War Memorial Pool wins another battle

First opened in 1955 and beloved by generations of children, the centrally located War Memorial Pool closed two years ago but suddenly came back from the dead with an improbable combination of a seldom used town meeting "motion to reconsider" (the Community Services Budget) by Julia Rueschemeyer which passed 93/72, and then her follow-up motion to amend the budget by adding $65,250 to fund operations this summer.

The Select Board voted 4-1 against the motion to reconsider and the Grinch-like Finance Committee voiced their displeasure. Leisure Services Director Linda Chalfant had nothing positive to say. But recreation czar Stan Ziomek, who spearheaded the construction of the pool 55 years ago, spoke passionately in defense of renovating and reopening the aging facility.

The motion carried 92/75.

Party House repeat offenders

23 Tracy Circle

So even my casual readers will recognize this house and address, 23 Tracy Circle as a recent Party House of the Weekend winner. Yes, the losers who created the Facebook page "Fuck The Fines" are b-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ck. And yes, they were fined $1,800 for Friday's late night party.

According to APD narrative:
"Upon arrival Officers could clearly hear loud TV, noise and voices laughing and shouting from open windows. Several people could be seen through a partially open picture window . There have been 5-6 calls to house #23 for the same complaints with verbal warnings as well as written Town By Law citations. Three residents were placed under arrest for noise violation and nuisance house. 12-15 guests were asked to leave and the house was secured."

Arrested and charge with noise and nuisance house:

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx age 21
Emerson E. Rutkowski, 36 Puritan Park, Swampscott, MA age 20
Michael Upham, 53 Sherwood Road, Swampscott, MA age 21

Property owner: who ya gonna call? Mr Gesualdi owns a few properties in Amherst.

Amherst Sunday Morning

Thanks Mom

Lunch at Judie's: great way to thank Mom

Carol Hepburn introduces Jada to baby lamb

Frat House 382 N. Pleasant St (their Moms would be so proud)

37 Phillips Street

At ease

But tomorrow they will be back to the grind, as Amherst's $4.5 million road reconstruction continues.

This one's for you Major David L. Brodeur

AFD remembers: three of their own now in service, and Major Brodeur.

Although you made the ultimate sacrifice a few days before the gates of Hell sprung wide open to welcome the unholy madman who set you on a collision course with destiny, rest easier knowing--along with your friends and family--our nation will never forget your devotion to duty in the never ending mission to keep our citizens safe.

King of the decadent street

Sunday Morning after a rough Saturday night

Decadence and student party houses go together like pizza and beer. Take Phillips Street for instance (and the Amherst Redevelopment Authority could), scene of a major disturbance last weekend--specifically 33 Phillips Street, where 11 arrests occurred on Saturday night starting as early as 6:46 PM.

The house is owned by STEPHAN GHARABEGIAN under protection of a Limited Liability Partnership KNIGHT PROPERTIES LLC (with his wife, Angela.)

In addition to this party house the pair own three others on Phillips Street (#11, #37, #45) thus making a total of 4 out-of-nine, almost half the housing for a street the ARA consultant deemed "decadent".

Color schematic of the Gateway area showing properties with decadent conditions (Phillips Street, where all but one wins the prize)
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To: Larry Kelley
Sent: Mon, May 2, 2011 8:43 pm
Subject: towns reputation...

Hi Larry,

My teen daughter had a soccer game on Sunday on the UMass campus against a team from Maine. As we waited for a game against a Rhode Island team to end, I heard the out of towners talking. They were going on about how disgusting it was on their way to campus and said they "would NEVER send their kids to school there." They were talking about the party remnants, beer cans, trash, etc. I started to defend our town and explain the Hobart mess and just stopped. It isn't just that weekend, and we all see it. I was actually embarrassed and didn't say another word. Do you think sharing this with someone at UMass or the town manager would make any difference at all?

Mary

Let's hope Mary...let's hope.

Additional housing inspector survives Town Meeting

The $140,789 budget increase in Conservation and Development an 18.9% increase over last year's budget, funding a much needed additional housing code inspector, a part-time planning consultant, plus an additional administrative assistant survived an assault from activist and former Select Board member Hwei-Ling Greeney, who moved to ax the amount from the Town Manager's budget unanimously approved by the Select Board.

