Merrimack Valley Magazine

NoteWorthy – 8/23/20

August 23, 2020 by Jaden Mendola

AROUND THE VALLEY

MCC Partners with VA to Shoot a Series of U.S. History Web Shorts

This spring semester, Middlesex Community College‘s (MCC) communications department collaborated with the VA New England Healthcare System to create a series of short features on New England Veterans and U.S. military history.

Starting in February 2020, Francois De Costerd, MCC’s Media production coordinator, managed the MCC interns as they produced the VA’s new weekly series of web shorts about U.S. military history narrated by Michael McNamara.

MCC interns researched and gathered content for the scripts that were provided by McNamara before putting together a rough edit using the visuals and narration over music. De Costerd then reviewed the work and completed the shorts with additional sources and motion graphics.

In total, the department produced almost 20 episodes of the series, creating the visual content and the graphics. The MCC interns researched historical content, looked for motion graphics, designed logos and developed animations. The group also completed all of the closed captioning, which is a valuable skill for the industry according to De Costerd.

Lupoli Companies Announces The Heights Pre-Leasing and Pricing

Lupoli Companies, a developer known for transforming gateway cities, announced the start of preleasing and pricing information for The Heights at Haverhill, a new luxury apartment community located on the Merrimack River at 160 Merrimack Street in Haverhill.

The ten-story glass and steel building features 42 luxury one and two bedroom apartment units. Amenities include floor-to-ceiling windows, spa-like bathrooms, solid stone countertops, an in- home washer and dryer, a fitness center, and a terrace option. All but seven units feature a terrace and a view of the Merrimack River.

The Heights will offer a cutting-edge fitness center and dog run area for all residents. There are plans to open upscale Italian restaurant Bosa on the first floor early next year, along with a rooftop bar called Bar Bosa. Residents can also expect room-service style delivery from the on-site restaurant after opening. Tenants are expected to begin move-in September of 2020.

Dependent upon the unit square footage and bed and bath count, pricing starts at $2,367 and up to live at The Heights at Haverhill. One free month is currently being offered with a signed lease.

Merrimack Valley Active Transportation Plan and Public Listening Sessions

The Merrimack Valley Active Transportation Plan will create a coordinated regional approach to bicycling, walking and other human-powered transportation as well as the connections to transit.

Five virtual public listening sessions will be held to give the public the opportunity to provide input into the plan. Meetings have been developed with a geographic focus to allow for more inter-community connections. However, the public is welcome to join the meeting that best works for their schedules.

Check www.mvpc.org/events or www.mvpc.org/news for instructions about how to join the virtual meetings. The five meetings will take place on the following dates:

September 1, 2020 from 6-7 p.m. (Rural/Smaller Communities)
September 2, 2020 from 6–7 p.m. (Greater Haverhill)
September 3, 2020 from 7-8 p.m. (Coastal Communities)
September 16, 2020 from 6-7 p.m. (Lawrence/Methuen) *English/Spanish
September 24, 2020 from 6-7 p.m. (Andover/North Andover)

UMass Lowell Grads Thriving in Altered Job Market

UMass Lowell’s 2020 graduates are finding professional success, thanks to their resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and the strength of the university’s academic and career-planning programs.

As recent graduates have had to adjust their job-seeking strategies, so too has UMass Lowell, adding new services for students and recent alumni amid the pandemic, according to Gregory Denon, associate dean of student affairs for career development. After the university moved to remote operations in March, the Career and Co-op Center produced its Spring Career Fair as a virtual event that drew more than 300 students and scores of employers. As a result, five more virtual career events and other networking opportunities for UMass Lowell students and alumni are planned for the fall.

Despite the economic slowdown, UMass Lowell continues to provide information about full-time job openings for recent graduates, according Denon, who noted companies with strong information-technology infrastructures that can support employees working from home are welcoming new hires at a steady clip.

