Category Archives: Bars

LPD Downtown Subcommittee Meeting

Posted on November 4, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Rob Mills has a SUN article at


Some thoughts by one of our neighbors on last nights meeting.
http://mindtivo.blogspot.com/2010/11/dub-two.html

Thank you to Chief Lavallee for continuing to hold these meetings and to everyone who attended.

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Posted in Bars, Community Issues, Lowell Police Department

Posted on November 2, 2010 by | Leave a comment

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Posted in Bars, Community Issues, Community Problems, Downtown, Downtown Lowell, Lowell Police Department

LDNA MEETING

Posted on October 20, 2010 by | Leave a comment

The next LDNA meeting will be held Monday, October 25th, 7PM, at Middlesex Community College, 33 Kearney Square, Room LC109.
Agenda
Introduction of the new city of Lowell Development Services Managers (DPD)
Process for notifying downtown residents of snow emergency parking ban
Open Discussion

CTI Local Heroes
Award recipients will be honored at CTI’s 17th Annual Evening with Local Heroes from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 27, at Lenzi’s in Dracut.
One of those being honored: Stephen Greene, LDNA Vice-President
A volunteer, activist and organizer with a background in environmental management, Green has worked to bring local residents together to address sustainability issues such as litter reduction and improved waste management, and worked to support Lowell’s beautification.
Please contact CTI at 978-459-0551 for tickets.

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Posted in Bars, Community Issues, CTI, Downtown, Downtown Lowell, Events, Hero, Lowell Police Department

License Commission

Posted on July 14, 2010 by | 3 comments

This may not be a newsflash to anyone else…but I was really surprised to learn that 74 Merrimack Street where “Brian’s Ivy Hall” is located and opening soon is NOT a direct abutter of Moller’s Lofts. Why you ask? There is an alley between the buildings. Therefore the city did not have to notify Moller’s Lofts residents about the License hearing. As if having a meeting at 3 in the afternoon on a work day were not enough reason to miss a meeting…

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Posted in Bars, Community Issues, License Commission, Live Music

New Open Meeting Law Regulations

Posted on June 28, 2010 by | Leave a comment

“…July 1 deadline approaches to implement changes to the state Open Meeting Law. Recently adopted by the Legislature, the law requires municipalities to post a meeting notice by 3 p.m. during the week and at least 48 hours before a meeting. The 48-hour period no longer excludes weekends…”

Hmmmm….I wonder how this will effect one’s ability to obtain the License Commission agenda more than 5 hours prior to their meetings? We shall see.

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Posted in Bars, Community Issues, Downtown Lowell, License Commission

déjà vu

Posted on April 30, 2010 by | 2 comments

I guess I should preface this with “déjà vu”.

There was a lengthy discussion Monday evening at the Downtown Neighborhood Association meeting about the re-opening of the former “Brian’s Ivy Hall” on Merrimac Street. Neighbors and Lowell Police Department had very bad experiences with this establishment in the past. There were a series of events similar to what occurred last night at the El Rincon on Central St. large-scale crowd fights, destruction of property, cars with amplified music blocking roadway; all of this occurring between midnight at 3AM. This type of activity is disruptive to residents, imagine being school-age child that has to get up in the morning, and it’s quite distressing to elderly residents to be woken in the night by this kind of craziness (and I hate to be selfish but I actually get up early in the morning to go to work).

All-in-all it is just inappropriate behavior for a city street at any time day or night. It also portrays a negative image which potentially effects nearby businesses. At a difficult economic time when bars downtown are already suffering financially; do we really need one more place like this?

Update: If you have a specific concern there will be a public hearing at 3PM on Thursday regaring the license to re-open “Brian’s Ivy Hall”public hearing
Application by BEKS, Inc., d/b/a Brian’s Ivy Hall, Kevin Hayhurst, President, for an all alcoholic beverages Restaurant license for premises at 74 Merrimack Street, third floor only, ingress and egress along north and south stairwells, one room for bar/restaurant/nightclub approx. 4,400 sq. ft.
It is requested that Kevin Hayhurst be approved as manager of record for BEKS, Inc.
BEKS, Inc. has filed applications for the following minor licenses for premises at 74 Merrimack Street: common victualler; entertainment in a licensed restaurant for live music, disc jockey, juke box; and automatic amusement device.

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Posted in Bars, Community Issues, Community Problems, Downtown Economy, Downtown Lowell, License Commission

Posted on November 13, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Join Chief Lavallee for the next
Downtown Lowell Sub Committee Meeting
City Hall, Mayor’s Reception Hall
375 Merrimack Street
Monday, November 16, 2009
7:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.