The town, UMass (and this blogger) have declared war on rowdy student party houses scattered like weeds among residential neighborhoods. The additional building inspector is a key asset in curbing unsafe, unsanitary, overcrowded conditions that rile long established neighbors and casts a shadow over the town's image and reputation.

Town Meeting overwhelmingly passed the budget on a voice vote.

Another family member gone

Amherst's downtown character changed when family owned mom and pops--the kind that inspired Norman Rockwell--closed or abandoned town center in favor of a high volume commercial areas sited in a sea of concrete.

Louis Foods gambled on a new commercial building on busy University Drive back when The Chequers bar was the toast of the town and soon succumbed to competition from the larger corporate supermarkets.

Amherst Drug Store suffered a major fire and new ADA requirements would have forced the aging owner to include an elevator in the renovations, so it was left vacant and blighted for many years before Barry Roberts purchased it and did what had to be done. Now it's a well maintained, attractive Subway franchise.

But one of my favorite places to hang out as a kid (along with sitting on the stairway reading comics at AJ Hastings) was Aubuchan Hardware across the street from historic Town Hall. In the summer the door was propped wide open and under the awning tools and nick knacks on display to attract the attention of folks causally ambling by--the same folks you would later see on Sunday morning at St Brigid's Church.

But the New England based family owned chain hardware store relocated from main street Amherst into that newfangled thing called a "strip mall" in Hadley with Zayre Department Store as an anchor, back in the late 60s or early 70s.

The growth of UMass created a gold rush for entrepreneurs hoping to cash in on the big city located within a town. Soon the big box corporate chains came a calling, most recently Home Depot and Lowe's.

I'm told by a reliable source, that before Home Depot came to town shareholders were assured that Home Depot's market analysis showed they would close Aubuchon and Rocky's and take 20% of Cowls Building Supply's market share. Of course little did they realize Lowe's was simultaneously making the same assumption.

So the rest, as the say, is inevitable. Turn the page on another sad chapter.

Amherst Town Meeting commences

The only surprise at tonight's Town Meeting kick off was the appearance by irascible Dave Keenan who told the venerable Gazette last week he would resign his seat after being arrested by APD for assault with a dangerous weapon and malicious destruction of property.

Perhaps a stern judge sentenced him to serve out his Town Meeting term, certainly a fate worse than jail (but not as bad as a bullet to the head).

Party House of the weekend

88 Pelham Road

I think if I had been awake last night to catch President Obama's stunning announcement, my house would have qualified as a party house. But the bad boys at 88 Pelham Road have no such good excuse. And this is the second time they have been awarded this dubious distinction.

According to Amherst police narrative:

"Several noise complaints . One resident on scene only. Approximately 150-200 guests with loud music and yelling. When removing guests, located other residents hiding. Arrest six on scene.

Hmm...so much for Amherst's bylaw forbidding more than 4 unrelated individuals occupying the same domicile. But with the amount of rent they pay per person, a great deal for the landlord.

Six arrested five of them for both unlawful noise and possession of a unlicensed keg $300 per offense ($3,000 total) plus one more for just noise ($300)

Town Assessors record showing property ownership

Chinese Charter School Denied Expansion

According to DOE Minutes 2/28/11

Request for Review: Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School

Commissioner Chester said the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School was first chartered in 2007. The commissioner said the school requested a charter amendment to add 120 seats, he denied the request for the reasons presented in the memo, and the school has exercised its right to seek a review of that decision from the Board.

Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School Executive Director Richard Alcorn read a statement and said it was challenging for the school to not be able to look out five years to develop its program. Commissioner Chester said his decision is based on the fact that the school is operating under its first charter and there is not yet sufficient evidence to support the amendment. The commissioner said the school has not yet reached its maximum enrollment and has yet to undergo a comprehensive review. Commissioner Chester said the school has five years to demonstrate its success under its initial charter.