Top Notch Scholars Announces 2020 Scholarship Class

Joanna DePena, executive director of Top Notch Scholars in Lawrence, a unique educational enhancement program for local high school students, announced the 2020 Senior Awards Celebration was held on Thursday, August 20, at Tenney Castle in Methuen.

DePena said 13 scholarships will be awarded, five of which are full 4-year scholarships. The scholarships are the result of a youth-led fundraising effort that brought in over $7,000 by selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The students enlisted the support of three corporate sponsors who partnered by purchasing the donuts to support the scholarship fund.

The mission of Top Notch Scholars is to provide life skills and leadership opportunities to poor and low-income youth in Lawrence and surrounding communities.

The following students were celebrated:

Litzie Alvarez (Notre Dame Christo Rey)
Noelia Castillo (Lawrence High School)
Erika Dejesus (Greater Lawrence Technical School)
Dulce Galan (Greater Lawrence Technical School)
Remy Garcia (Lawrence High School)
Michael Jimenez (Lawrence High School)
Paola Martinez (Lawrence High School)
Saviel Ortiz (Greater Lawrence Technical School)
Destiney Perez (Lawrence High School)
Ileana Rodriguez (Notre Dame Christo Rey)
Lia Sanchez (Greater Lawrence Technical School)
Kassandra Valdez (Greater Lawrence Technical School)
Selina Vasquez (Greater Lawrence Technical School)

Catie’s Closet in Urgent Need of Clothing Donations for Back to School

Catie’s Closet is turning to the community for back-to-school clothing donations during the months of August and September to benefit students of all ages who are experiencing poverty and homelessness. Since schools have been closed due to COVID-19, thousands of students have been torn from supportive services and forced into a deeper level of poverty, substantially increasing the need for basic items.

Catie’s Closet recently kicked off its fifth annual “Fill The Bus” event to support students going back to school. The organization’s goal is to collect 50,000 pieces of clothing to fill its 87 closets for the upcoming school year. To help Catie’s Closet provide for students in need, individuals and families can do the any of the following:

Clean out closets and donate gently used items children in youth and adult sizes
Purchase and donate new clothes and/or full-sized toiletries
Host a virtual clothing drive
Make a monetary donation to purchase a Confidence Pack

Donors and drive hosts can arrange a drop off at either of the Catie’s Closet distribution centers in Dracut or Boston. To learn more about donating to Catie’s Closet’s Fill The Bus, visit catiescloset.org.

Register for Fall Courses at Middlesex Community College

This fall, Middlesex Community College (MCC) will run 95% of their courses online, which includes two accelerated eight-week sessions.

MCC’s accelerated eight-week sessions cover the same content, maintain the same academic standards and contain the same number of instructional hours as courses scheduled in the traditional 15-week semester. Students can earn credits in a variety of subjects like English, science, history, social science, mathematics and more.

By finishing general requirements with MCC’s Mini-mesters, students will not have to put their education on hold. Students can then go directly into the workforce or transfer to a four-year college or university as a second semester freshman or higher – depending on how many credits they earn at MCC – all while saving thousands in tuition costs.

To learn more about the classes and opportunities MCC offers – and to register for fall classes – visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call (800) 818-3434.

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Attorney Jennifer Parent to Become Chairman of the Board of Trustees at The Palace Theatre

The Palace Theatre recently announced the appointment of Jennifer Parent as chairman of the board of trustees. Parent has been a board member since 2012 and has served as vice chair for the past two years. Parent succeeds Mark LaPrade, who has served as chairman since 2018.

Attorney Jennifer Parent is a director and chair of the litigation department at McLane Middleton, Professional Association. She has over 24 years of experience litigating and resolving disputes for companies and business owners in a wide range of complex commercial cases and employment matters. She has litigated in state and federal courts in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Parent has also represented companies in employment and tax abatement matters at the agency level and conducted workplace trainings.

