things.”

MIMI GRANEY & MARYCAT CHAIKIN RELISH MANAGEMENT

If you visit the Union Square Farmers Market this summer, or if you stopped by the winter market at the Armory in the colder months, you’ve been a direct beneficiary of the collaborative, community-minded work of Relish Management founders MaryCat Chaikin and Mimi Graney.

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O-PRESIDENTS, FRIENDS OF THE C COMMUNITY PATH

“When we first said, ‘Well, what about the Community Path? This should be built along with the Green Line [Extension],’ the first response from the state was, ‘Nope,’” Alan Moore recalls. Moore and Lynn Weissman are spearheading the efforts to extend the Community Path along the future GLX by linking the Minuteman Bikeway and Charles River Path networks. “If the Community Path isn’t built now, especially that section, it probably won’t be built within our lifetime. We could be losing a great opportunity,” says Weissman, a self-proclaimed “extreme commuter-cyclist and bicyclepedestrian advocate” who has been volunteering with the Friends of the Community Path since her partner Joel Bennet first came up with the idea for the group in 2001. “We’re not talking about just a little side path. It’s primary access to the Green Line, and this is the best, most efficient use of the transportation corridor.” Extending the Community Path would link 11 Boston metro cities and towns, create safe and ADA-compliant routes to schools and work spaces and spark an estimated 3 million trips along its length per year, according to Weissman. But despite these advantages, Weissman and Moore have met significant roadblocks recently from the Green Line Extension Project. In April, the Green Line team proposed a plan that Weissman says will remove the Community Path from the project altogether. Weissman and Moore don’t want to see that happen. They’re using Moore’s experience as an environmental and civil engineer—along with the hard work of other group members—for the Friends of the Community Path’s alternate design, which they’ve proposed to the GLX. “There are plenty of ways the Green Line Project could save money and get the path done, as opposed to slicing and dicing the path,” says Weissman. “Our plan hasn’t gotten to yes on the state yet, but this is a crucial time and we’re going to keep pushing.”

MARY CASSESSO

RESIDENT, CHA FOUNDATION AND CHIEF COMMUNITY P OFFICER, CAMBRIDGE HEALTH ALLIANCE

Mary Cassesso has held a range of jobs throughout her impressive career, but they share common threads: healthcare, affordable housing and education, all work done in the public interest. As a child in Somerville, Cassesso saw her grandmother and mother BEN ECHEVARRIA PHOTO BY JESS BENJAMIN ALAN MOORE PHOTO BY EMILY CASSEL

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After a trial pop-up the previous year, the duo officially founded Relish in 2014. Their business provides project management services for creative and food-based happenings, like farmers markets, shared work spaces and public art projects. Graney and Chaikin’s specific focus is on hosting public events in public places with high accessibility for local communities. They want to create events that celebrate neighborhoods and engage people in underused spaces with a focus on art and food—two of our favorite things. Both Chaikin and Graney are longtime Somerville residents and have deep experience with community events here. Chaikin’s background is in restaurants and markets, while Graney founded Union Square Main Streets in 2005. Now, they take on projects throughout the Greater Boston area together, including the Watertown Farmers Market and the state’s Gateway Cities initiative. But they’re not applying their Somerville model indiscriminately. “We’re not trying to change the flavor of the neighborhoods,” they say. Instead, “We want to appreciate what’s unique there.”

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Community

It Takes a ‘Ville-age

38 as active members of the community who spoke up on issues that were important to them, like rent control and I-93. In Somerville, Cassesso says, there has always been “a community of people that are very active and want to make sure we have good government and good policies.” It’s clear that she’s carried that sense of public engagement with her. Early in her career, Cassesso worked for the city’s Council on Aging and Health and the Human Services Department. She went on to work for Governor Dukakis in his office for affordable housing. That has remained a critical issue for Cassesso, who now serves on Somerville’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. “I think we’re at a challenging point,” Cassesso says, as “Somerville is now unaffordable for so many.” Her current position at Cambridge Health Alliance comes after a long history of working in public health. As a co-op undergraduate student at Northeastern University—she was the first in her family to attend college—Cassesso worked for the East Somerville Health Center on lead paint poisoning. Later in her career, she took a position at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. During that time, she was on the board of the Cambridge Health Alliance, where she herself was— and still is—a patient. But most powerful of all is Cassesso’s commitment to the public good. “Somerville has been so good to me,” she smiles, “and I hope I’ve been good for Somerville.”