Ms. Chernow asked whether the 6th grade entry was new. Mr. Alcorn said the school is seeking to backfill vacant seats, per the new state law. Associate Commissioner Jeff Wulfson said the school was chartered for K-8 and did not require additional approval for 6th grade entry. He said the school may have made a commitment to the U.S. Department of Education but it was in anticipation of approval that the Board had not yet granted.

Secretary Reville said the state has been supportive of this school and its Chinese immersion program, and the school is not yet bumping up against its maximum enrollment. The secretary asked if there is precedent to grant an expansion amendment to a school in its first 5-year charter. Associate Commissioner Wulfson said he could not recall such a precedent. Commissioner Chester said there is great value to language immersion but it is premature to expand the school’s charter right now.

On a motion duly made and seconded, it was:

VOTED: that the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, in accordance with General Laws chapter 71, section 89, and 603 CMR 1.00, hereby denies, for the reasons presented by the Commissioner, the request by the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School to increase their enrollment from 300 to 420 students.

The vote was 10-0-1. Ms. Kaplan abstained.

Original Memo of denial from Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester

To: PVCIC listserve
Sent: Sun, May 22, 2011 7:04 pm
Subject: PVCI Family Association Discussion with Executive Director Thurs May 26

Meeting with PVCICS Executive Director

Thursday May 26 at 8:30AM, Richard Alcorn will be available to talk with parents regarding recent newspaper articles around the proposed expansion of PVCICS. Richard will discuss ways in which parents can help support the school in its efforts to respond to issues raised in the article. The proposed addition of a high school will affect all PVCICS families- not just current middle-school students. Please attend. (Richard will be available at 5:45PM on the same day for parents who cannot attend the morning meeting)

The morning after

North Pleasant Street (opposite former Frat Row)

Allen Street (Gateway District)

Phillips Street (Gateway District)

Party night of the semester?

10:30 PM Hobart Lane checkpoint

With all available APD boots on the ground including both Captains and the Chief, reinforced by five state police and one k9 unit the town is under control.

Anyone trying to enter Hobart Lane for the mythic "Hobart Hoedown 2011" has to cross a police checkpoint and if their names are not on the tenant street list someone who lives in the apartments must come down to vouch for them (In the hour I was there many quickly turned away.)

The bars in downtown Amherst are not turning any students away, however.

11:00 PM McMurphy's
Stacker's Pub

Gateway: A shift in focus

Kendrick Park: green triangle your left, center right: 2 L shaped buildings 1 parking garage on frat row, green common in front

After intensive discussion with stakeholders, town officials, ARA members and a diverse cross section of Amherst residents we now have a preliminary plan, and the focus has shifted a tad closer to Amherst town center with less emphasis on commercial development and no student undergraduate housing, thus allaying fears of downtown business owners concerned about competition and nearby neighbors fearing rowdy undergrads.

The former Frat Row would maintain green space, a "new common," on the entire strip of frontage contiguous with North Pleasant street (and a smaller green "plaza" on the other side of the street) with mixed-used buildings and a parking garage on the rear two thirds.

But the new shift in attention is now to the west side of Kendrick Park and the intersection of East Pleasant/North Pleasant/Triangle streets with hopes for a "signature building" on the rise overlooking the northern tip of Kendrick Park currently occupied by the University Lodge hotel owned by hotel magnate Curt Shumway,president of the Hampshire Hospitality Group, who carries the surname of one of the founding families of Amherst.

East Pleasant straight , North Pleasant (on your left) Kendrick Park southern end (center)

East and North Pleasant intersection looking towards UMass, hotel behind house

University Lodge (owned by Curt Shumway)
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Final chance for public comment:

Saturday, 4/30 – Draft Plan Presentation

8:30–10:00 AM Review of Open House Results
10:00 AM–3:00 PM Finalize Plan
Finalize street design
Renderings and sketches
Finalize land use calculations
3:00–6:00 PM Printing & Powerpoint preparation
6:00 – 9:00 PM Draft Plan Presentation