UPDATE:
Last night we had a very good meeting with Chief Lavallee, several residents and bar owners. No real surprises; crime is up and funding is down. LPD is still doing an excellent job despite having a deficit of 34 officers. On a positive note everyone in attendance agreed that face-to-face communication between residents and the bars has been great.

Chief Lavallee also told us that the crime statistics that he provides to us now at meetings will be available on-line at: http://www.crimemapping.com/

Captain Kennedy mentioned that there is an “epidemic” of car break-ins all over the city. He reminds everyone that the smallest thing left in your car will attract a thief; most of all GPS devices (but they take just about anything including change in console). Be sure to put it in the trunk or bring it inside and use a moist cloth to wipe away the marks from the device on your dash.

The fun part was when Chief Lavallee took us on a field-trip next door to the new Emergency Communications Center. The recently completed project includes the area where dispatchers work; they were able to give us quite an impressive demonstration of what happens when you call 911. The next room is designed as “central command center” during an emergency. I believe their eight agencies from the city and local area represented during a time of emergency. All-in-all I was feeling like my tax dollars where spent very well on this particular project. And let’s not forget…those dispatchers are the folks who were literally falling through the floor in their old space. I’d say this one is considerably safer for them while they are helping to keep all of us safe.

One more thing…UTEC is celebrating their 10th Anniversary Wednesday with a fundraising party. Greg Coutreau will be recognizing a member of LDNA for being one of their first partners in the neighborhood. Although the admission is pricey; it would be great if you can support this outstanding organization.
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Time: 6:00-8:00 PM
Location: 34 Hurd St. Lowell, MA 01852
Tickets are $50 in advance, $75 at the door
http://www.utec-lowell.org/

There will be no formal LDNA meeting until January 2010; I’m sure that I will be seeing all of you between now and then.

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Posted in Bars, Community Issues, Downtown, Lowell, Lowell Police Department

Posted on August 20, 2009 by | Leave a comment
GREG’s NOTES FROM LAST NIGHTS MEETING ARE HERE:
LDNA meeting
Monday, August 24th, 7PM at The Revolving Museum
Agenda items:
Downtown newsletter
Potential new meeting venue
City Council Candidates

I just heard from UMASS that representatives unable to attend Monday night…no big surprise…
I have heard from a few city council candidates who are planning to attend to “introduce” themselves. I think this is a much better use of our time and the city council certainly has a much greater impact on what happens in our daily lives, as well as what happens to our personal budgets.
I also asked LPD to give any further updates on the incident that may/may not have started at El Rincon Sat/Sun which led to the stabbing on Warren St. I also inquired to our SUN reporter as to why there was no mention of this life-threatening attack in our local paper… he did add what info he could get to his blog:
http://www.thesunblog.com/policeblog/archives/2009/08/missed-one.html

Save-these-dates; more info soon…
Saturday, October 3rd – JAMBRA Yard-Sale. Good opportunity to get rid of stuff!
Wednesday, October 14th – City Council Candidate Forum

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Posted in Bars, City Council, Community Problems, Downtown, Downtown Lowell, Lowell, Voting

Lowell chief blasts ‘lenient’ License Commission

Posted on July 17, 2009 by | 1 comment

UPDATE: Not this specific subject; but excellent news for Lowell.

Federal grant will provide 12 police officers in Lowell
Lowell Police will receive more than $2 million from the federal government to hire 12 police officers.
The money is part of a $1 billion program that will provide money to hire 131 officers across the state, and nearly 5,000 nationally, Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder said in a release.
The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) will oversee the program. Federal officials said only 1 in 7 grant applications was approved.
To accept the grant, Lowell must agree to hire the officers for four years. The grant will pay only for the first three years.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Sun and watch http://www.lowellsun.com/.

Just got this from SUN on-line:
http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_12858253

“People visiting the city don’t want to see drunken hooligans,” Lavallee said. “They want an environment that is safe and secure. The downtown economy is better served by folks following the letter of the law.”

YEAH!!! You go Chief!
I’ll throw in my 2 cents… read the article and notice all the bars the Chief DOES NOT mention. Chief Lavallee has really done an outstanding job of fostering communication with “drinking establishments” downtown and there are only a few (they are all fairly “new” to the neighborhood) that have no regard for the problems their patrons create when they walk out the door.

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Posted in Bars, Community Problems, Downtown, Downtown Lowell

LPD Meeting Wednesday

Posted on April 19, 2009 by | Leave a comment
Downtown Lowell Sub Committee Meeting
LPD/Bars/Restaurants/Residents
Wednesday, April 22nd, 7PM
City Hall, Mayor’d Recption Hall

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Posted in Bars, Community Problems, Downtown, Downtown Lowell