NoteWorthy – 4/19/20

April 19, 2020 by Doug Sparks

Around the Valley

Student Advocate Named Civic Fellow

Courtney Morin of Lawrence has been named Northern Essex Community College’s Newman Civic Fellow for her outstanding leadership roles and devotion to advocating for community college students.

Morin, a biology and philosophy major, was nominated by NECC President Lane Glenn, who wrote, “College faculty and staff describe Courtney with words such as motivated, collaborative, innovative, dedicated, change-maker, and advocate.”

During her first year at Northern Essex, Morin became the president of the Amnesty International Club. In spring 2017, she started as a general member of the Student Government Association. Morin has attended several advocacy days at the Massachusetts Statehouse to advocate for sexual assault prevention, college affordability, educational attainment disparities between white and Latinx students, housing and food insecurity, mental health and the interconnectedness of these issues. Morin currently serves as the vice president of the Haverhill Campus for SGA.

In fall 2018, she was elected as the NECC student trustee to the board of trustees.

“Beyond the NECC community, Courtney was elected in 2018 to serve as the Vice Chair of the Student Advisory Council to the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, where she supported and promoted initiatives such as open educational resources (OER), changing student trustee eligibility requirements, and Every Voice Coalition’s bills, aimed at addressing sexual violence and misconduct on higher education campuses,” wrote Glenn.

The Newman Civic Fellowship distinguishes and supports students who have shown leadership and an investment in their communities across the country to help solve problems they may be facing.

ECCF Announces New Grant Program for Creative Nonprofits Affected by COVID-19

Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) is announcing the creation of the Essex County Creative Nonprofit Resiliency Grant Program.

Seeded with $100,000 from ECCF’s Creative County Initiative, the program will provide one-time grants to the Essex County cultural nonprofits that anchor vulnerable and vitally important cultural communities. The program will target small and mid-sized arts and cultural organizations with deep roots in their communities, that serve the economically vulnerable and are taking a long view towards recovery and sustainability.

During this time, ECCF encourages donors to continue their direct support of the arts and cultural organizations they have supported in the past. For more information, and to help sustain creative nonprofits by making a donation, please visit eccf.org/creative-county.

Individual artists are not eligible for The Essex County Creative Nonprofit Resiliency Program, but may be eligible for a grant from The Essex County Artist Fund. For more information, visit eccf.org/creative-county.

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union and Community Teamwork Launch Acre Catalyst Fund

The Acre Catalyst Fund is a new collaborative project as part of Working Cities Lowell that provides businesses and entrepreneurs in the Acre neighborhood with funds and other support to start or expand their business ventures.

Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union has partnered with Community Teamwork, Inc. (CTI) to launch the Acre Catalyst Fund, a new collaborative project that will enhance business and entrepreneurial opportunities within Lowell’s Acre neighborhood.

The credit union has committed $200,000 to the Entrepreneurship Center @CTI to capitalize an economic development initiative. The Entrepreneurship Center @CTI offers a broad range of business services. The Acre Catalyst Fund complements the center’s programs by making loans available to entrepreneurs, new and current Acre businesses, and businesses seeking to locate to the Acre, one of Lowell’s most impoverished neighborhoods.

“The Acre is more than a neighborhood to us,” said Mark Cochran, president and chief executive officer of Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union. “This is where our organization began, and it’s still our home today. We have a responsibility to provide resources that can help neighborhoods thrive and give residents a pathway to economic opportunity. As a Working Cities Challenge member, the Credit Union is pleased to collaborate on this effort.”

The Acre Catalyst Fund is part of the Working Cities Lowell Initiative, a partnership between 13 local organizations, including Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union and Community Teamwork, Inc. that work to improve the Acre.

In addition to loan capital, entrepreneurs and businesses that are part of the program will receive business and financial counseling and other supportive resources to help guide them in their business ventures. Applicants must meet specific criteria to be eligible.

