Creating Haymarket Downtown
Creating Haymarket in Downtown Framingham | School Bus Reimbursement | Major Changes with the Framingham Source | Earth Day this Saturday | What I’m Reading & Watching | The Week Ahead
Happy mid-April vacation for those celebrating!
I appreciate all of the emails and comments about the grocery store piece in the last issue of The Ham’er. Many wrote to say we need to address the issue, while others said they had no concerns with driving to those stores. Two things were clear to me: 1.) you have a lot of ideas on how to make Framingham a better community and 2.) you want more places to shop or visit within our city.
An update about the grocery store issue is below, so let’s dive in…
Have a comment or question? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at mkfeeney@gmail.com
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Creating Haymarket in Downtown Framingham
Economic Development Director Sarkis Sarkisian announced Seabra Foods is moving to Downtown Framingham during the April 4 Council meeting.
Why it matters: The current home of Seabra Foods on Beaver Street is slated for demolition for a new apartment complex, leaving that area a food desert. Moving Seabra to Downtown keeps an existing business in the area, and creates an anchor store in the center of Downtown.
“We need to create Haymarket here in Framingham. Why can’t we have that?” - Sarkis Sarkisian
Where is it relocating: 35 Concord Street, the old Salvation Army building or for those longtime townies, the old Gilchrist store. The building was supposed to be a church, but is vacant. The building is assessed at $1.1 million. Seabra plans on investing $7-10 million creating a state of the art, brand new market.
Announcing the preliminary plan sets the table for a request from the Sisitsky Administration for a Taxes Increment Financing (TIF). A TIF, like one given to Jack’s Abby when they started, will be for the short duration of the construction and re-establishment of the market. The Administration is also looking at using Community Block Grants to help with financing the development that will ultimately provide new revenue to the city. Sarkisian also spoke to the MWRTA about a new bus route to the market from its old neighborhood.
What they are saying: “You have a captive audience with the apartments next door. This is what Downtown needs. This will bring people in. It is a destination location. Kudos to all of you.” - Chair Phil Ottaviani, District 6
“When we put the apartments in for revitalization, gentrification, they needed this for an anchor because that is a missing component… to draw people in, to bring foot traffic and it's a needed resource for people living in those apartments.” - Christine Long, District 1 Councilor
School Bus Reimbursement
The School Committee voted in favor of reimbursing families for school bus fees. With the issues surrounding the school bus driver shortage, causing late buses to school, District 3 School Committee member Jennifer Moshe proposed the reimbursement.
“We have many families that have paid for a service and are essentially paying for it twice. They must get their kids to school by alternate means, which in some cases, actually, in all cases, when busses have not been on time, is costing these families more money in fuel and time, possibly hiring alternative means of transportation.” - Jennifer Moshe
How much this will cost: FPS will refund 425 families a total of $114,750.
Bus fees are $250 per child, $500 for a family
K-6 grade students who live within 2 miles of their school and all 7-12 students are required to pay the fee.
Where is the money coming from: Money not paid to the bus company will cover the reimbursement.
Buses are an ongoing issue this year: NRT, the FPS bus company, is contracted to provide 77 drivers. As of last month, NRT is short 20 drivers. Due to the shortage, buses are anywhere from 30-45 minutes late in the morning or in the afternoon.
What’s next: Lincoln Lynch, FPS Executive Director of Finance and Operations, emailed families stating checks hit mailboxes soon. According to his email: “If you do not receive your refund by June 30th, please reach out to the school business office at 508-626-9100, and anyone in the office will be able to check into the status of your refund.”
Major Changes with the Framingham Source
After seven years publishing online, the Framingham Source will cease original reporting as of April 30. The announcement was made on its website and Facebook page by editor Susan Petroni last week.
Why is the Source closing shop: Petroni cites a 24/7 work schedule and struggling finances as the reason for this change.
“While I love my career as a journalist, editor, and publisher, the stress of trying to produce news daily with a volatile advertising market has taken a toll on me, as owner and as a journalist. Passions for journalism and passion for Framingham are just not enough for me. I need a work-life balance, too.”
Petroni has been reporting Framingham news for 13 years. She started with the Framingham Patch site for AOL, and then created the Framingham Source in 2016.
What’s next: SOURCE begins a new chapter as a self-publishing site, where organizations, businesses, school groups, funeral homes can publish their news and announcements. As for Petroni, she is mum on her next chapter.
My take: This is a huge loss for Framingham. Other news sources like the Framingham Patch and the MetroWest Daily News have shown glimmers of interest in Framingham, depending on the reporter or editor at the time. While I am happy for Susan and whatever the next chapter of her career is, we will feel the impact of not having her and the Source keeping us together, as an informed community.
I’ll continue to grow and write The Ham’er (There are some new things in the works.) but starting this newsletter was about sharing what I have learned, my thoughts and engaging you with our city government. But it was to compliment other media outlets, not be THE media outlet.
Now more than ever, we need to know what is going on in Framingham’s government. Please share The Ham’er with your friends and family, so they, too, can be informed.
Upcoming: Earth Day this Saturday
11th Annual Framingham Earth Day Festival returns this Saturday on the Framingham Centre Common from 11:00am - 3:00pm.
One of the highlights of the year: The festival features local environmental organizations, farms and exhibitors, live music, family activities - all to inspire us all to live more sustainably! (I’ll be there with Friends of Framingham Trails - come by and say hi!)
Things to note: There will be FREE MWRTA Shuttles throughout the day. It is also a BYOF (Bring Your Own Food). Festival organizers encourage everyone to either purchase food from the local restaurants near the Common, or bring their own meals in reusable containers.
What I’m Reading & Watching
Culture and history along the Boston Marathon course - Chronicle - featuring the Brazilian influence Downtown
A hundred years of choking housing growth catches up with Massachusetts - The Boston Globe
Carpenters Local 336 Participates in Tax Fraud Day of Action in Framingham - The Framingham Source
Where are all the workers? Start with child care, politicians and others say - The MetroWest Daily News
More than 5,700 Framingham residents are new. Councilor has ideas to get them involved - The MetroWest Daily News
The Week Ahead
Thursday, April 20
7:00pm: Planning Board
Thank you for reading. Please share with anyone who may find this of interest. Keep those emails coming!
See you next week.
-Mary Kate
Thank you Mary Kate! I am old enough to fondly remember Gilchrist Department Store. It was the cats meow when I was young. That staircase was gorgeous in its day!
Nice job Mary Kate, enjoy your updates.