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Author: Randy Harris

Nobscot Shopping Center Gets New Property Manager

Nobscot Shopping Center, 770 Water St., Framingham, MA

FRAMINGHAM, MA– The long awaited “October 1st announcement” about the Nobscot Shopping Center has arrived a day early.

In an email from Steve Sylven of SuperValu Inc., (NYSE: SVU), he informed me that, “As of October 1st, Boylston Realty Advisors will be acting as property manager for the Nobscot Shopping Center”, and added, “We will be working with them to finalize design plans and market the plaza to potential tenants “.

Steve also commented that they are “still in the early planning stages, but as more concrete plans come together, [they] will share them”, and that they are “are committed to making the needed improvements to the property and actively marketing the space to new tenants”.

Boylston Realty Advisors offices are (more…)

September 30, 2011
Ashland Terrorist Arrested at Framingham Storage Unit
Rezwan Ferdaus, age 26, of Ashland, MA

FRAMINGHAM, MA – In an early morning sting operation, Federal agents converged on a Waverly Place storage facility in Framingham and arrested 26-year old Rezwan Ferdaus of 22 Coburn Drive, Ashland, MA.

Ferdaus was arrested on (3) Federal charges which included:
- Attempting to Damage and Destroy Federal Governmental Buildings Using an Explosive
- Attempting to Injure and Destroy National Defense Premises
- Attempting to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Foreign Terrorist Organization
Ferdaus, a self proclaimed jihadist was intent on blowing up the Pentagon and the U.S. Capital Building using explosives rigged in (more…)
September 28, 2011
Mystery Unfolds from Saxonville Civil War Era Envelope

Seymour & Blair Civil War era postal cover mailed to Mr. John Lewis, Saxonville, Mass. is one of only two known to exist. (CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE)

FRAMINGHAM, MA -After ten days on the online auction site eBay, an envelope mailed over 100 years ago to Saxonville sold for $688.76 to the high bidder.

The envelope, or “cover” as it’s more accurately called by philatelic collectors, bears a patriotic image of Horatio Seymour and Frank P. Blair campaigning for President and Vice President of the United States in the election of 1868.

Seymour lost the election to Ulysses S. Grant.

The cover had been mailed from Auburn, Mass to a “Mr. John Lewis, Saxonville, Mass.” in the 1890’s, (as noted in the auction listing — the date is uncertain as (more…)

September 28, 2011
Framingham Fire and Police Search River for Missing Woman

Framingham Police Sgt. Michael Loughman secures scene as Fire Fighters from Framingham Station 2, Engine 2 prepare launch for missing person water search on Centennial Place. (September 24, 2011)

FRAMINGHAM, MA – At approximately 2:45p.m., Saturday September 24, 2011, members of the Framingham Fire Department, from Engine Company 2, Station 2, (the Watson St. Fire Station), along with Framingham Police search and rescue began a search of the Sudbury River, reportedly looking for Susan Bamvakis, a 50 year old woman had gone missing earlier this week.

On Friday, Framingham Police issued a “Reverse 911” call to area residents asking that they notify police if they spotted Bamvakis who suffers from bi-polar disorder and can not take care of herself.

The call informed residents that Bamvakis was last seen wearing a brightly colored shirt, black stretch pants (more…)

September 24, 2011
Nobscot Shopping Center to be Redeveloped

Formerly a Coutryfare Star Market grocery store, the largest retail space in the Nobscot Shopping Center has sat vacant for nearly a decade.

FRAMINGHAM, MA – Since reporting that the owners of the Nobscot Shopping Center had demolished the vintage sign that stood out front for the past half-century, there have been only small bits of news about the property’s future.

I had this article almost finished last night, but was waiting for a reply from Steve Sylven, an official spokesperson for SuperValu Inc., (NYSE: SVU)

While most of the complaints about the shopping center have been directed at Centercorp Retail Properties, Inc., the listed agent for the plaza — it appears Centercorp’s hands are literally tied, preventing them from doing anything at the plaza.

According to Steve, “SuperValu”, the parent company of (more…)

September 21, 2011
What’s Next for Nobscot Shopping Center?

