Events
Speaking at NCMA
I recently presented on the topic of Green Procurement at the regional National Contract Management Association (NCMA) conference and workshops. The NCMA is a professional association for those in the field of procurement and contract management. While I often speak about sustainable design, the U. S. Green Building Council and the LEED rating systems to groups in the world of real estate development, building design and construction, but the invitation to speak at this workshop presented an opportunity to talk to a different audience, one that is focused on purchasing products and services. A majority of the attendees were from military and government agencies and companies that contract with them…
Harvard Square Hotel Officially Opens with Ribbon-Cutting
I was recently able to attend a special event at the Harvard Square Hotel: the ribbon cutting ceremony officially marking the re-opening of the building after our renovations. Cambridge Mayor Henrietta Davis had the honor of cutting the ribbon which was located at the top of the new Arrowstreet designed steel, stone, and glass monumental stair. Collegiate Hospitality’s CEO Richard Carbone, Mayor Davis, Cambridge City Councilor Kenneth Reeves, Councilor Marjorie Decker, and City Manager Robert Healy all praised the transformation of the old motel to the new boutique hotel…
Speaking at SCUP: Campus Hospitality
On April 12, I will be speaking at SCUP’s North Atlantic Conference alongside Peter Riley of Harvard University and John Kiely of Collegiate Hospitality on the topic of “Positioning Hospitality on Campus.” During this toolkit, Peter will share valuable firsthand experience from Harvard’s campus hotels and how the University is positioning these facilities to meet institutional goals for the future. I will share key suggestions for planning and designing campus hotels, while John will share the developer’s perspective…
Two Goats & Some Red Envelopes
Who knew Doppelbock translates into “double goat”? On the first day of the 2012 Chinese New Year, a group of Arrowstreeters discovered this fact as we attended a beer tasting together at our local Not Your Average Joe’s. We sampled a Doppelbock-style beer called Fisherman’s Navigator, brewed by Massachusett’s own Cape Ann Brewing Co, and celebrated the start of the Chinese New Year by handing out lucky red envelopes. Traditionally given out during the Lunar New Year, each envelope contained dollar bills- but the luckiest of us, David Flajnik, found a $25 gift certificate to Changsho, a favorite buffet restaurant, in his red envelope. Stephanie and I each took home a Navigator pint glass to remember the evening; good drinks, good food, and good times were enjoyed by all.
Breakfast with Congressman Mike Capuano
In a talk that touched on Washington gridlock, the MBTA Green Line extension, and the Main Street Fairness Act, Congressman Michael Capuano spoke at the kick-off of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce’s new monthly “Government Affairs Breakfast Series”. The late January event was held in the Mount Vernon Restaurant, a short distance away from the new Assembly Row development and the future Orange Line T stop…
Nordica Theater Opens
After over a year of hard work, the Nordica Theater at Freeport Village recently opened. John, David Burn, and I were able to attend on Arrowstreet’s behalf, joining our friends Al Yebba and Mike Murphy of Berenson Associates and Mark Benvenuto from Belmont Capital. It’s always satisfying to see a building we designed in use, and this was no exception- though this was the first opening I’d been to that involved watching movie previews in 3-D! Nordica Theater is a success and a great addition to Freeport.
Innovative Partnerships for Photovoltaic Installations
Jim Batchelor will be presenting work on Photovolatic Installations at the Brookline Climate Week 2012 in a panel on Saturday, January 28th. His focus will be on partnerships between non-profit and for-profit providers to accomplish PV installations. For more information on the conference, go to http://climatechangeactionbrookline.org/calendar.php.
Worcester CitySquare Building H Topping Off Ceremony
Arrowstreet recently celebrated a big moment with the City of Worcester, Unum, and many others when the steel frame was finally topped off at the CitySquare Development’s newest office highrise on January 4th. It was a brutally cold day, but a well-attended and warmly welcomed milestone for the many people involved. The patriotically painted beam was signed and hoisted 120 feet up into the air to be placed in its final home. What an impressive sight: an evergreen tree on one side and the American flag on the other, flying up in the sky marking the building’s official presence in Worcester’s skyline…
RetailGreen: Presentation and Debate
The International Council of Shopping Center’s (ICSC’s) annual “RetailGreen” Conference was recently held in Phoenix, Arizona. It’s the only green conference that exists primarily to serve the retail development industry. In planning meetings for the event, my colleagues and I on the Program Committee spent a lot of time conjuring up panel presentations and roundtable discussions on the sustainability topics most relevant to ICSC members…
Arrowstreet’s Annual Holiday Party
As the calendar turns to the latter half of December, Arrowstreet hosts its annual Holiday Party at the office. The party this year was quite the success with the whole Arrowstreet family- including spouses, children, and a few Arrowstreet “alumni” and friends who stopped by to enjoy delicious foods and spirits. The children had their own room set up with arts and crafts, games, movies, and kid-friendly dinner. Computers throughout the office displayed photos from the year’s events, site visits, and office outings while people strolled around the space chatting, catching up, and sampling the tasty morsels being served…