Slow is Contagious

Looks like I've caught Mayo-itis. It's taken me forever to update this blog. This will be a brief, and I apologize for any grammar and spelling errors. It's been a while since I've written in real English.


Keith Building

The Keith Building is transitioning control of the condominium to our board of trustees. We've chosen Harvest as our building manager. Looks like things will work much smoother once Harvest is managing our daily activities. Mayo is still bound to address our outstanding punch-list and warranty items, which I still have two, but they will no longer care for the building. This isn't such a bad thing considering Harvest is doing a good job in other buildings in the neighborhood.


Why No Blog for So Long

The short answer is I've been really - really busy. It's hard to blog when you're swamped taking care of your own life. There's been much going on in the neighborhood, but after sitting in front of the computer for 16 hours a day for 7 days straight for 4 months, you'll forgive me for slacking off. I'm definitely out of the groove, but plan on writing more going forward. Considering I haven't written much in months, "writing more" shouldn't be too hard.


State of the Neighborhood

Gulu-Gulu is opening a new place in Salem. This is an expansion not a relocation. The extra revenue stream will benefit both cafes.

Rumor has it that the new owner of what was Oxford St. Grill will open sometime in the immediate future. For all I know it could already be open. I need to walk over there and find out. However, three weeks ago I noticed activity in the place. It'll be nice to have another place to hang after a hard days work.

Tatiana's is a great place to watch games and grab and drink. The bartender I had was great, the food decent, and the prices acceptable. The drink selections are extensive. So if you want to watch a game someplace other than home, head to Tatiana's. As an aside, I knew Norma, the owner, when she was working in the cafeteria of a client of mine. Very astute lady. Lots of energy, and lots of heart.

Seven Central, Mayo's other condo across the street from Keith is almost full. That's good news in that it means more residents. The Mount Vernon St. lofts are also coming along nicely. Regardless of what I think of Mayo, as long as future residents take proper precautions they can make loft ownership less painful than what I endured. Remember, always, always get your own inspector, and also get your own lawyer!

We have a new flower Shop. I forget the name. Something like "Flowers in Bloom of North Shore." The older flower shop is gone. The new one may suffer the same fate if they don't improve their signage and visibility of their products. The store is difficult to see, not very inviting, and seems to sell more balloons than flowers. Running a flower shop is tough. Flowers die quickly, and unless you can unload them in time, you lose money. But, if you don't have flowers to show, who is going to visit to buy. Tough.


Quiet Clubbing

The bar formerly known as Cronin's, now Club Fenix, made some modifications, and it's much quieter now. I added some curtains over the blinds, and that seems to have made a difference as well. So, noise, is once again manageable.


Taco's Lupita

Great food, good price, wish the counter person would smile more, but I'm probably asking for too much. Grab a burrito. It's very tasty, but the hot sauce they gave me has no kick and tastes, well it's actually more tasteless than anything else.


Vietnamese Lighting

Pho Lynn, needs to improve their lighting. It's a big place, a friendly place, but not a homey place. The space and the lighting make it difficult to stay there and linger. Which, if they were really busy, would be a good thing, but it usually isn't that busy. I think some dimmers, and some wall dividers will help. Regardless, their food still Rocks!


Chinese and Hot Dogs in Swampscott

Went to a new Chinese place in Swampscott across from Red Rock Bistro. Can't remember it's name, but it's Something Chinese Bistro. Good food, nice service, and very good price. I recommend it. There is also a Hot Dog place across from RedRock Bistro. I don't remember it's name either; it's probably - Something Hot Dog Bistro.


Earth Day Every Day

I participated in the Central Square Cleanup on Earth Day. I arrived late, naturally, but there was still a good crew cleaning up. It was great. We got a lot done, and I met some great neighbors. We made a noticeable difference, and we got free T Shirts!

It's impressive how many people turned out and what wonderful neighbors we have. Yet another small, but very important, incentive to live here.


Good Neighbors

I was away for two weeks on Holiday. While away my neighbors outside my building actually noticed. Steve of Gulu-Gulu asked "where are you?" To which I replied, "I was in the Bahamas, Mexico, and Disney." To which he replied, "you suck!" To which I responded, "yes I do."

