CHESTER SQUARE AREA NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

Monthly Meeting of SEPTEMBER 1, 2010

Vice President David Gacioch called the meeting to order at 7:15pm.

Item 1.  Parish Café Presentation.

Several people representing the management and owners of Parish Café attended the meeting.  The group owns over seven restaurants in the Boston area and seeks to expand its liquor license at Parish Café to include all alcohol and open a new restaurant directly across Tremont Street from Parish.

Currently Parish is licensed to serve wine, beer, and cordials; the owners are applying for an all-alcohol license that would allow them to serve all varieties of alcoholic beverages.  The approval, if obtained, would be forthcoming in anywhere from three weeks to three months.

If Parish is successful in purchasing the all-alcohol license, the current Beer/Wine/Cordial license would be transferred to the newly proposed “Poe’s Chester Square Pub” to be located directly across Tremont Street from Parish.  The new restaurant will incorporate two existing storefronts and two residential apartments in the above building will be used for offices.

The new restaurant would seat approximately 70 people – slightly smaller than Parish Café – and there is potential for outdoor seating, although this has not yet been finalized.  Brian Poe, the chef for Poe’s Chester Square Pub, described the new restaurant’s menu as “pub food from around the world.”  He is currently the chef at Rattlesnake on Boylston Street that is owned by the same management group.

Other meeting attendees addressed concerns that the Southbound #1 bus stop at Tremont street had been moved from the North side of Tremont to the South side of Tremont at the request of Parish.  The Parish representatives knew nothing of the move and the new bus stop is now in front of the proposed new restaurant.  Additionally, Chester Square residents provided information regarding the importance of trash removal and current difficulties with the tenants at 505 Massachusetts Avenue.

CSANA passed a motion to support the Parish Café owners’ application for an all-alcohol license and the transfer of the existing liquor license to the new restaurant.  A letter of support will be provided to the owners.

Any questions regarding these applications can be submitted to:

James E. Byrne
Law Offices of Byrne & Drechsler, L.L.P.
Eastern Harbor Office Park
50 Redfield Street
Boston, MA 02122

Item 2. Fountain Contractor Bids.

So far, the City has been maintaining the fountains.  There have been some maintenance issues with the fountains, especially on the even-numbered side of the park.  Further discussion of this issue was tabled until the next meeting.

Item 3. Mail Box Placement.

Tabled.

Item 4. Plantings.

Tabled.

Item 5. Parking.

The redesign of the parks and Massachusetts Avenue has eliminated between 16-20 parking spots around the parks.  As a result CSANA is interested in working with the City to re-examine parking regulations around the parks.  Matina Madrick will contact Tabitha Bennett to determine appropriate next steps.

Item 6. Miscellaneous.

Owners/Residents from 507 Massachusetts Avenue have met with the City several times to determine if the Southbound #1 bus stop at Tremont Street can be moved back to its original location, North of Tremont.

City officials have met with the owners/residents of 507 Massachusetts Avenue in front of the building to address concerns regarding the bus stop and it is very unclear why the bus stop was moved and why it was done so without community input.  The City would like a letter of support from CSANA before considering returning the bus stop to its original location.

CSANA voted to approve the support moving the bus stop back to its original location.  A letter will be drafted and forwarded to the City.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:15 pm.