CURTATONE 38 JOSEPH MAYOR, 2004-PRESENT Every day, Mayor Curtatone is working to fight crime, end drug abuse and improve overall livability in the city by looking at the little things—

July | August 2016 scoutsomerville.com

SP ECIAL COM M E MORATIVE 40 TH ED I TI O N

graffiti, potholes, complaints about rats. He and his staff are using “predictive analytics” to determine where the problems are and how to best address them, monitoring 311 outputs to determine how to best address public safety and quality of life in Somerville. “You have to manage the city in real time, and you have to build the services in real time, so you have to look at the data in real time,” Curtatone explains. “We’ve built up an analytical capacity in the city—which is one of the innovations that Somerville is lauded for worldwide—to understand how we use our resources better and how we reallocate, not just money, but human capital.” Curtatone, who first introduced the city’s revolutionary 311 program, initially wanted to be a pilot. But he ran for alderman in 1995 because he thought, among other things, that the city had no foresight, no idea of where it wanted to be. Somerville’s mayor since 2004, he’s actualizing his vision for the city by collecting data, which is important—crucial, in fact—to actively building its future. But while Curtatone is using statistics to answer big-picture questions like, “Are [residents] going to choose to send their kids to public school?” and “Do they have an authentic choice to buy a home?” he’s also concerned with the city’s well-being on a personal level. It’s why Somerville was the first municipality in the nation to measure people’s overall satisfaction and happiness, why Curtatone previously held a series of “backyard chats” to get to know his constituents. “We should be opening the city up as a test lab for ideas that generate innovation and originality in the neighborhood,” Curtatone explains. “It’s about social progress—what is our role as leaders? Are we managers or leaders? If you need managers, you can hire accountants.” “We can be the most progressive community in the United States,” he says, “and I believe we are.”

EUGENE BRUNE MAYOR EMERITUS

Mayor Emeritus Eugene Brune is bursting at the seams with stories about Somerville politics. “We can talk as long as you want,” he responds when we promise to keep the conversation brief. Mayor Brune got his start in Somerville politics in 1969. He served on the Board of Health before becoming an alderman in 1972. But he’s best known for his term as the city’s mayor, a position he held from 1980-1989. Brune’s early years as mayor were fraught. Three months into his first term, a Monsanto chemical spill at the trainyard displaced thousands of people and sent more than 400 residents and responders to the hospital. “It was a scene out of television,” Brune says now, still shaken. Not making things any easier was Proposition 2 1/2, which went into effect early into his tenure and meant that Brune had to cut taxes for three years even as outdated city infrastructure demanded upgrades and maintenance. But Brune persevered, confident he would reach a point when he could afford to address some of the city’s pressing issues. “I always said this in politics: If you don’t lie to the people, they will stay with you,” Brune says. They did—he was reelected four times.

During his tenure as mayor, Brune cut the ribbon at the Davis Square Red Line T stop, an expansion he’d worked towards as an alderman. He fought for more restaurants, asking that liquor licenses be prioritized for food establishments over barrooms. Brune started Artbeat and worked to attract artists to the city, and he set up the fair housing commission. He replaced the elected assessors, responsible for the financial well-being of the city, with qualified, appointed assessors. His legacy endures today in Somerville’s thriving arts and food scene and in the city’s ongoing attention to affordable housing and responsible governance. Mayor Brune eventually left office to serve as the register of deeds for Middlesex County Southern District, an elected position which he held for two decades, and from which he retired just a few years ago. Today, Brune remains actively involved in city organizations and politics. He’s a trustee for the Somerville Museum and serves on a number of other boards, and he’s in close contact with local elected officials. Like many residents, he’s concerned about the high cost of living and the price tags of major capital projects; he’s also worried about Somerville’s transformation from a city of family neighborhoods to what could be a destination for transitory tenants. “When it comes time, are those people going to stay and raise their children here?” Brune asks. But he worries because he cares. “I was born in this city, and I love this city,” Brune says. “So, that’s my story.”