Remember kids, in the social circle of males real friends make fun of you all the time, but most importantly they always pick you up when you're down, hold you up high when you've earned it, and carry you when you can't stand on your own. Occasionally they'll drop you to make sure you're not faking. If they don't make fun of you, they don't really give a damn about you. Just remember to always return the favor. I've found the word "turd" to be especially useful - mild yet effective.

That is all I have to report. Until next time - remember, get an inspector, get a lawyer, no glove no love, and yes you really do want resident parking.

Marcus

As Slow as Mayo

I, am, of course, speaking of Mayo Group. It's now a year and a half since I purchased my condo from the Mayo Group. Since the city council meeting of Feb. 14 2006 they've taken action to fix all the problems we have with our building. That's the good news. The bad news is that Mayo Group have yet to fix our problems completely. They economize too much. I realize that you have to trim here and there in order for a business to survive, but you know what, we're talking about peoples homes here. Do they think we're not going to notice? They brought in a company to repair the front facing brick. Great. They caulked the rear windows. Great. But they failed to caulk the South facing windows. NONE of them have caulk around them. So, on Dec. 1st, the last great rain storm, I had water raining into my apartment through leaks in the windows. So did the front facing units. In other words, we still have water problems.

In addition, I still have banging pipes in my walls from the intake and exhaust pipes in unit 2C. They opened up the wall try to fix the problem, but their solution was to jam wood into the space in order to brace the piping. I pointed out that the pipe bounced from front to back not side to side, but it's the only solution they could think of. So, I let them try it. Well, it didn't work. So, I'm getting very little sleep at night and I'm very grouchy about the whole thing.

The entire building is very upset with the situation. It's taken over a year to remedy something that should have taken at most a month if it had Mayo's full attention. I guess maintaining a good reputation is not something Mayo is interested in. Their current reputation is that of being a slum-lord. I guess I should stop expecting such a company to aspire to be more. To be great. Instead, it appears the owner is content on being rich, but mediocre. And I do blame the owner, John Mc-Grail for all these problems. It's his company. So, he is ultimately responsible. It doesn't matter if his underlings are causing all the problems, because he is at the top. He is the one with the final decision, and as the owner it is a direct reflection on his ability to lead. The culture within his company is directly a result of his decisions and his involvement, or lack of. The company just can't seem to do anything to completion well. I'm sure he knows this, but why can't he fix it? Or does he even really want to try? Probably too busy trying to make a quick buck in Texas to pay attention to what's happening back home.

Oh, but wait, his home is actually Ireland. He's not American, so why would he care? I actually protected my country. What has he done? What has he done to set himself apart as a man? Make money? Drug lords make tons of money. So do arms dealers. Money keeps mixed company, and money doesn't make a man. A man is defined by his reputation, which is earned. So, what reputation has McGrail earned? It's not too late to change. I find it interesting that he has never come here to see for himself what we are dealing with. It's not that severe. It's easy to fix. But it takes a willingness to do it. To do the right thing.

If you need someone else's two-cents, check out the comments from the last post. There you will see a resident of the 7 Central Condominiums across the street also complain about Mayo's inability address their buildings issues. Most unfortunate. You would think Mayo would have learned from our building - instead it appears they do not have the ability to learn from past mistakes.

Speaking of which: we were dealing with a Mayo Group manager named Dennis Burke. Dennis has great people skills. For the most part, he put us at ease and things did get addressed. What's been accomplished so far is his doing. Incredible when you consider how difficult it must be to get resources from the company. Unfortunately, Dennis Burke is no longer with Mayo Group. I can only guess as to why, but I suspect it has something to do with jealousy and lack of appreciation from within the company. I wonder if others in the company felt threatened by the fact that he can actually get things done. Lazy asses fear nothing more than someone who's mere presence highlights their own inadequacies, but this is all speculation on my part. What's important is Dennis is gone, along with all the knowledge he had of our situation. This means Mayo is again clueless about what needs to be done here, and they'll send someone else that we'll have to educate. When a company is unable to recognize good people, unwilling to retain good people, it says a great deal about how inadequate the company environment is as a whole. They can blame "growing pains" only for so long.

I think I'll have a chat with the folks of 7 Central and maybe help them draw up a list of issues, and tips on how to get organized. I suspect they'll need it, unfortunately. Maybe we can help them avoid limping along in the slow lane with Mayo in tow.

However, to be fare, because you know how important that is to me - Mayo did successfully fix the roof leak in my closet.

