Patch Facts

Five Things to Know on May 8: Guest Bartenders Raise Money at the Black Cow

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Wednesday, May 8. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham: 1. Rain: In the first time in almost two weeks, we’ll see some rain later in the day on Wednesday. The high temperature will be in the mid-60s. 2. Tourism: The North of Boston Visitors and Convention Bureau, which includes Hamilton and Wenham, is going to Beacon Hill on Wednesday for Tourism Day at the State House. The goal of the day, which falls during International Tourism Week, is to foster awareness of Massachusetts’ third largest industry. 3. Bartenders: Team Daisy will be behind the bar on Wednesday night at The Black Cow from 7:30-10:30 p.m. to raise money for its Pan-Massachusetts Challenge team. Team Daisy was started 16 years ago to honor …

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Patch Facts

Five Things to Know on Feb. 13: Open Forum About Patton Park Pool

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Wednesday, Feb. 13. Here are five things you need to know in Hamilton and Wenham:  1. Great: Wednesday is looking like it will be a great day weatherwise, with temperatures in the mid-40s and sunny skies. 2. Pool: Wednesday evening is the first of two open forums to talk about the Patton Park pool. The forum will be at 5:30 p.m. in the meeting room at Hamilton-Wenham Library where the pool committee wants to hear from the public what it would want in a new aquatic facility at the park. 3. Ash Wednesday: Lent starts on Wednesday for Catholics and other Christians today on Ash Wednesday. It is the first day of the Lenten fast and at services on Wednesday ashes are typically put on the forehead as a reminder of mortality. 4. …

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New Athletic Center Gets OK for Spring Construction

A new athletic center at Pingree School and an art wing addition have received an OK from the Zoning Board.

One of the largest building construction projects in Hamilton in recent years has received the OK to go ahead. The new athletic center at Pingree School will be a 34,600 square foot stand alone building that will be home to three basketball courts, plus the athletic director’s office, training room and athletic supply storage. An arts addition to the school's main building will total 14,000 square feet. The Zoning Board of Appeals issued its written decision granting a permit for the work on Nov. 21. The complete decision is attached to this story as a PDF. Pingree officials said that construction is expected to start in the spring. The new building will go where a parking lot is now, south of the Johnson hockey rink and the school’s main …

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Mike's Auto Clears Hurdle, Makes Plans to Resume Used Car Sales

Mike's Auto has been given the OK by the Hamilton Zoning Board of Appeals to sell eight used cars on its downtown Hamilton lot.

Mike’s Auto has been given the go-ahead by the Zoning Board to sell used cars at its downtown Hamilton auto repair garage. The board’s decision was made final in a written decision last Thursday allowing eight used cars to be sold on the Bay Road property. A full copy of the decision is attached to this story as a PDF. There is a 20-day appeal period before the decision becomes final. Stephanie Holland, daughter of owner Michael Holland who works alongside him, said on Friday that after the appeal period ends she plans to resume used car sales. Used car sales had been halted since early July when the Board of Selectmen ordered all used cars off the property because it said Mike’s was in violation of the conditions of its Class II Used Car …

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Mike's Nears a Likely OK for Used Car Sales

Mike's Auto is getting closer to a final decision about whether used cars can be sold at the Bay Road business.

The proposal to sell used cars at Mike's Auto Repair in downtown Hamilton will go before the Hamilton Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday night - a board that last month showed interest is allowing a scaled back used car sales area. Board members told owner Michael Holland and his attorney, James Kroesser, they were open to approving a plan that would allow seven spaces in front of Mike’s where used cars could be sold. “This is something of a negotiation,” said Chairman Bill Bowler said, noting he sensed that the board was open to allowing used car sales at Mike’s but that the number of parking spaces proposed was too many. Jane Lyman, a board member, said she would be OK with seven spaces in front, although “it seems tight.” “I’m OK with…

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Pingree Unveils Plans for New Athletic Center, Arts Addition

A new athletic building and arts addition is planned at Pingree School.