ERICA JONES

DIRECTOR, MEMBERSHIP & OUTREACH, SCATV

At SCATV, Erica Jones is the Director of Membership and Outreach, a descriptor that, at other nonprofits, could stop at managing donor databases and sending out email newsletters. But Jones doesn’t treat her position that way. Instead, she spends a great deal of time fostering what she calls “strategic community partnerships.” “I think, at the heart of everything, it’s about building community. Strength in numbers is key,” she explains. “Especially in an ever-evolving and growing city, where there’s a lot of change going on, I think it’s good to have anchored roots and foster those existing partnerships—but also have new blood coming in.” Jones looks at the needs of SCATV and the needs of Somerville as a whole in developing programs like Cinema Somerville, a familyfriendly, outdoor film series that comes to spaces like the Somerville Community Growing Center, and Rough Cut Media Screenings, where local filmmakers can showcase early drafts of their work at the Armory and get feedback. She’s helped kick off music events like the Duck Village Stage series at Aeronaut, where SCATV shoots high-quality live videos of local bands. But she isn’t only a supporter of SCATV’s programming—head to just about any community event in Somerville, and you’re likely to find her there. In this way, Jones is a community connector, a one-woman hub who loves bringing together people who are doing similar or parallel work in the neighborhood so that they can collaborate. “It’s nice to get out there,” she says. “We are the Somerville community media center. We need to get out of Union Square.” That’s why the station collaborates with local businesses and nonprofits, and why, on SCATV’s YouTube page, you’ll find profiles on community institutions—OnStage Dance Comedy, Hub Comics, the Neighborhood Restaurant and Bakery—that were filmed for free and which those business can then use to promote themselves. “We can actually make media that reflects our own interests, our own communities, our own values,” Jones says simply. “Our goal is to do community service, essentially. We have the resources. That’s basically why we exist.” JOSEPH CURTATONE PHOTO BY JESS BENJAMIN ERICA JONES PHOTO BY EMILY CASSEL

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The Blessing of the Bay Boathouse 32 Shore Drive | Somerville scoutsomerville.com July | August 2016

SCOUT OUT

m a e r C Ice FUN-DAY I

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY NICOLE CARPENTER

t’s summer in the ‘Ville, and that means one thing: ice cream. Luckily, the sweet shops in each part of the city—from the newly opened Tipping Cow in Winter Hill to longtime favorites like Louie’s in East Somerville— each have their own signature scoop. No matter which neighborhood you’re in or what it is you’re craving, you’re sure to find it around town.

Tipping Cow

Gracie’s Ice Cream

415 MEDFORD ST. TIPPINGCOWICECREAM.COM TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8 A.M. TO 8 P.M., SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, 11 A.M. TO 8 P.M.

22 UNION SQ. GRACIESICECRE.AM SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, 2:30 P.M. TO 10 P.M., FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, 2:30 P.M. TO 10 P.M.

Anna Gaul and Dang Pham have been slinging nut-free ice cream at farmer’s markets and speciality food shops throughout the area since founding Tipping Cow in 2014, and the company’s first retail location opened this spring in the same stretch of shops that hosts the newly opened Somerville Bread Company. Tipping Cow offers unique flavors like sweet corn and ginger berry—even olive oil. (The earl grey and lemon flavor is a must try, if they have it.) Sundaes come piled high on a brownie or cookie, with sprinkles—rainbow or chocolate—and candy. We recommend adding gummy bears on top, smooshing them deep down into your scoops and enjoying the chewy morsels you’ve created. The shop is certified nut-free and always offers at least one dairy-free, egg-free sorbet; no dietary constraints can keep you from these sweet treats.

Nowhere else in Somerville can you grab a scoop of ice cream on a marshmallow fluffdipped cone but at Gracie’s Ice Cream. And get this—they use miniature torches to toast the marshmallow while you wait. The shop is open year-round and has a rotating selection of playful flavors made with ingredients like cold-brewed coffee, poptarts and fruity pebbles. Box of broken cones arrives? No problem; the Grace’s team will make a short-run, small batch flavor like “broken cones, broken dreams,” which has chocolate covered cones inside. As a tribute to the Union Square invention, Gracie’s sometimes adds fluff to its ice cream, too. The list of ice creams and sorbets changes frequently, but there are consistently 12 flavors available at a time, and the shop always has at least one dairy-free option.