Gateway intensive visioning

Town Manager John Musante and Giani Longo of ACP

Last night's three-hour kick off charrette--1st of three--started out with a bang as it looked for a moment like the public meeting would become part two of the Jerry Springer show when Town Manager John Musante was interrupted in his opening remarks by Murray Eisenberg (an immediate neighbor) demanding to know the status of "undergrad housing" within the Gateway.
Murray Eisenberg sits after causing a scene (and soon left the meeting)

Musante took advantage of the jarring segue to announce the "Memorandum of Understanding" signed by Chancellor Holub, former Town Manager Larry Shaffer and ARA Chair John Coull on September 1, 2010 was now "off the table," meaning specifically private student housing would no longer target undergraduates--the major concern of vocal neighbors (assuming developers can stay within state and federal housing law).

And since deputy chancellor Todd Diacon was in attendance and did not throw his magic marker at Musante, it probably has UMass approval. At previous ARA meetings Diacon clearly stated that undergrad housing is not the main interest of his employer.

Todd Diacon, UMass deputy chancellor (center)

Between 70-90 folks crowded into the Bangs Community Center where they sat at random around ten tables, each with a large color zoning map of the north end of Amherst. First assignment was to define the Gateway area. Obviously the UMass owned former Frat Row was ground zero and one table envisioned the area as only that (called "minimalist" by ACP consultant Gianni Longo) and it would stay open green space, while the majority of tables drew broader lines both north and south, east and west or combinations of the two.

The "Preliminary Assessment for Urban Renewal Eligibility" shows (as neighbors pointed out early on) that no "blighted" properties exist in the region, as blighted only applies to vacant structures.

And in the immediate area directly opposite Frat Row a good number of properties are identified as "exhibiting decadent conditions" meaning poorly maintained structures with either peeling paint, broken windows, dangling electrical wires, etc.

In order for the state to approve an "Urban Renewal Plan" and allow the ARA full use of all its tools--including eminent domain--the area must be deemed in need of rehabilitation on a grand scale. But since the "area" has not yet been defined, that process will take place at a later date.

######################################
The fun continues today into the night:

Friday, 4/29 – Open House

8:30–10:00 AM Review of workshop results w/ ARA
10:00 AM–4:00 PM Preliminary Plan Development
Alternative development;
Land use considerations (Schematic Plan)
Transportation considerations (The complete street)
Sketch up 3-D model
4:00-6:00 PM Printing & Open House Preparation
6:00 – 9:00 PM Open House presentation
########################################

Color schematic of the Gateway area showing properties with decadent conditions

9/1/10 Memorandum Of Understanding (not to be confused with a legally binding contract):
click link below to read original agreement:
Agreement with UMass/ARA/Town

Bad spirits be gone

351 Northampton Rd, Amherst Gourmet, d/b/a Ginger Garden.

About 35 years ago Steak Out restaurant chain opened perhaps the first franchise allowed in Amherst--although it practically straddles the Hadley line--at 351 Northampton Road . They only lasted about a year but had signed a long-term, iron-clad lease, thus the landlord made out just fine letting such a prime location sit empty.

Prospective tenants had to beat the guaranteed amount coming in from the absentee corporation, thus the owner had no incentive to entertain reasonable offers.

In the late 70s, just after UMass had undergone a dramatic growth spurt, bars in Amherst could serve 18-year-old's, host all-you-can-drink "happy hours" and promote discount drink specials. Back then a liquor license was a permit to print money. So more than a few entrepreneurs risked the high rent and opened a bar in that location targeting students. And they all failed.

Locals--not privy to the high rent etched in stone--started to whisper the location was haunted. Joey D's was the last student bar, and at the very end they had become so desperate for business they advertised 4-for-1 drink specials.

The jinx was broken when China Dynasty opened almost 20 years ago (the owner purchased the building after yet another restaurant failed), but the curse could not be totally denied as China Dynasty closed suddenly a couple years ago.

So best of luck to Ginger Garden, opening soon. May the cycle be once again broken.
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After 30 years in business Charlie's tavern in town center suddenly served their last drink. Another proprietor immediately wished to reopen another drinking establishment and ran into the bureaucracy known as Amherst; but it seems they will open soon--just in time for the summer lull.

