By Alan Franciose

People walking along Massachusetts Avenue craving a burrito from Boloco will soon have to travel a little farther to settle their cravings.

The site of the first Boloco restaurant at 137 Massachusetts Ave. will be abandoned in favor of a newer, larger location around the corner on Boylston Street. The move is tentatively planned for some time in January, depending on how long construction at the Boylston location takes.

Boloco opened its first restaurant in February 1997 on Massachusetts Avenue, only it wasn’t yet called Boloco. Its original name was Under Wraps, but a trademark claim by the Marriott hotel chain forced a name change. Changing to simply The Wrap, the local burrito store began to grow, expanding to several areas in Boston and Cambridge.

In 2005, the burrito chain changed its name again, this time becoming Boloco, for which it won The Improper Bostonian’s award for “Stupidest Name Change.” The Boloco name is based on Boston Local Company.

Twelve years after opening its first store’s doors, the chain has grown to 16 locations. Its newest location won’t be the 17th restaurant in the chain, but rather a successor to the first location.

Michael Harder, president and chief operating officer of the Brighton-based Stellar Restaurant Group, which owns Boloco, said the decision was made to move the restaurant because its current Massachusetts Avenue location didn’t represent the brand the way the flagship location should.

The Massachusetts Avenue location has seating for only 18 guests at a time. The new Boylston Street location has seating for up to 80.

“It becomes much more comfortable for the guests,” Harder said. “It is better representative of the brand.”

Not only is the new restaurant site bigger than the old one, but it has also has been renovated. In a collaborative effort between the landlords who own the real estate on Boylston and city itself, new patios and sidewalks have been added to the location. Harder said it makes the new location a destination area, even comparing it to places on Boylston Street such as The Mandarin Hotel.

Despite the history of the brand at the Massachusetts Avenue location, there was no hesitation when it came to the decision to move, according to Harder. No customers or employees made a case for keeping the store in its traditional home.

Alan Franciose is an undergraduate student at the Northeastern University School of Journalism.

Citrus Glazed Duck

Symphony 8, the brand new restaurant that has taken over the space of the infamous Tiger Lily, is full of surprises at every turn! The Fenway neighborhood has a new haunt serving up lunch, dinner and a late-night menu until midnight and cocktails until 2am beginning on November 24th.

Located steps from Symphony Hall, Symphony 8 is nestled just off Mass Ave at 8 Westland Avenue. Symphony 8 boasts, three separate areas for dining and lounging, 3 handcrafted bars, custom banquettes, bright modern décor, a brilliant wine list, and a variety of over 55 beers!

Chef Josh Davis serves up an exciting menu of savory cuisine in the Bistro such as, Citrus Glazed Duck Breast, Pesto and Goat Cheese Crusted Salmon and Guinness-braised Short ribs.

Within Symphony 8, you will find the rich green walls of the Irish pub, Siansa 8. Here, Chef offers you eclectic fare, from traditional fish and chips to Drunken Pork Chops. There are HD televisions for premium viewing of local and international sporting events. A REAL traditional Irish Breakfast is served all day!

Rounding out the menus you will find handmade pizzas and creative burgers, along with a sinfully indulging selection of southern home cooking with favorites such as Chicken and Waffles and Hog Wings.

Stay tuned for Prohibited, the downstairs speakeasy-esque lounge, opening in December.

Visit www.symphony8boston.com to view our menu, events and more!

Saturday Sidewalk Sale
Noon – Dark

Come take a peek at our sidewalk tables tomorrow! We’ll have many books displayed that we’re selling for great prices.

1 Book – $5
5 Books – $15
10 Books – $20
20 Books – $30

And, of course, the rest of our store is still there, too, complete with our usual everyday discounts.

We hope you stop by!

Sincerely,
–Symposium Books

Architect’s view of the future
Boylston Street. Image provided
by Berklee College of Music

BY STEPHEN BROPHY

When Mike Ross, our district City Councilor, approached property owners on the stretch of Boylston St. between Mass. Ave. and Hemenway St. about doing something to upgrade the ugly sidewalk in front of their buildings, he got a lot of “been there, done that.” One owner told him that talk about fixing the eyesore had gone back more than 30 years, and nothing had ever happened. But Ross had a couple of persistent supporters in Walter Hunt, a nearby resident who has worked for community improvement for years, and David Hornfisher, then the VP in charge of property for Berklee College of Music.

On October 15, Ross, Hunt, and Berklee President Roger Brown will be among the people gathered to celebrate the completion of a project that had evaded the plans of their predecessors. From 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. Fenway residents and passersby will be serenaded by a student quartet and feast on snacks provided by some of the merchants in the area, including Spike’s Junkyard Dog, Boloco, the Teriyaki House, Crazy Dough’s, and the Pavement Coffee House. (This last business, an offshoot of the popular Expresso Royale coffee bars in the neighborhood, will not have opened its doors yet, but hopes to be in place by mid-November.)