54 July | August 2016

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Louie’s Ice Cream

193 BROADWAY MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, 12 P.M. TO 10 P.M., FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, 12 P.M. TO 11 P.M. Louie’s is a seasonal spot that’s been serving the city for decades. The streetside shop opened its windows for the summer 2016 on May 23. Louie’s has a real traditional feel— like the Friendly’s walk-up window of your youth, but with much, much better ice cream. Louie’s is also the best value of the bunch. A single scoop is four bucks and is considerably larger than any other shop in town. But you won’t want to leave Louie’s without trying the slushes. The ice cream served up here is good—great, even—but the slush is out of this world. There are a variety of fruity flavors to choose from: coconut, mango, watermelon or strawberry. It’s perfect on the days when it’s too hot for anything but a fruity treat. But be warned: The shop usually closes right after Labor Day, so you’ll want to grab a scoop before then.

Frozen Hoagies 864 BROADWAY FROZENHOAGIES.COM OPEN DAILY, NOON TO 9 P.M.

As the name suggests, Frozen Hoagies specializes in ice cream sandwiches. The cookies are baked fresh at the Powderhouse Square shop and filled with ice cream sourced from Chilly Cow in Arlington. The best thing about Frozen Hoagies is that you can mix and match cookies and ice cream—the shop offers a bunch of different options, and the hoagies are made right to order. Cookie options include staples like chocolate chip and fudge brownie along with more inventive flavors like aztec chocolate and nutella-stuffed chocolate chip. Chilly Cow serves up just about every flavor you can imagine, including plenty of vegan options. Sundaes and cookieless creations are also available—but why wouldn’t you want a cookie? You can also find Frozen Hoagies’ massive ice cream sandwiches—seriously, you’ll need a spoon—out of their food truck, which you’ll find cruising around Boston and Somerville.

Forge Ice Cream Bar

626 SOMERVILLE AVE. FORGEBAKINGCO.COM/ICE-CREAM OPEN DAILY, 7 A.M. TO 7 P.M. Tucker Lewis and Jennifer Park (who you can read more about on p. 34) are back at it with another soon-to-be Somerville favorite: an ice cream shop that opened adjacent to Forge Baking Company in late June. Opening Forge Ice Cream Bar is like coming “full circle” for Lewis and Park, as the couple first met while working in an ice cream shop over 20 years ago. The duo are making all of their ice cream in-house, with many of the ingredients—like brownies, cookies and granola—coming straight from the bakery next door. “The shop itself nods to a 1930s soda fountain,” Lewis says, with lots of special touches. Forge Ice Cream Bar serves nine flavors at a time, including at least one dairy-free sorbet. The vintage-inspired cafe is directly next to Forge Baking Company, which opened in late 2014. In fact, the owners removed the wall that initially separated the bakery and ice cream shop, allowing customers to move between the two spaces. All of the sweets, none of the separation. That’s a concept we can get behind.

SR. GIOVANI MAIONE NAPLES 1957

Our Family Tradition

F ROM N A P L E S 1950’S TO S OM E RV I L L E TOD AY Nom i n at ed f or Bes t G o ur m et or Sp ec i a lt y F o od Shop ! 4 1 4 H IG H L A N D AV E N U E , D AV I S S Q UA R E

Forge photo courtesy of Forge Baking Company. scoutsomerville.com July | August 2016

SCOUT THIS!

Congrats, Pepper and Ryan! P

epper the shepherd mix clearly has a nose for news—just look at her grabbing a copy of our May/June issue with a little help from her human, Ryan. Her furry-osity is what made her the winner of our Pet Project photo contest! Ryan and Pepper have been palling around Somerville together for about two-anda-half years, ever since he adopted her from a kill shelter in Arkansas. The pair can often be found running around Somerville or enjoying long, long walks throughout the area. “In fact, as soon as I’m done talking with you, we’re going to take a nice, long afternoon walk,” Ryan says on the mid-June day when we chat. Pepper even loves the snow—she’ll walk for miles regardless of the weather. (Ryan doesn’t have a FitBit, but his girlfriend does: “She’ll tell me later, ‘We took 40,000 steps!’” he laughs). How do they plan to divvy up the $200 in contest winnings? Will the humans use it for a night out at Redbones, or will Pepper get a chance to splurge on dog bones? According to Ryan, they’ll spend it at a place that has treats for dogs and people alike. “Our answer was always going to be: Go to Market Basket,” he says.