Restaurants, bars and health clubs. Types of businesses than never need fear the disruptive power of the Internet. Unlike newspapers, record-book-or-video stores.

Food For Thought Books recently announced they were $250,000 behind in payments to suppliers and now hope for salvation via fundraising, kind of like the downtown typewriter shop.Video To Go, an Amherst institution, succumbed to bricks and mortar competition from national chain, Blockbuster Video who later became extinct like the dinosaurs due to Internet competition from Netflix.

And Pleasant Street Theater Video, the last remaining video store in Northampton, also a Valley legend, is up for sale (kind of like JP Morgan trying to sell RMS Titanic moments after she scraped that iceberg.) And will no doubt be replaced by yet another business--probably not a video store.
It's been a fact of life since the days of JP Morgan: The majority of start-up businesses fail to celebrate their second anniversary. But still they come. Such is the cycle of life...and death.

Town flag inches forward

Although it seems to be taking longer than the American Revolution, the Amherst town flag quest received positive feedback at the 4/20 Select Board meeting, even from Alisa Brewer who was a tad crabby about the process a couple months back.

Although you have to wonder what she meant by the Amherst schools not being interested in purchasing town flags considering their devotion to American flags, since state regulations do require an American flag in every home room.

The six town flags will cost $88.48 each and costs will be covered by the Amherst Chamber of Commerce ($530.88) and the Amherst Rotary Club will cover the slightly more expensive one for the State House Great Hall of Flags.

Nationally renowned designer Barry Moser has agreed to volunteer his professional artistic talent to design the flag (based on citizen submissions earlier in the process) as long as the town can wait until the fall. And since it has been this long in the making...

The other 'Gateway' project advances

Kendrick Park: A giant green amoeba in the heart of Amherst

The Amherst Select Board on Monday heard the first public presentation on design specifications for Kendrick Park from Peggy Roberts chair of the Design Committee and their consultants, the Cecil Group (who also applied to the Amherst Redevelopment Authority for the Gateway Project proposal but lost out to ACP Associates) concerning this crown jewel of downtown property that abuts the Gateway district leading to UMass.

Amherst is about to develop its very own Central Park.

Serendipity

My first purchase after monetizing this blog will be a radio scanner (or maybe an iphone if somebody makes an app like that) but until then gut intuition and luck work pretty well.

On Monday I decided to up pick my 4-year-old at preschool a little early, so I'm driving though town center at 11:30 AM and instantly spot two marked cruisers near the bank, but the unmarked car behind one of them tipped me instantly. Why would the chief (who usually walks uptown to get his coffee at The Black Sheep) drive his car to Bank of America, less than 1,000 yards from the police station? Obviously he was in a hurry.

So I double park, snap a couple pictures grab my daughter, speed home, compose a short twitter-like lead and post the breaking news story first (with photos).

Yesterday I go to the APD blog at 12:44 PM and spot the breaking news, stop-the-presses information they had just that minute uploaded about capturing the second perp in the Great Town Center Bank Caper.

So I again compose a twitter-like lead, create a hot link to their timely post and update my post at 12:45 PM, then quickly send a link to my friends at the Gazette, Republican, and Ch 22 TV. Then wait...and watch. As Commander Spock would say, "fascinating."

Ch 22 was first to post online the hot story around 1:05 PM, the Springfield Republican second at 1:20 PM and the Gazette third about five minutes later. But not one of them credited the Amherst Police blog as the source of information.

I also sent the link to my friend Mary Serreze who owns the hyperlocal news site Northampton Media and she instantly published the link under the headline "Amherst Police Department Blog: 2nd Arrest Made in Bank Robbery

Journalists should always "consider the source" when gathering information; but it should not matter in the least the means by which that information is disseminated. And for the understaffed police department it's a lot easier to publish a press release on their blog rather than individually field phone calls, emails, and in-person requests for interviews from multiple media outlets.

The Internet is the most powerful journalistic tool to come along since the invention of the printing press. Embrace it!