Nobscot Shopping Center's Countryfare Star Market has been vacant for most of the past decade. Mall owner Centercorp Retail Properties, Inc. recently announced plans to refurbish the property and hire a new leasing agent to attempt to revitalize the strip mall. (Photo taken September 3, 2011)

FRAMINGHAM, MA – After we ran an article on September 13, 2011, “Centercorp to make Nobscot anouncement October 1st”, Framingham resident Beth Escobar, (who had been in contact with Centercorp Retail Properties, Inc. Property Manager Terri Desjardins), leaked the news that the company now intends to fix up the Nobscot Shopping Center property and hire a new leasing agent in hopes of getting new tenants to lease the now mostly vacant strip mall.

The news was then leaked to the Nobscot Neighbors group, and to the Metrowest Daily News, and since then ideas and suggestions have been swirling around on a Nobscot email list about what types of stores local residents would like to see in the plaza.

After reading several of the ideas — which consisted mostly of thoughts about what chain or specialty grocery store may lease the vacant former Countryfare / Star market, (which is the largest retail space on the property), and hopes that CVS would (more…)

September 18, 2011
Elizabeth Warren Declares Senate Candidacy

Elizabeth Warren announces her U.S. Senate candidacy with a Youtube Video.

FRAMINGHAM, MA – At the J&M Diner on Old Connecticut Path in Framingham today, Elizabeth Warren met with voters after declaring herself a Democratic contender in the race for the seat now held by U.S. Senator Scott Brown, (R-MA).

The seat which some referred to as “Ted Kennedy’s Seat” during the 2008 election that sent Scott Brown to Washington, had been occupied by Kennedy, the liberal lion from 1962 until his death on August 25, 2009, a reign of nearly 47 years for the former senior senator from Massachusetts.

Warren, a 62 year old mother of two adult children is; a Democrat, a Methodist, a former Sunday School teacher, an attorney, a Harvard Law Professor, a bankruptcy expert, an author, and according to (more…)

September 15, 2011
Bruins Honor Oldest Fan at St. Patricks Manor

Bruce Caissie and his grandfather, Desire "Dave" Caissie (age 104) with The Stanley Cup at St. Partick's Manor (September 2, 2011)

FRAMINGHAM, MA – True Boston Bruins fans and trivia nuts might know the name Charlie Jacobs, but chances are many fans don’t.

Charlie is a total sports guy — a Board Member of the New England Sports Network, (NESN), and a Board Member and Past President & CEO of Total Media Group, but Charlie’s favorite job is being the Founder and Chairman of the Boston Bruins Foundation, the charitable community involvement arm of his family’s business — you see, Charlie’s dad is Jeremy Jacobs, Chairman & CEO of Delaware North Corporation and owner of the Boston Bruins.

When Charlie heard about Desire “Dave” Caissie, a 104 year old resident at St. Patrick’s Manor in Framingham, he snuck in a little side-trip to St. Pat’s on (more…)

September 13, 2011
Centercorp to make Nobscot anouncement October 1st

Vintage Nobscot Shopping Center sign demolished by Centrecorp.

FRAMINGHAM, MA – On July 29th, 2011 we ran an article, “Annie’s Book Stop in Nobscot Calls it Quits” about one of the Nobscot Shopping Center tenants and mentioned the Town’s growing dismay with Centercorp Retail Properties, Inc, the owner of the shopping center.

Following our article, on September 4th, 2011, Megan McKee, the local correspondent for the Boston Globe ran and article, “Officials set focus on mall vacancies“, which quotes Framingham Selectman Dennis Giombetti as saying “They [Centercorp] have done nothing but thumb their noses at us for a very, very long time,” and mentions the possibility that Framingham could seek to take the shopping center, (and other similarly distressed properties), by eminent domain — but that it would only be as a “last resort”.

On Friday September 9th, 2011, after finding Centercorp had destroyed the landmark sign in front of the Nobscot Shopping Center, we posted an article, “Nobscot Landmark Disappears“, with photos showing the sign as it was on September 3rd, and the empty base that remained on September 9th.

After we ran that story, Danielle Ameden of the Metrowest Daily News interviewed Terri Desjardins, Property Manager for the shopping center, then posted (more…)

September 13, 2011
Nobscot Landmark Disappears

FRAMINGHAM, MA – On Saturday, September 3rd, (2011), I was shooting photos of the Classic Car Cruise-in at CJ’s Northside Grill, and decided to take some photos of a few other things near Nobscot’s Water Street / Edgell Road / Edmands Road intersection.

After shooting photos of the boarded up gas station, the old meeting hall, the vacant Jiffy Lube building, I was driving through the Nobscot Shopping Center parking lot, and decided to get out of the car and shoot a few photos of the shopping center. (more…)

September 9, 2011