Here are a few of our favorite runner-ups:

WINNER!

Pepper gets her paws on a copy of our May/June issue.

July | August 2016 scoutsomerville.com

We encourage our readers to reduce, reuse and recycle— Scout makes for a lovely hat!

Athena is ready to dive into local news—even if she finds the cover a little unsettling.

Lyra reads up on her Second Chance Walking pack-mates, Comet and Bruin.

Beans might look bored, but he’s actually thrilled to see someone sticking up for him and his fellow bully breeds.

Barley the samoyed enjoys story time in the park.

ime for another photo contest! This time around, we’re asking you to shout out your favorite Scout’s Honored-nominated business. Need a haircut at Work Shop Salon? Getting the gang together for dinner at Flatbread? Chatting with Joe at the Highland Kitchen bar? Bring our July/August issue with you to these spots—or any of the hundreds of nominated businesses throughout the city—and snap a photo of the mag in the space. Post it to Instagram (and make sure to tag @scoutmags so we see it!) using the hashtag #scoutshonored2016. You can find a full list of nominees at scoutsomerville.com/vote. Have some fun with it! Get creative! Make bartenders roll their eyes at you! We want to see our readers having fun at the locally owned businesses that make this city great. Not on Instagram? You can also email your photos to scout@ scoutmagazines.com. Entries should be submitted by August 15. Winners must be available for interview.

Win ! $200

The fame of being a cover model is really going to Banjo’s head.

SP ECIAL COM M E MORATIVE 40 TH ED I TI O N

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COMEDY | July 1, 15 and 29

BOOKS | JuLY 14

FAMILY | July 15 and 16

FITNESS | August 28

T: AN MBTA MUSICAL 10 P.M., $25 DAVIS SQUARE THEATRE, 255 ELM ST., SOMERVILLE T: An MBTA Musical is a dramatic production that tells the story of a handful of twenty-somethings whose lives have been “derailed” (heh) by the T’s overall awfulness, making it potentially the most relatable theatrical performance to ever hit the stage. Definitely more relatable than Les Misérables.

FILM | July 14

TRAILER TREATS TIME AND PRICE TBA THE BRATTLE THEATER, 40 BRATTLE ST., CAMBRIDGE Checking out coming attractions is one of the best things about going to the movies, and at the Brattle’s Trailer Treats festival, previews get to take center stage. Each year, the theater brushes off its collection of great (and terrible) historic trailers for an afternoon tour of promotional cinema. And of course, there’s the highlight: Trailer Smackdown, which finds the area’s amateur filmmakers competing to make the silliest, craziest and most creative fictional trailers they can.

ARTS | August 21

FOOD & DRINK | July 12

MUSIC | August 19 and 20

STRIKE UP THE BANDS @ SOMERSTREETS 2 TO 6 P.M., FREE HOLLAND STREET FROM DAVIS SQUARE TO TEELE SQUARE, SOMERVILLE Porchfest comes just once a year, but you have another chance to take over the streets while listening to great tunes thanks to SomerStreets. On August 21, the city will shut down parts of Davis Square to car traffic, encouraging residents to walk, bike and have some fun outside with multiple stages of music and much, much more.

TASTE OF CAMBRIDGE 5:30-8:30 P.M., $50 FOR GA OR $75 FOR VIP UNIVERSITY PARK AT MIT, CAMBRIDGE For the 14th year, foodies far and wide will descend upon Cambridge to sample some of the best food and drink the city has to offer. As always, proceeds help support five local drug and alcohol prevention and treatment nonprofits, so your ticket purchase means you can eat good food while doing good for the community. That’s one delicious win-win situation. BOSTON FUZZSTIVAL 2016 DOORS AT 6 P.M. AUGUST 19 AND 2 P.M. AUGUST 20, $15-$30 MIDDLE EAST DOWNSTAIRS, 472-480 MASS. AVE., CAMBRIDGE Ready to check out some of the best surf, psych and garage rock bands in Boston? The Fuzzstival returns for its fourth year this summer, bringing the community together for a two-day celebration of all things fuzzy, buzzy and loud. The already stacked lineup includes Dent, Mini Dresses and Painted Zeroes, and more bands will be announced as the weekend draws closer.

