The North End is back!
Or so it seems, based on the recent onslaught of new zoning and licensing applications which are an indication of businesses and developers willing to invest new money in the neighborhood. After a busy summer, you can still feel a buzz on the streets (often it’s a buzz saw) that portends an economic recovery.
Community leaders in the neighborhood are facing an overflowing agenda of applications as they try to juggle the pace of new activity and garner neighborhood input. Below is a list of upcoming proposals at neighborhood meetings.
Bricco Restaurant Plans Major Expansion– Frank DePasquale, owner of Bricco at 241 Hanover St., has purchased the properties at 239- 251 Hanover Street from the Nobile family and filed plans to expand Bricco Restaurant into 251 Hanover Street, currently Nobile Insurance Agency.
Matteo Gallo Applies For Hanover St. Boutique Hotel– Local real estate owner and developer, Matteo Gallo, has applied for a 6-story, 22 unit residential dwelling at 234-238 Hanover St. which is likely to be used for a boutique hotel with a restaurant/bar on the ground floor.
Cafe Nuovo Transfer of Alcohol License from Caffe Lil Italy – Vicent Ferrara, Jr. had already opened at 76 Salem St. 7am – 2pm with a well-received breakfast/lunch menu. Although his application for a new alcohol license was supported by the neighborhood groups, the State cap has the owner looking for a transfer from Caffe Lil Italy, 178 Salem St., which is up for sale.
Lucia Ristorante’s Donato Frattaroli has filed for a live entertainment license in the basement level of Lucia’s at 415 Hanover Street.
Paul Barker, 65 Salem St., is looking to open a small takeout restaurant (18 seats) in the location of the old Go Bananas! which recently moved across the street into a larger location. The upper floors are expected to house four residential units.
David Crocini, 133 Salem St., has applied for a residential conversion and expansion in the building previously used by Sheldon’s Discount Store.
Residential Conversion at 19 Cooper St.– Matthew Sepe has applied for an occupancy change for a residential renovation. The ground floor is currently zoned for commercial use.
On the outskirts of the neighborhood, the activity is also robust. Plans for the long-awaited supermarket along N. Washington St. seem to finally be taking shape. The State is well-along in drafting RFPs for parcels 7 & 9, adjacent to the Greenway near Haymarket and across from the North End Greenway parks.
Let’s take a moment to thank the volunteers in NEWNC, NEWRA and other neighborhood groups that help make our community a better place. Having participated in many of these advisory groups and committees, I realize the time commitment is enormous. Most residents participate solely because they care about the special place in which we live.
Similarly, let us respect the small business owners, developers and contractors that are willing to invest in the neighborhood, bringing jobs and creating the unique environment that makes the North End the best place to live, eat and visit.
Below is a list of upcoming neighborhood meetings covering these issues. All these meetings are open to the public. Feel free to attend, especially if you have an opinion, positive or negative, on any of these applications.
October 12 – North End / Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) Monthly Meeting (View Agenda)
October 14 – North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) Monthly Meeting (View Agenda)
October 20 – MassDOT’s Parcel 7 & 9 RFP Advisory Committee Meeting
October 26 – NEWRA’s Zoning, Licensing & Construction Committee Meeting
November 8 – North End / Waterfront Neighborhood Council Monthly Meeting
November 18 – North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association Monthly Meeting
For more information, interested parties can contact David Kubiak, NEWRA’s ZLC Co-Chair at zlc@newra.org and Stephen Passacantilli, NEWNC President, at info@newncboston.org. Thanks to both for helping provide the information in this post.
View the Community Calendar for times and locations.
Two unfortunate points…Nobile Insurance Agency looks like will no longer have a presence in the North End and Cafe' Lil' Italy is being sold.