pdf - Roslindale Village Main Street

2015
ROSLINDALE VILLAGE MAIN STREET
Letter From The Executive Director
Board & Staff List
2015 was a historic year for RVMS and for our community.
STAFF
Executive Director, Christina DiLisio
In 2015, RVMS turned 30 years old and we celebrated this milestone
Program Manager, Ben Sommer (left July 2015)
with both a super-size Farmers Market on our actual birthday (August
8th) and then an extra special Taste of Roslindale, called “Celebrate RVMS;
and Alia Hamada Forrest (started September 2015)
Saluting 30 Years of Community Building and Tom Menino’s
Farmers Market Manager, Maddie Siebert (left September 2015)
Legacy,” in October.
and Dan McKenna (started November 2015)
Two parties in one year? You bet. RVMS, and the volunteer force
BOARD
that makes it run, has accomplished so much in the past 30 years,
Executive Officer: President, Jennifer Madar (resident)
and achieved so much in 2015 for that matter, that just one celebration
Executive Officer: Vice President, Elizabeth Swanson (business
wasn’t enough.
owner, Birch Street House & Garden)
Executive Officer: Treasurer, Sue Forti (resident)
Executive Officer: Clerk, Hilary Sullivan (resident)
Design Committee Co-Chair: Denge Agola (resident)
Rokeya Chowdhury (business owner, Shanti; Taste of India)
Jason Corral (business owner, Law Office of Corral & Marrero)
Deb DeBenedictis (business owner, Tony’s Market)
Max Fripp (resident)
Farmers Market Committee Co-Chair: Lucy Galvan (resident)
Chris Kollett (resident)
Last year saw a record number of property changes, especially with some of our historically most intractable
properties. Thanks to a partnership with Bank of America, the Mayor’s Office, the Office of Business Development,
and the Thrift Shop of Boston, RVMS helped fill a 10+year old vacancy with a thriving anchor business (the Thrift
Shop). The new location of the Thrift Shop makes it possible for the Thrift Shop’s parent organization, the Home for
Little Wanderers, to hold the Big Wishes Toy Drive at the Thrift Shop Roslindale location—bringing thousands of
visitors to Roslindale Village as they drop off donated toys during the holiday season.
Additionally, sites such as the former Select Café space on Belgrade Avenue, the former Bel Lounge location
on Washington Street, the former John’s Bakery building on Poplar Street, and the building which houses
Sebastian’s Barber Shop have all been bought and are under new ownership and are experiencing record levels
Jen Erbe Leggett (business owner, The Leggett Group)
of construction and active business recruitment. Joining the “Bucket Brigade” moving party and opening day cele-
Vincent Marino (business owner, Roslyn Management)
bration for the Thrift Shop in their new space will always be a bright spot in my time at RVMS, and I can’t wait to see
Economic Development Committee Co-Chair: Emily Meneer (resident)
these other properties continue to grow and establish new roots in our community.
Seth Mitchell (resident)
Economic Development Committee Co-Chair: Dennis Patch
(business owner, Patch Realty Group)
Mary Perry (business owner, The Cooperative Bank)
But 2015 wasn’t all buildings and parties. There were campaigns, and meetings, and programs, and brainstorms,
and lots of laughs. We’ve worked to capture many of those moments and milestones in the pages to come in this
Annual Report.
Silvana Ragussa (business owner, Sebastian’s Barber Shop)
Substation Committee Co-Chair: Elizabeth Sherva (resident)
Regardless of what it was, it could not have been possible without you, our dedicated community supporters who
Ben Warner (business owner, YMAA)
so generously give your time, talent, and hard earned dollars to RVMS. We dedicate 2015 to all of you and look with
Vernee Wilkinson (resident)
much excitement and enthusiasm towards 2016 and the great things to come.
Christina DiLisio, Executive Director
2 | RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Celebrate RVMS
Together with the community of Roslindale Village, we held a special
edition of the Taste of Roslindale called “Celebrate RVMS: Saluting 30
Years of Community Building & Tom Menino’s Legacy,” which highlighted
our award-winning restaurants and top-notch food businesses that have
shaped and supported our community over the years.
We also honored the memory of Mayor Thomas Menino, whose efforts
in community building and economic development helped transform
Roslindale Village into a hub of small businesses and young families.
Thanks to the work of the planning committee, as well as the generous donations from our sponsors and supporters, RVMS rasied a record amount of
funds for all our programs (and even some new initiatives coming up in 2016).