July | August 2016 scoutsomerville.com

SCOUT’S HONORED: VOTE NOW UNTIL 7/25 AT SCOUTSOMERVILLE.COM/VOTE

CHOOSE YOUR OWN MISERY: THE OFFICE 7 P.M., FREE PORTER SQUARE BOOKS, 25 WHITE ST., CAMBRIDGE Somerville-based author Jilly Gagnon’s new book is a choose-your-own-adventure novel for adults—except that instead of inviting readers to explore the deep sea or visit a magical kingdom, the first Choose Your Own Misery installment asks readers to navigate the HR department, insurance plans and creepy coworkers. Technically, the book lets you pick your path. Unfortunately, “the reader has many, many choices, but few real options.” That sounds… too relatable. Oh, God. Is it 5:00 yet? ARTBEAT 2016 DAVIS SQUARE, SOMERVILLE Live music, dance performances, interactive elements, a craft fair and lots of activities for kids—what’s not to love about ArtBeat? This year’s festival theme is “roots.” Participating artists will explore the things that connect, ground and define us, but also the things that can keep us stationary, limiting our growth. RACE TO THE ROW 9 A.M., $20-40 ASSEMBLY ROW, 301 CANAL ST., SOMERVILLE Join the Somerville Road Runners for this fourth annual race around the Mystic River. There’s a fast mile, a 5K and a children’s fun run—and of course, it wouldn’t be a Race to the Row without a post-run party with food from Ernesto’s Pizza and drinks from Harpoon, Mighty Squirrel and other local breweries. Kids run free!

BURLESQUE | July 17

WITNESS THE WASTELAND: A BURLESQUE TRIBUTE TO THE WORLD OF MAD MAX 8 P.M., $15-$20 OBERON, 2 ARROW ST., CAMBRIDGE Ride eternal, shiny and chrome to OBERON for this one-night burlesque tribute to Mad Max. Just, you know, consider taking the MBTA rather than bringing your War Rig. Those things are impossible to park in Harvard Square.

THEATER | July 8-16

NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY TIMES VARY, $12 ($8 FOR STUDENTS AND SENIORS) LOEB EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE, 64 BRATTLE ST., CAMBRIDGE The first 2016 production from the HarvardRadcliffe Summer Theatre is a black comedy that features “hard boiled detectives, failing actors, disapproving mothers, socialites, obsessions with fame and lots and lots of murder.” If that doesn’t convince you to check it out, what will? 1. Photo by Marissa Carubio 4. Photo courtesy of the Central Square Business Association 5. Flyer by John Magnifico 8. Photo by Thomas Cole

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This is a very rare opportunity to own a single family home with garage on one of the largest lots in Davis Square (9,143 sq.ft.). The Victorian-era house has 4 bedrooms and one and a half baths on two levels. The detached garage sits in the rear of the lot at the end of a long driveway. To the left of the driveway, at the corner of the Morrison Ave. and Grove St., is the very large, open, level yard. Owned by the same family since 1955, this unspoiled home is ready for a new family to make their own updates and memories.

YOU THANK N, AGAI LE, VIL SOMER R FO ATING NOMIN T GIFT ES Coming Soon US B SHOP! 64 Prentiss St. #3, Cambridge ~ $519,000

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Todd Zinn

~Thalia, Todd, Niké, Jennifer, and Lynn

Niké Damaskos

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About our company...

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DAVISSQUARED.COM 60 July | August 2016

scoutsomerville.com

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Dedicated to representing our buyer and seller clients with integrity and professionalism. Committed to giving back to our community.

Visit our office, 128 Willow Avenue, on the bike path in Davis Square, Somerville.

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Shiny things for your nest

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.

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SCOUT YOU

Photos by Jess Benjamin

Joseph Curley of Cambridge and Chrissy Guertin of Waltham take a break in Union Square.

Yi-Chia Lin and Yvonne Gillen work in their garden.

Ben Foley poses with his work, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mountains Beyond Mountains,â&#x20AC;? at the Nave Gallery Annex.

Kevin Long and Kali play at the Zero New Washington dog park.

July | August 2016 scoutsomerville.com

Kyle Machado of Somerville enjoys a meal at Bloc11.

Emily Ramsden of Somerville plays at Seven Hills Park in Davis Square.

MONDAYS:

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