New Lofts = New People

Ok, ok, ok.... I've been gone for a while, but now that I'm much better and working mostly from home I have plenty of time to keep you updated on the happenings of Central Square Lynn.

Development Continues

The Mayo Group is actively working on the Mt. Vernon St. artists lofts. They've torn out the old windows and appear to be in the process of gutting the building; thus, prepping it for its new life to come in the following months. It'll be nice to see what they develop. Now we all know I'm not enamored with Mayo, but I give credit where credit is due. They've contributed heavily to the revitalization of downtown. The Mt. Vernon St. lofts, as rumor has it, are meant to be sold to people who are in the arts industry. I have no idea what qualifies. It'll be interesting to see if this qualification holds. None-the-less, the more new home owners the better. You should see the bustle in downtown. Very active. Dunkin-D, FlavaZ (flayvuzz), Gulu, and Lupita are hopping! All the people are so nice around here too. Cars actually stop to let you cross the street, even when there is no crosswalk. How often do you see that in Boston?

The lofts at 7 Central Square are selling. A bit slowly, but they are selling. The model unit does a good job of conveying the possibilities, and having met one of the new residents I'm pleased to see the mix of people is, well, very well mixed. Nice.

And let's not forget RCG. Word has it RCG is working to convert another quasi-industrial building in Lynn to mixed use. This building, however, is in Western Lynn.

Rumor has it that the old stationary building next to Raw Arts is going condo soon. The biggest obstacle is the building needs an easment in order to have the land to put a second means of egress for the building. Behind this building is a latino "church." One of many (4) within a block of Central Square, I must add. Anyway, the church sits on the land. The church wanted a "donation." Something like 20k for the easment. That's right $20,000. I didn't know God was in such need. Anyway, there may be some progress. If not, the Church may be in such a state some other means of obtaining approval could be possible - oh like, eminent domain. "Give what is God's to God, give what is Caesar's to Caesar." Time will tell.

Anyone know what's up with the waterfront project? That barge is still sitting there. Leaning. Like something out of Planet of the Apes. Where's Charleston... and the hot babe? No, we don't need the horse or the monkeys.

Oxford Blues

Oxford is going downhill and in a hurry I am sadden to say. After the chef that lead it to earn the Best of Boston North Shore award left, yes he left, the place hasn't been quite the same. They ditched the nice white table-cloths. WTF!? Those table-clothes are key. Details, details, details. The place was sooooo nice. Now it feels unfinished and, well, awkward. The table cloths need t0 come back. If the issue is the price of laundering those cloths, how about doing what other high end places do... put sheets of white paper tastefully over the clothes. That should cut down on the laundry runs while preserving the sophisticated atmosphere it had. We have enough pubs and diners. We need a nice place to relax. A beautiful relaxing place with great food, great service, and attention to details, details, details! Otherwise Oxford is just another diner with a nice facade and cool lighting.

Speaking of food. Oxford's food isn't so great. I am unimpressed with the new chef Pierre's, yes that's his name, cuisine and presentation. The ribs were sour, the steak waaaaaaaay thin and not very tasteful. Picture this - 8 oz steak about 1/4 inch thick sitting in the center of a round plate with dreary looking carrot slices and soggy green beans lying parallel to it. Not very pretty, and, unfortunately, not very tasty either. Sad. Hopefully Lowel will get his good taste back in order. I heard the reason for the change in ambiance was because Lowel felt the place might not be warm, inviting, and approachable. You know, like a pub. Please! It's a nice sophisticated eatery. What's really going on? Maybe it's just an identity crisis. You tell me.

Soak Test

Starting late tonight we have a whopper of a rainstorm coming in. This will be the first stress test of the Keith Building's newly renovated forward facade, and roof leak fix. Please cross your fingers. I just moved all my clothes back into my newly restored walk-in closet. I'm feeling optimistic, and think all will be well.... Right, forget the optimism, I should move all the clothes out asap.

What Else?

We have a new business in the hood! Welcome Flag Pharmacy! Nice little place. If they don't have it they will get it for you next day. So convenient, so nice, and so local. The owner speaks Russian. For those of you not in the know, we have a large Russian population here in Lynn. Great people. Lots of fun.

