Entertainment License Hearing for Somerville Armory, Mon, Jan. 26, 6 PM

[fefie.livejournal.com]

Per the Arts at the Armory team:

Now that a new year is upon us, we are looking forward to launching a variety of arts and cultural activities in the Armory's performance
hall and café. Before we are able do that, we need to obtain an entertainment license from the City of Somerville that will allow us
present plays, concerts, lectures and other arts and cultural events.

Since we want to be good neighbors, we want to inform everyone that the Armory's Entertainment License Hearing will be held on:

MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2009 AT 6 PM
Somerville Senior Center, Tufts Administration Building
167 Holland Street, Somerville, MA
(Parking is provided in the lot adjacent to the building.)
This is a very important hearing for the Arts at the Armory and we are looking for a strong community showing at this meeting. We are also looking for e-mails or letters of support.

Please email any comments you'd like to send to the clerk for the licensing commission, Jeanine Pagliaro, at jpagliaro@somervillema.gov before Monday's hearing at 6pm.

Questions? Feel free to contact us - Debra McLaughlin at 617.792.3173, e-mail dmclaughlin@artsatthearmory.org or Susan Fiedler
at 781.475.9311, e-mail sfielder@artsatthearmory.org.

Comments

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

Just curious as to why this isn't being held at the Armory itself? It seems like that would be the location most convenient to the people most directly impacted by events at the Armory and a good opportunity to show off the new space.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Wait, there's a cafe at the Armory? Was this announced somewhere and I missed it?

[mjrocks98.livejournal.com]

It was in the Boston Globe Sunday edition a few weeks ago.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Oh. They should definitely announce here at d_s!
I'll have to see if that info is anywhere online.

[kpht.livejournal.com]

i don't believe the venue gets to choose where the hearing is held. it's usually at a public space.

[sonofabish.livejournal.com]

In thinking about it, I agree- the city most likely set the place of the hearing. Is it possible for the committeee to request that the hearing instead be held at the Armory?

I think a good opportunity is being missed here and I think it would... be a lot easier to have a discussion about the space within the space itself, rather than relying upon drawings and photos/etc, especially when it comes to allaying the fears of people.

That and when people see the amount of work that was done to create an amazing new work space, they might be less inclined to be contrary and instead of seeing this as a possible threat to their neighborhood tranquility (well, my cat always goes to sleep at 8pm and I don't want any noise) and instead, as a tremendous asset.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

There are probably several other license applications being heard at the same meeting.

[bostonartist.livejournal.com]

I don't really get this. The Armory has been under development for years with its use a performance space being one of its primary features. How come they are trying to obtain a Entertainment License at this late date? I would have figured this would have been done before the extensive rehab / investment in the building.

[fefie.livejournal.com]

No, the Entertainment License hearing comes after the inspection, occupancy permit etc. They mentioned this at the community meeting held a few weeks back.

[bostonartist.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the clarification. Wow... talk about taking a leap of faith that in the end you will get the license.

Here's an email address that works for sending comments before the hearing

[fefie.livejournal.com]

Someone emailed comments to the email address I gave in the original post and the email bounced. I just called City Hall and discovered that the email account we were given is no longer active (the clerk for the licensing commission, Joanne Burke retired last week and the email account was deactivated).

Please email any comments you'd like to send to the new clerk for the licensing commission, Jeanine Pagliaro, at jpagliaro@somervillema.gov before Monday's hearing at 6pm.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

maybe we can get a burrito joint in the armory!