The Farmers Market Turns 30
The Roslindale Village Farmers Market turned thirty this year and amazing
volunteers created the RVMS 30th Anniversary Committee. Together these
Committee Members planned an extra large Farmers Market Saturday
complete with a block party on Poplar Street that hosted a food truck, a
petting zoo, a bouncy house, and even a birthday cake. The event took place
on RVMS’ actual birthday, August 8th.
RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 3
Egg Hunt
Families from near and far came out to celebrate the arrival of spring with
RVMS, the Easter Bunny, Mayor Marty Walsh, Councilor Tim McCarthy, and
our friends at ABCD South Side. Many of the Roslindale Village businesses
had baskets and buckets of eggs that families hunted for, going from door
to door with the hopes of finding a special golden egg. Seeing so many folks
wandering around our community, and patronizing the businesses, was the
nicest way to shake off a difficult winter and embrace the new season.
Backyard Stomp
Friends and neighbors gathered in the lush and verdant backyard of longtime Farmers Market Committee Member, Richard Chalfin, who graciously
hosted this year’s Backyard Stomp. A low cost event, this fun night celebrating community and fresh food raised nearly $4,000 for the RVMS Farmers
Market which pays for the great, free children’s entertainment and live
music entertainment at the market every week. The band Kina Zore was a
huge hit, keeping folks dancing (and stomping) late into the night.
4 | RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Tree Lighting & Small
Business Saturday
RVMS looks forward with enthusiasm every year to the Saturday after
Thanksgiving when we host our annual Tree Lighting Ceremony as well as
co-host Small Business Saturday activities across the Village. This year we
saw record turnout for the Tree Lighting Ceremony (despite the gloomy,
rainy weather) and helped pump lots of cash into the local economy by
driving folks to visit and shop in the many independent retailers who were
offering specials and deals that day. Capitalizing on marketing and promotion efforts that the City of Boston launched to help shine a light on neighborhood business districts for the holidays, RVMS marshaled the resources
of our own Marketing Committee to send out social media and print media
messages that would draw even more attention to our great businesses.
RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 5
Holiday Season in Roslindale Village
The holiday shopping season in Roslindale Village gets bigger every year
with more local businesses offering specials and late-night hours of shopping. RVMS has hosted the Holiday Wander, a platform for promoting local
shopping during the holidays, which many businesses and residents have
used to host their own whimsical events. Holiday Wander nights are always
the first three Thursday nights in December, and to promote this period
of time, RVMS puts out a number of marketing and advertising materials
including an ad in The Boston Globe and maps of what’s going on in the
Village. Local businesses offer promotions like special trunk shows, discounts on regular service, and even special events in their stores during this
time of year. RVMS kicked off the season with a Winter Market Open House,
gingerbead man-decorating, and wandering marching band JP Honk Band.
Thanks to funds from Celebrate RVMS, RVMS was able to contribute funding
towards many different community-led events during the holiday season,
including the Posada Navideña, Pop Up Opera, and even the Luminaria,
which was held in Adams Park on the winter solstice.
6 | RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Bike Corral
Adams Park Banner
As a way to thank and honor the outgoing President, Steve Gag, a “Steve Gag
RVMS is in progress to construct a large, outdoor, promotional banner (and banner poles) for display in Adams
Fund” was created and approximately $4,500 dollars were raised as seed
Park located in the heart of Roslindale Village. An important component of RVMS’ work is identifying and follow-
money. These funds have allowed RVMS to pursue projects near and dear
ing through on projects that are in the built and natural environment that folks can see as they eat, shop, and visit
to Steve’s heart. Since Steve is an avid biker and bike advocate, RVMS has
Roslindale Village. In recent years, RVMS has pursued such projects as building an informational kiosk with branded
partnered with the community groups Rozzie Bikes and WalkUP Roslindale
elements, installing a piece of public art (the “Traffic” sculpture), lighting the “Traffic” sculpture so as to be seen at
as well as the team from Street Ops, to build and install a custom-built bike
night, installing decorative metal placards on major light poles, and helping to light the walk-way of Taft Hill Parking
corral in Roslindale Village. In the summer of 2015, a community meeting
Lot. As part of these broader efforts to create visual elements that communicate that Roslindale Village is a special
was held in conjunction with staff from Boston Bikes and two locations in
place, RVMS is creating a large promotional banner for use in Adams Park to complement other programming
Roslindale Village were identified as ideal spots. Since that time, RVMS and
efforts ( like regular events such as the weekly Farmers Market or one-time events like the Pride Picnic).
many community volunteers, have worked to push the project forward and
hope to have a bike corral installed in the spring of 2016.
RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 7
Roslindale Community Corridor
RVMS applied for, and secured, a $5,000 Impact & Innovation Grant for the
Roslindale Community Corridor (RoCoCo) project—an initiative launched
to help better connect and activate the various community assets (or as we
called them, “nodes”) in our neighborhood through free programming and
fun events.
Thanks to this funding, RVMS was able to host a number of free activities
including, free children’s entertainment at the Roslindale Branch of the
Boston Public Library on Saturdays during the 2015 Winter Farmers Market,
a free acoustic performance at the parklett for Mother’s Day, a Pride Picnic
in Adams Park, a Movie Night in Adams Park, and one big hammock in
Adams Park (in conjunction with funds provided by the hammock creators,
BR+A+CE). We even almost held an 80’s Dance Party in Adams Park but
unfortunately the weather was not on our side that night.
The Impact & Innovation Grants are made possible by the Boston Main
Streets Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to advancing the work of the 20
Main Street Districts in the City of Boston.
8 | RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Farmers Market
The 30th season of the summer Farmers Market season saw new partnerships and more diverse children’s activities, some highlights of which were
The Big Hammock and Davey the Clown, a Roslindale favorite. Rounding
out the season, children’s activities also included Kung Fu demonstrations,
interactive art activities, and visits from the Boston Police Department and
Winter Farmers Market
adams Park,
Roslindale Village
The second season of the Winter Farmers Market was a victory! Thanks to
SAturdays 9AM-130 PM
rain or shine !
design: pinkergreen
New England Aquarium.
the hard work of the RVMS Farmers Market Committee, the Winter Farmers
Market, starting on Saturday, January 2nd and running through March
26th, has been a great success for the community, brightening the dreary
winter months with a diverse variety of winter produce and other food
products, music, and spiked cider and cocoa made by Terry Curran of the
Sons of Italy Hall!
Big focus on
FREE
22
Entertainment
& Music
days of free
children’s
activities
Average visitors
to Farmers Market:
Average of
Vendors a day
30
WINNER
of the Boston A-List
2247
Total Bounty Bucks
spent:
22
$6,851
free live musical
performances by
local musicians
Average visitors to
Winter Farmers Market:
371
RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 9
A Growing Business District
OVER
147
BUSINESSES
IN TOTAL
Parkside On Adams and The Substation
The collaboration between the Peregrine Group, RVMS, and Historic
Boston Inc. came alive in November
2015. By reinventing the Substation
as a restaurant (due to open Fall
2016) and introducing a new 43unit, 40,000 SF residential building
that wraps around the station, new
Property News
life arrives in the Square. The new
residences both create 24/7 activity
and help to subsidize the costs of
renovations to the older Substation
5
building. And, RVMS got a new and
New Property Owners:
modern office out of it all, too.
2 Belgrade – Sold
20 Belgrade – Sold
4174 Washington – Sold
33 Corinth – Filled
31 Poplar – Rehabbed
Business
Support
Technical Assistance provided to
four businesses: Kitchen Central,
Birch St. House & Garden, Redgine’s
Botanical Spirits, and the Boston
Cheese Cellar, made possible by the
Office of Business Development in
the City of Boston.
10 | RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015
The Thrift Shop of Boston:
the Big Move
The Thrift Shop of Boston, an anchor retail tenant in Roslindale Village,
was able to expand operations and stay in Roslindale Village (its home
for the last 15 years) thanks to the efforts of the Mayor’s Office, Bank
of America, the Office of Business Development, Roslindale Village
Main Street, and both the Home for Little Wanderers and Thrift Shop
of Boston boards.
The new location at 33 Corinth Street, and expanded operations, have
allowed the Thrift Shop of Boston to increase their Big Wishes Toy
Drive—an annual holiday gift toy drive which had occurred in places
like Legacy Place in Dedham but will now
occur in Roslindale Village. The thousands
of people who donate every year to the Big
Wishes Toy Drive will now visit Roslindale
Village and hopefully patronize the other
local businesses in the area.
The Thrift Shop brings people from all walks
of life to the Roslindale Village, supporting
youth and families of The Home for Little
Wanderers. Young and old, rich and poor,
new families and generations of Roslindale-ians all shop together at the Thrift Shop
RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 11
Major Funder
Lead Sponsors
Co-sponsors
Platinum Supporters
Kara Law Offices
Steve Gag and Laura Gang
Eileen and Jack Connors, Jr.
12 | RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Gold Supporters
Silver Supporters
GreeningRozzie Inc.