“We ran into a fair amount of skepticism when I came along and tried to make this happen,” Ross remembers. “Most of the business owners had been down this road. It was also complicated by the fact that the situation was constantly changing. When we would finally have a memo of understanding among the owners and the city, one of the buildings would change hands and we’d have to start from scratch again.” Johanna Sena, Ross’s director of community relations, adds, “Though we generally don’t support institutions’ purchasing properties in the community, Berklee’s ownership of several properties was the catalyst for this project, as it made it much easier dealing with fewer owners, not to mention they wanted this us much as we did.”

Another complication was juggling the private owners’ plans with the City’s part of the project. The building owners are responsible for everything up to 15 feet out from the storefronts, and the City for the rest. But the City has to plan its street and sidewalk improvements many months, sometimes years, in advance, which made it harder to agree on a mutually agreeable timeline for the venture. Ross praised the participation of City agencies like the Department of Neighborhood Development, but he singled out the work of Frank O’Brien in the Department of Public Works. “His team was stupendous—they did great work and they never gave up,” Ross enthuses.

He also has praise for a couple of the more diligent business people. “Robert Walsh [property manager for the Bank of Boston on the corner of Mass. Ave. and Boylston] is the kind of property manager I’d like to have if I owned a business—he believed in the project and as a result he helped to make it happen.” Ross also had praise for Neal Campbell of the Hamilton Company, which owns a couple of buildings on the block. Last, but certainly not least, Ross insists that Sena in his office was “the glue that held it all together.”

No one, least of all Ross, wanted to go on record as criticizing Patrick Lyons, owner of the building occupied by T-Mobile, but he refused to go along with the plan. As a result the T-Mobile front looks like the gap tooth in an otherwise beautiful smile. (Perhaps T-Mobile should demand a reduction in its rent for the reduction of good will their landlord’s inaction is sure to cause them.)

Few will be thinking of Lyons on October 15, however. Most of the people who gather on Boylston St. will be celebrating the vision and persistence of a consortium of private business peopel and public servants who took one of the ugliest blocks in Boston and turned it into a place where pedestrians will want to linger.

A version of this article appeared in the October issue of Fenway News.

Untitled Work by Sydney Phelon

The artist of the month at the Gainsborough St. Espresso Royale Caffe is Sydney Phelon. Her work will be hanging there until October 1. Sydney introduces her work in this way:

“There is nothing purer or more joyous then a child’s imagination. Being a child allows you to create a world that only belongs to you and only you can access it. This kind of beauty exists only during the few years children have to be completely innocent. This short time period usually occurs when children are young enough to still have their own perspective on the world unfettered by any realities thrust upon them as they grow. My work does not wish to express any interest in children or childhood, but it does try to gain the same perspective. By this I mean I am working on a painting like a child works in a coloring book and imagining a world that only exists through momentary imaginary lapses of innocent reverie. I am not trying to be a child or act like I don’t have an adult perspective on the world. The reverie that exists within me is mature, but my work is meant to portray a playful attitude.

“Viewers of my work should note the crude mark making as an asset not as an inadequacy as the marks are what boldly give the pieces their playful movement. Some shapes appear geometric and some are organic. My materials range from sophisticated oil paints to glitter glue. When I make my work I feel an incredible sense of freedom both from the world around me and from my own swirling and racing brain. I try to direct my brain energy into picturing the most beautiful world. My process is escapist in the way that I try to un-think and clear my brain not infuse it with intentions. Obviously, intentions get attached by the artist to any work of art, whether they want it or not, but before the work is done I try to refrain from over-thinking it. In other words, I try to reject any ideas of what I want a piece to say because the work is really supposed to be about not saying anything but instead trying to depict a playful reverie. “

If you are an artist who would like to exhibit at ERC, call 617 859 7080 and ask for Kate.

The following letters appeared in the September 2009 edition of the Fenway News:

Story on New Boylston Sidewalk Doesn’t Tell Whole Story
TO THE EDITOR:

Your article in the most recent edition of The Fenway News regarding the ongoing reconstruction of the sidewalks on portions of the south side of Boylston Street between Massachusetts Avenue and Hemenway Street was very interesting and informative, but I’m afraid that it did not address adequately the longstanding support and active participation of a very important partner in this important endeavor, the City of Boston.

As many long-time Fenway residents know, the reconstruction of the sidwalks has been planned and discussed for many years. Throughout the protracted planning, design and implementation process, the City of Boston, so effectively led by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and with the very active participation of City Council President Michael Ross and his staff, has been an engaged, active and patient partner.

The City’s Departments of Public Works, the Department of Neighborhood Development, the Department of Parks and Recreation and other agencies and departments have been instrumental in the project, all in addition to the imminent reconstruction of the City’s sidewalks and street trees to complement the new double acorn light fixtures and hanging flower baskets.