Pingree School unveiled plans on Tuesday to build a new athletic building and expand its arts wing. The new 35,000 athletic building will go in space that is now a parking lot across the driveway from the hockey rink. Ultimately, the Hamilton Zoning Board of Appeals will be asked to grant the permits. But on Tuesday night, the Planning Board took an initial look at the plans. This summer, Pingree built a new septic system under the hockey rink parking lot. “We wanted to get that out of the way ahead of time,” said Jock Burns, Pingree’s Director of Finance. The school hopes to break ground on the new athletic building and arts addition in spring 2013. The total cost of all the work is estimated at $10 million, according to an application …

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Patch Facts

Five Things to Know Today in Hamilton and Wenham: Aug. 1

An essential get-me-going daily morning column from Hamilton-Wenham Patch.

Today is Wednesday, Aug. 1. Here are five things you need to know: 1. Vehicle Night: For some kids, it may be the highlight of the summer – vehicle night at Hamilton-Wenham Library. Emergency vehicles, tree trucks and snowplows will be just some of the vehicles on display in the library parking lot from 5:30-7:30 p.m. 2. Sports Registration: Wednesday is one of the last chances for students to register for fall sports at Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School. Registration forms and payment will be accepted at the athletic office from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday. 3. Trails and Sails: Each fall, the Trails and Sails weekend has become a tradition in Essex County, offering a variety of events that showcases what the region offers. This year, …

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Mike's Auto - a 'Hot Potato' - to Face More Questions About Used Car Sales

The Hamilton Planning Board still has questions about a proposal to sell used cars at Mike's Auto in downtown Hamilton.

The Hamilton Planning Board wants another chance get answers to its questions about plans to sell used cars at Mike’s Auto Repair in downtown Hamilton. Mike’s is looking for a permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals to allow used car sales at the business on Route 1A, just north of the Wenham town line. While the ZBA will make the final decision, the Planning Board also has a say through the site plan review process, which includes review of things such as parking and site layout. Initially, a plan outlining how the used cars will be arranged on the property was hand drawn by Mike’s attorney, Jim Kroesser of Hamilton, but the Planning Board said that was not good enough. The Zoning Board later said it, too, wanted a plan drawn by a …

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Carriage House Junction Developer Proposes Payments Instead of New Affordable Units

The developer of Carriage House Junction in Hamilton is asking the town whether it will accept payments instead of the construction of the final two affordable units at the condominium development.

The developer of the Carriage House Junction condominiums is asking town officials how much it would cost to make a payment to the town in lieu of building the final two so-called affordable units. The request first came to the Hamilton Zoning Board of Appeals last week. The Planning Board, when it meets on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. at Hamilton Town Hall, has an agenda item set aside for a discussion of “inclusionary zoning” – zoning law that regulates affordable housing - and the board’s rules and regulations about it. The inclusionary zoning ordinance, passed at Town Meeting in 2005, includes a fee in-lieu-of-units schedule. The Carriage House Junction development was permitted in 2006 and built in 2007. It is located on three acres at …

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Changes to Front Windows, Entrance Get Underway at Black Cow

The Black Cow restaurant closed in April to undergo renovations and this week the changes that had required town approval got underway.

Changes to the entrance and front windows at Black Cow Tap and Grill got underway this week after the restaurant renovations got an OK from the Hamilton Zoning Board of Appeals. Owner Joe Leone has said he plans to reopen the downtown Hamilton restaurant in September after renovations. It has been at its current location for 19 years and the restaurant has been largely unchanged during that time, although it was expanded from 82 seats to 101 seats in 2001. The restaurant closed in April to undergo the renovations. The plan is to make a small existing entrance on the north side of the restaurant into the main entrance and remove the existing center entrance and replace it with windows. A handicapped entrance of the side of the building will…

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