MacArthur Farms
Sebastian’s
barber shop and salon
Community Supporters
Bronze Supporters
Bliss Image
Krupa Insurance
Romano’s Pizzeria & Taqueria
ABCD South Side Head Start
Linda Burnett Realty
Boston Cheese Cellar
Napper Tandy’s
Trethewey Brothers, Inc.
Chance Liquors
New England Eye
Dandelions Flower Shop
Redgine’s Botanical Spirits
Drs. Spagnuolo & O’Neil
Dazzles Hair Salon
Roslindale Fish Market
Delicious Yogurt
Roslindale House of Pizza
Diane’s Bakery
The Pet Cabaret
Fire Garden Pottery
Patch Realty
Fornax Bread Company
Peter’s Auto Service
Graves & Doyle, Attorneys at Law
Threads
J&P Cleaners
Solera - A Shrine to Wine
Jimmie’s Ice Cream & Sandwiches
Sophia’s Grotto
Joanne Rossman: Purveyor of the
Subway
Unnecessary & the Irresistible
Kitchen Central
Richard Alvord Architects
The Village Market
Wallpaper City
RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 13
Adam & Rachele Rossi-Kessel
Angelo Scaccia
Catherine Baisly
Doug Matthews
Harvey Bidwell
Adam Rogoff
Ann K. Arnold
Charles Keith
Eddy Torrez
Heather & Nathan Miselis
Adam Shutes
Anna Marie Alvarado
Charlie McCarthy & Terry Fitzgerald
Edna Epelu & David White
Helen Kelly
Agostina Santoro
Anna Utech
Cheryl Crawford
Eileen Giorgio
Hilary Sullivan
Aileen Montour
Anne Kelly & Adam Reeves
Chris Lang
Eileen Stuart-Shor
Ila Wry
Alan Wright
Anthony & Dorothy Slowe
Chris Solorzano
Elaine & John Sheets
Ilene Klein
Albert and Donna Gillis
Anthony Paciulli
Christine Conlon
Elaine Harris
Irma Betancourt
Alexandra Dailey
Anton Vrame
Christopher Farnkoff
Eleanor Baker
Jake & Katie Maliel
Alisa Coyle
Barbara Beck
Cindy Crossley
Elizabeth & Jason Harris
James Akers
Alissa Myrick
Barbara Lottero
Constance and Joseph Colucci
Elizabeth Ferrenz
Jamil & Leila Samara
Allison & Carter Wilkie
Barry & Susan Wante
Dario Deceno
Elizabeth Hawley
Jane Bickford
Allison & Paul Friedmann
Basil Slavin
Darlene Donovan
Elizabeth Sherva
Janice & Glenn Williams
Allison Bayer
Beth Mahoney
David & Betsy Glynn
Elizabeth Swanson
Janice & Stephen Babcock
Althea Wright
Betsy Hinkle
David & Cyrilla Walsh
Elizabeth Tobin
Janice Peneno
Amy & Eric Oalican
Bill Allan
David and Laura Stubbart
Ellen Dyer
Janis Lippman
Amy Gitlin
Bradley Day
David Czekanski
Emily Anesta
Jason Corral
Anastasia Vassos
Brendan Kobus
David Desler
Emily Meneer
Jason Freitas
Andreas Hwang
Brian Johnson
David Gallogly & Laura Dowd
Eric Smalley
Jeanne DuBois
Andrew Burns
Carl Whitaker
David Wean
Erik Gehring
Jeff Sullivan
Andrew G. Mantel
Carol A. Duffy
Dawn Kramer
Erin Doherty
Jeffrey N Dyke
Andy Hollinger
Carol Katz
Deb Beatty Mel
Estelle Regolsky
Jen Erbe Leggett
Angela Menino
Carol Rosenweig
Deborah Abichaker
Esther Johnson
Jennifer Madar
Angela Wright
Carolyn & Christopher Fahy
Deborah Galiga
Eugene and Eleanor Woelfel
Jenny Chay
Deborah Lemont
Eva Boman
Jessica Vaverchak
Deborah Putnam
Eva Gerena
Joanne Prince
Deborah Stein
Ezra Freedman
Jocelyn Hutt
Denge Agola
Fran Hauck
Jody Burr
Dennis & Anne Rogers
Gary & Gail Schubert
John & Louise Gilmore
Dennis & Diane Costello
Gary Koller
John Anderson
Dennis Patch
Gena Mavuli
John Griffin
Derland Myton
George Ulrich & Judy Flam
John McGuire
Diana Starke
Gertrude Cowan
John O’Connell
Dolores Costello
Gregory & Jeannette Tobin
Jonathan Gay
Donna & Bruce Marshall