I just noticed there is a Tailor around the corner from the Gulu. Fantastic! I have a pair of pants that need to be hemmed. I guess I should test the tailor out with a pair that isn't pricey. Maybe some repair work first. A good tailor is so hard to find.

I love Beden's Hardware. The place doesn't look very organized, but they have just about everything you need. I got my air filters and masonry drill bits there. So convenient. Now if I can only get a wine shop to move in. I am optimistic!

How I Miss The Silence

Cronin's is now the Fenix Latino bar. It's a club. I hear the music all the time. I call the police, the police call the Febux, the music goes down, and goes back up again, I call the police, the police maybe calls them... sigh... I just want a quiet nights sleep. All they need is to put in some sound proofing. How do you say sound proofing in Spanish?


That is all. Have a great weekend and stay dry. If we have any building drama you'll see it first right here!

Right, this set was lame. I'll do better next time.

Things Forgotten

So sorry for the dirth of postings for the last few months. As some of you may already know back in August I ruptured a disc in my lower back and was rushed to surgery. The rupture crushed the nerves to my right leg rendering it useless for a time. I'm much better now and recovering slowly. Although my doctors say I'm recovering very quickly it all feels too slow to me. Perhaps I'm impatient, or maybe it's just difficult to accept the experience of having full use of my leg one day and not so much the next, but I digress. As result of the intense medications I was on for over a month my memory and cognitive skills.... just aren't what they used to be. They, along with my nerves, are recovering -- slowly. So, if I don't seem to recognize your face, have a hard time remembering your name, or don't recall your comment or email, I apologize. Please bare with me while I piece things back together and get the blog back into action.

Parking Issues

There is a meeting tonight at the Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce at 7 pm. All residents are encouraged to come, listen, and submit your concerns and ideas about the parking situation. However, residents from the prior meeting have already set a simple agenda of problem areas to discuss and it is our hope to focus on these items during the majority of the meeting. In summary the items are:

1. Change parking restriction enforcement hours - for example to 8 am to 6 pm
2. Change on-street parking signage to reflect hours of parking restrictions
3. Establish resident only parking areas and hours
4. Establish visitor permits for Central Square
5. Fix signage of parking lots to accurately reflect parking hours
6. Fix lighting in parking lots to ensure safety and promote feeling of safety
7. Add drainage to parking lot to allow convenient passage
8. Establish regular cleaning of parking to demonstrate an investment in the area

The creation of permit parking and posted hours of restrictions are well established proven practices in Lynn as well as other cities with dense populations, such as Boston and Cambridge. None of these items are unreasonable, and most importantly they will improve the quality of life for residents of Central Square.

Far From the Maddening Crowd

Cronin's Cafe is a bar. The address is 517 Washington St. I have no issues with Cronin's but one - NOISE! It's now Monday 12:35 AM. The base from Cronin's speakers is vibrating my windows. Surprising when you consider I'm on the other side of the block, but unfortunately there are no buildings between me and Cronin's, and, obviously they have no sound dampening system in place at Cronin's. I have the noise regulations somewhere in my email system from James Marsh of the Mayor's office. I think it's time for me to brush up on them and get a noise meter from Radio Shack, and a video camera to record the noise and happenings down there. I have no issues with people having a good time, as long as they don't ruin my sleep late Sunday night before a work day. Friday, fine. Saturday, great! Sunday, absolutely NOT!

I don't think asking Cronin's to turn down the volume on Sunday night is too much, do you? I'm not asking for Friday or even Saturday for that matter. I'm talking about Sunday, the sabbath - a school night!

I put in several noise complaints with the police. They're very good about hasseling away the people on the street outside the "cafe" that may be rowdy, but having Cronin's turn down the volume seems to be a challenge. I wonder if politics are involved. Is there a guy named "Cronin" on the council? Do I need to stand in front of the city council with a power point and video of a DB meter pegging to get my point across? One would think the police department may find that a bit embarrassing.

Downtown is now a professionals residential area. The city should recognize that issues such as noise will hinder the return of downtown to that of a vibrant community. I'm not asking for dead silence. I'm asking for common good neighbor courtesy from Cronin's Cafe. Cronin's - please turn down the music on Sunday after midnight.

Calvin Where Are You?

Calvin, I lost your number and your last message. I've been in bed recovering from surgery for the last month. Please drop me a line or give me a call so we can meet up for a hike.