377 Elm St

[mary388.livejournal.com]

I got a Legal notice from city notifying me of an application for Special Permit to establish "an approx. 3,000 sf fast food establishment, a donut shop, with indoor and outdoor seating under SZO sec. 7.11.10.2.2.b and a parking variance sec.9.5 CBD zone". Christos Poutahidis is the applicant.

Anyone know anything about this? The credit union is there now.

Comments

[ron_newman]

maybe this is where Dunkin Donuts will reopen?

There is a small empty storefront to the left of the credit union. The landlord had a "For Lease / Coffee Shop Preferred" sign hanging over it.

I believe the address here is 377 Summer Street, not Elm Street.

[wardv.livejournal.com]

Christos Poutahidis is said landlord.

[mary388.livejournal.com]

Yes, 377 Summer Street not Elm. Hearing is on July15.

[ron_newman]

Although this is on the July 15 Zoning Board of Appeals agenda, the applicant is requesting a continuance until August 5.

[ron_newman]

here's the city planning staff's report on the project. I'm wrong about it being a Dunkin. The report says

There is another donut shop in the Square; however, this proposal is unique in that it will function as an independent establishment

Elsewhere it says the name will be "Davis Square Donuts". Turning it into a Dunkin later would not be allowed, as

A future tenant of this space for the fast order food use would have to come back
to the ZBA for special permit approval in order to operate at this location.

[mary388.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the city planning report.

[alpinepie.livejournal.com]

This new project requires a Special Permit to operate. While the idea of a good quality artisanal style donut shop like Union Square Donuts or Black Bird Donuts sounds great I have to question the experience of the operators to execute such a plan. I look forward to the public discussion 7/27. Not sure on the time.

Also, the precedent will now be set for a permanent new food location at this site so I don't know how long a "No Dunkin'" argument would last. Especially because of my next point.

I do find it to be a comical insinuation on the planning report that the landlord has been unable to rent the space to be cause for allowing this. Maybe landlord should lower the ask from per $sqft to something that is more market. I'm tired of Landlords using this argument for allowing larger scale chains and such in and for cause to allow free licenses. Lower the rent to what market will bear and we will see a much more diverse Square start to pop up. Just for the record I am not an anti-chain person and I understand this is not a chain proposal but I believe we are responsible for asking the questions.

[ron_newman]

I don't think the zoning board should attempt to second-guess the proprietor's ability to run a successful business. Let it succeed or fail on its own. If Dunkin doesn't reopen, we could use a replacement, whether it's a chain or an independent.

[serious-noir.livejournal.com]

Christos Poutahidis? Isn't that the guy who that corner square is named after?
You know, the corner where that horribly ugly building is at Summer & Cutter.
At least that is what an ugly plaque on the ugly building states.

Is Christos Poutahidis Somerville's Donald Trump?

[teko.livejournal.com]

It takes a special brand of douche to name a city square after yourself, especially one that already has a name (which I forget, but it's on a sign nearby).

[achinhibitor.livejournal.com]

Real estate developers aren't known for small egos.

[ron_newman]

The sign says "Medal of Honor Square", which commemorates George Dilboy. In practice, if people call this place anything at all, they call it "Cutter Square".

[alpinepie.livejournal.com]

Last time I looked there was a plague called Poutahidis Square or the like on the building.

[ron_newman]

Some folks think the whole building is a "plague". But I was referring to a sign on a post on Summer Street, just outside the Dilboy VFW.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Yes, to be clear: the square's official name is Medal of Honor Square, and has been for quite some time. However, the developer of the building had an engraved granite block put in the building naming the square after himself.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

I thought this same guy owned the block where Kickass and M3 were. I could be wrong.

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

That's what i thought too.

[teko.livejournal.com]

That's my understanding as well.

[notnatalie.livejournal.com]

You are correct.

[ron_newman]

Yes, this is the very same building where the donut shop is proposed.

[alpinepie.livejournal.com]

This is the building that the new bank is in. Not where M3/Kickass were.

[ron_newman]

That's what I meant, yes.

[hikermtnbiker.livejournal.com]

Christos Poutahidis used to own a number of car repair shops in the area which he has redeveloped over the years. One was at Cutter and Summer (ugly building), another at at Morrison and Willow (condos) and another on Mass Ave (Hess gas station). And he owns the block at Cutter and Highland. I've been told that he owns other property in Somerville. All in all a pretty successful guy.

Another coffee shop in the square might not be so bad. Good timing if Dunkin stays closed for a while.

[alpinepie.livejournal.com]

Christos looks to also be the partner in the new Donut shop venture along with his partner on the application named Kyriakos Kouzoukas who seems to own a few Dippin' Donuts locations as well as a corporate address located at 236 Elm St which is the Social Security building where the now closed Dunkin Donuts is. This of course assuming this is the same person that comes up in a Sec/Ma corporation search.

[guthmeister.livejournal.com]

I got that legal notice too. Ever curious about all things donut-related, I did a little searching, and it didn't take long to turn some less-than-sweet news items about Christos Poutahidis including his building of quasi-questionable housing along the Community Path

(I've watched these eyesores go up but didn't know who was behind them):

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/somerville/2011/04/battle_to_build_houses_near_so.html

and his eviction of a woman and her foster children while she was undergoing chemo for "aggressive breast cancer"

http://www.leagle.com/decision/200122182001MassAppDiv217_12138

Sounds like a great guy : {

PS. I'm new here...sorry my first post is such a downer. Hope to contribute to the community in happier ways in the near future : )

[teko.livejournal.com]

No worries, those of us who've been following his shenanigans and reputation for awhile know that he's pretty sleazy, so none of that really comes as a surprise.