Guerry & Kathleen Byers
Joseph DePonte III
14 | RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Joseph Devine
Linda Burnett
Maureen Devine
Raphael Sulkovitz
Susan Dimatteo
Josh Wyatt
Linda Jackson
Max Fripp
Rebecca Bidwell
Susan Dupont
Judith Hobin
Linda Perrotto
Max Nibert
Rebecca Witte
Susan Forti
Julia Maxwell
Lisa Dyen
Melissa Cording
Renee DeKona
Susan Griffin
Julia O’Connor
Lisa Evans
Melony Swasey
Richard & Adria Pepp
Susan Whitehead
Julie & Bob Frattaroli
Liz Graham-Meredith
Mica Knapp
Richard & Joyce Chalfin
Suzanne Searle
Karen & David Hinchen
Lorie Komlyn
Michael & Mary Moniz
Rick Ward
Suzeth Dunn
Karen Graham
Lou Wollrab
Michael & Rosaleen Coppola
Rob Newton
Tamara Ohler
Karen Seif
Louella Hoffman
Michael Blasnik & Jaime Pullen
Robert Diettrich
Terese Galuszka
Karla & Alexander Fleming
Louise Ferguson
Michael Rueschman
Robert Orthman
Terry Brown
Kathleen Joint
Lucy Galvan
Michele Audet
Ronald Beland
Thomas Mullen
Kathryn Brucker
Lucy Williams
Michelle Yee
Rosemary Walton
Thomas Sheerin
Kathryn Fairbanks
Mallen Komlyn
Mira Levinson
Rosina Perry
Timothy McDonald
Katie Goldring
Margaret Murtagh
Monika Montrymowicz
Ruth Hunter
Tina Papadinoff
Kelly & Denis McKeeney
Maria Barletta
Mr. Jeffrey Sanchez
Sara Strand
Tom Donahue
Ken & Jan Cunningham
Maria Mazzeo
Nancy Aleo
Sarah Kugel
Tom MacDonald
Ken Winikur
Marie Duggan
Nancy Horowitz
Scott Kelley
Vic Terawskyj
Kenneth & Lora Kudisch
Marie-Noel Westgate
Nicholas Bryan Brown
Scott Kirschner
Victoria & Jay Lane
Kevin Schofield
Mark MacCallum
Nina Vansuch & Dave Ratcliffe
Seth Mitchell
Vinny Marino
Kristie Helms
Marrey Embers
Odessa Piper
Sheila Eghbali
Wayne Beitler
Kristin McSwain
Martha Watson
Paivi Albaiti
Shirley Malone
William & Patricia Walsh
Kristin Russo
Martin Taylor
Pam Besold & Kim Godsoe
Stacy Swain
William Lawrence
Kristin Sybertz
Mary Ann Millsap
Patricia Ann Murphy
Stephen & Eleanor Joyce
William Rounseville
Kyle Zick
Mary Ellen & Lawrence Spiegel Foti
Patricia Bray
Laura Catanzaro
Mary Ellen Burns
Paul Moran
Laura Christian
Mary Flanagan
Paul Romary
Laura Smeaton
Mary Harman
Peter Castellucci
Lauren & Robb Corduck
Mary Howard
Peter Monius
Laurence Kranich
Mary Jane Van Tassell
Petra Ebisemiju
Laurie Sparks
Mary Lennon
Phil Reilly
Lawrence Cohen
Mary McCarthy
Philip & Dorothy Smedile
Lay-Hong Ang
Mary Vadala
Quynh Vo
Lee Blasi
Matt Lawlor
Rachel Lerner
Lianne Bishop
Matthew & Emily Carmody
Rainey Tisdale
RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015 | 15
RVMS Finances
7/1/14-6/30/15
INCOME
EXPENSES
TOTAL: $246,903.12
TOTAL: $200,831.30
Merchandise Sales
Interest Income
Event
Income
Other Event Exp
Other Community
& Economic
Development
Programs
Boston Main
Streets Grants
Sponsorships
& Other Donations
Other
Resident
Donations
RVMS Supports
Local Businesses
Farmers
Market Exp
Management
& General Exp
Business Donations
Board Donations
RVMS makes an effort to buy as much as possible from local businesses.
From July 1, 2014 to
December 31, 2015
we did business with
80
Roslindale
businesses
9
from West
Roxbury
& 13
from Jamaica
Plain
and a combined 128 businesses from all Boston neighborhoods
& another 61 businesses from the rest of Massachusetts
16 | RVMS ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Streetscape Projects