It is also important to note the commitment and significant investment of the Hamilton Company and Corner Realty, our neighbors, in the reconstruction of the privately-owned sidwalks that is underway.

In conclusion, it has been through the combined efforts and dedication of the City of Boston and the private owners that the construction of what we all hope and expect will be welcome and very substantial improvement to this portion of Boylston Street now is being realized. Thank you, and keep up the good work.
SINCERELY,
WILLIAM D. WHITNEY
VICE PRESIDENT FOR REAL ESTATE
BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC

TO THE EDITOR:
My name is David Nevins, Property Manager for 1078 Boylston LP, managed under the auspices of Harold Brown/The Hamilton Company. During our weekly sidewalk meeting this afternoon, Bill Whitney from Berklee College mentioned that an article had been published about our sidewalk renovation in The Fenway News. I was very excited to hear about this recognition of a project—that we have all poured effort into over a span of years—in such a well respected local publication.

However, after reading the article I must say that I am very disappointed that you completely failed to mention The Hamilton Company or Harold Brown once. This omission is particularly upsetting, considering that The Hamilton Company is the majority contributor among the private owners, with a 67% financial stake in the project.

I realize it may have been convenient to praise only Berklee for the project, considering the sidewalk is most notably associated with their “campus.” However, a simple investigation would have resulted in the realization that Hamilton Company was the majority contributor to a project that required considerable private funds.

Additionally, The Hamilton Company has been attempting to pull this project together for years, and has always been willing to move forward despite the complications involved. It wasn’t until Mr. Whitney replaced his predecessor and became willing to open the project again, that we were able to proceed as a unified front. In this capacity, I would like to be clear that we are grateful for Berklee’s contribution—under the leadership of Bill Whitney—as well as Investment Properties Limited LP, another contributing owner that received no recognition in the article.

In any event, we appreciate the fact that the work is appreciated by the local publications and the community at large, but I felt compelled to write and let you know that this omission left us a bit disappointed and slighted.

I wish you the best of luck with the publication in the future, and thank you for taking the time to read my email.
SINCERELY,
DAVID NEVINS

Ear Plugs Just Aren’t Enough
The following email was sent to Beth Krudys, Manager of Fenway Affairs for the Boston Red Sox, on August 5:

DEAR MS. KRUDYS,

You are undoubtedly aware of the fact that rock concerts at Fenway Park are extremely loud and disruptive to your neighbors in the Fenway. The Fenway is a residential neighborhood and not an appropriate venue for loud rock concerts. Concerts during weekdays (such as the Paul McCartney concerts today and tomorrow) are a particular problem.

Many Fenway residents have families with young children who are unable to go to sleep because of the excessive noise that extends late into the night, and many of us have to get up early the next day to go to work. Not to mention those of us who work in the Fenway and have to contend with loud, disruptive sound checks throughout the day. In response to your email, I request that YOU extend some “understanding” to Fenway residents and put a stop to the increasing number of loud concerts in our neighborhood.

Feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss this matter.
REGARDS,
EMILY LAPOINTE

She Misses Living in the Fenway!
TO THE EDITOR:
I am a former Fenway resident, having lived there from 1972–1985, when I moved to Brooklyn, with my husband, a jazz musician.

During that period, I lived in three different apartments on Park Drive. It was such a wonderful time in my life. I enjoyed the diversity of the neighborhood, the beauty and peace of the Fens, the close proximity to Fenway Park (I’m still a huge Red Sox fan), and the lasting friendships that I made. I have such fond memories of living in the Fenway neighborhood; the best memory being that I met my husband there.

I still remember when The Fenway News got started in the mid-1970s; I was a big supporter. I wish you a hearty congratulations as you celebrate your 35 years as a newspaper. My dearest friend lives on Peterborough Street, and I visit him several times a year. Each visit includes picking up the latest Fenway News. It’s always an enjoyable read.

In my most recent visit to the Fenway, my above-mentioned friend and I went to see Sir Paul McCartney at Fenway Park, where we sat by the Pesky Pole. What an amazing night that was (“Maybe I’m amazed.”). My friend and I were rocking right along with McCartney, who performed the most incredible show I’ve ever seen.

On another recent visit, my husband and I sat on the bleachers at the basketball court in the Fens watching a pickup game. We reminisced at how we used to sit in the very same bleachers to watch pickup games over 20 years ago when we young hippies in love. And we marveled at how most of the players that day were not even born when he and I met in the neighborhood.

I’ve seen a lot of changes in the Fenway neighborhood since I lived there. Some wonderfully vibrant changes, and some sad losses. Nevertheless, it’s always a joy for me to return to my old stomping grounds, the Fenway. It always brings a smile to my face to walk through the neighborhood.

Congratulations on your 35th year as a newspaper. I hope you continue to thrive.
THERESA O’NEILL JANETATOS