Morning in Amherst

11:15 AM: Bement School pays a visit to Miss Emily

11:30 AM: Miss Emily reads poetry to Mr. Frost

11: 45 AM: DPW workers remove ugly green wooden cover and fire up fountain at Sweetser Park

UPDATE: 12:45 PM Obviously Amherst Police did not take the morning off as they have just announced a second arrest in the bank heist in town center yesterday. On their blog no less--I love it!

Newfangled Barn Raising

Actually it's a modern, steel, indoor riding arena. Thus my daughter Kira and a gaggle of local kids can maintain horse riding lessons year round.

Note foreground: now you know why they call themselves "Muddy Brook".

Solar farm moves forward

Despite vocal opposition from immediate neighbors, the Select Board tonight voted unanimously to recommend article #24 to Amherst Town Meeting, a motion that will allow the Town Manager (who is appointed by the Select Board) to enter into a long-term contract with BlueWave Capital for low cost electricity generated by a sea of solar panels placed on the old landfill.

ARTICLE 24. Authorize term of lease for Old Landfill (Planning Board)
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Town Manager to lease all or any portion of the Old Landfill across Belchertown Road from the existing Transfer Station from time to time by one or more leases for such term of years up to 30 years and for such consideration as the Town Manager shall determine, for the purpose of installing and operating thereon a solar array for electric power generation and distribution, and to authorize the Town Manager to grant such easements in, on, under and across over said land for utility and access purposes, as reasonably necessary to install and operate such a solar array, and further to authorize the Town Manager to enter into a power purchase agreement with any lessee of such property to purchase all or a portion of the electricity production of the solar array and to enter into an agreement with the local utility to participate in the Net Metering program pursuant to the Acts of 2008, c. 169, §78, the so-called Green Communities Act, as may be amended.

Bank heist Town Center!

Bank of America hit late this morning. APD and Chief Livingstone on the scene. Robber last seen heading south towards Granby.

UPDATE: 1:45 PM They got him! Perp in custody. As I said in Comments: It would not take long.

Activism gone too far

Dave Keenan doing his thing

All was relatively quiet in the People's Republic this week as all the Bad Boy partiers must have gone home to the Boston area to attend Easter sunrise services; either that or they are resting up for the Hobart Hoedown 2011.

Thus no winner for the "Party House of the Weekend" or at least nothing that rises to the level of a (dubious) award winning event. Only two total $300 noise tickets issued to college aged individuals, one at 260 Grantwood Drive and one at 76 Taylor Street.

But the big story of the week is my friend and fellow townie Dave Keenan, who has been in the news of late for opposing the solar farm out at the old landfill (not to mention costing the town a six-figure sum in revenues for disposing of contaminated soil that could have help regrade the landfill's surface), getting arrested on Friday (early evening) for allegedly "breaking and entering in the nighttime for felony, destruction of property over $250, malicious assault with dangerous weapon on a person over age 60." Yikes!

Say it isn't so Dave...

1720 South East Street: Scene of the alleged crime

Dome of Delay

Select Board meeting: first aired two days later

Now I understand the frustration our neighbors to the north feel--what we locals call "the hilltowns"--having to live without high speed wireless Internet.

The Amherst Police Station was a state of the art building at birth 20 years ago when wireless did not exist. Since then Amherst, Mass has become one of the very few municipalities in the nation to provide free wireless to the citizenry with a wide swath of the downtown covered, including Town Hall (where Select Board meetings usually occur) and the Police Station, except for the "Community Room".

About twenty years ago the state started pressuring cities and towns to make all municipal buildings handicapped accessible--especially those that host public meetings. That edict was even used as ammunition for the expensive Town Hall renovation Override 15 years ago, although it failed to convince voters both times at the ballot box. (Town Meeting eventually took out a $3 million renovation loan and former Town Manager Barry Del Castilho--not to mention his secretary who he later married--got a fancy new office.)

Wireless Internet is fast becoming the norm, like handicapped accessibility or air conditioning.But a journalist's age old prime directive remains the same: enforce the people's right to know. And in this digital era, interested people also have a right to get it instantly.
Meanwhile, 2.5 hours later in the meeting...