For more information regarding The Acre Catalyst Fund visit www.GrowYourBusinessat CTI.org.

Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce Launches Financial Program for Small Businesses

A new program from the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce is helping the area’s smallest businesses where they need it most right now: Their pocketbooks.

“The COVID-19 crisis is wreaking havoc on Main Street small businesses across the United States,” says Dougan Sherwood, president of the Haverhill Chamber. “The Greater Haverhill Chamber has set up a new fund to drive desperately needed cash into these local mom and pops.”

Thanks to the program, people who shop at the participating businesses will get 25% off their purchase up to $100. They can find more details and participating businesses on the Haverhill Chamber’s website.

People can also help by donating to a GoFundMe campaign that the Chamber created to fund the initiative. It will use the fund to repay the businesses that provide a 25% discount to their customers.

Sherwood says the program will run for as long as it has funding.

“Please consider giving,” he says. “Then go shopping!”

Lupoli Delivers Pizza With a Purpose

On April 3, Sal Lupoli, the CEO and founder of Sal’s Pizza, delivered over 200 slices of pizza to Lawrence Memorial Hospital to thank the doctors, nurses, and hospital workers for their dedication and hard work. Then on April 8, Sal and wife Kati Lupoli, delivered pizzas to the Chelmsford Police and Fire Department. Through #pizzawithapourpose, Sal’s Pizza has discounted pizza at each of its locations and is providing pizza-making kits.

“Our mission is to help those that are helping our communities fight this virus. The courageous work that first responders are doing is hard and it does not go unnoticed. I hope that by delivering pizzas and saying thank you we can help our first responders in a small way” said Sal Lupoli, the CEO and Founder of the Lupoli Companies.

Student Entrepreneur Competition Tackles Health Care and Sustainability

Innovating even in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, UMass Lowell students learning entrepreneurship skills presented their ideas for new products and services in a pitch competition held remotely for the first time.

UMass Lowell’s DifferenceMaker program brings together students in all majors and teaches them to think like entrepreneurs and launch their own businesses and nonprofits. This year, as the UMass Lowell community teaches and works remotely, students participated in the eighth annual DifferenceMaker $50K Idea Challenge via Zoom on Wednesday, April 15. The event was open to the public.

The contest’s judges, many of them UMass Lowell alumni, heard from students pitching ideas for everything from biodegradable face masks to a service that trains people to escape burning buildings. Winning teams will receive shares of $50,000 in seed money from private donations.

Since the DifferenceMaker program’s launch, UMass Lowell students have formed 35 companies, filed for eight patents and raised $4 million in funding. Successful ventures include Nonspec, which builds prosthetics for people in developing countries; TopaCan, which makes and sells a portable device that turns beverage cans into environmentally friendly receptacles for cigarette butts; and invisaWear, inventor and seller of a personal safety alert device that looks like jewelry.

Pentucket Bank Continues with Increase in Community Contributions Amid COVID-19

Pentucket Bank announced the third round of “Phase One” donations as part of the bank’s strategy to increase charitable giving by 20% in 2020 over the $400,000 that the bank donated in 2019.

On Friday, April 10, the bank informed the following organizations that they will be receiving $2,500 in unrestricted funds: Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Salem Family Resources and Essex Country Community Foundation. The bank is committed to placing these meaningful funds in the hands of several agencies that are continuing to provide critical services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. What the Bank is calling “Phase One” of their giving strategy includes ten local organizations and a total of $25,000; $2,500 for each of the ten. To date, the following organizations have also been recipients of these strategic bank contributions: Sarah’s Place Adult Day Health; Isaiah 58; Home Health Foundation; Emmaus Inc.; Boys & Girls Club of Haverhill, Boys & Girls Club of Salem and Family Services of Merrimack Valley.

For more information, please visit www.pentucketbank.com/covid19.

Haverhill Bank Provides $15 Million in SBA Funding to Local Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 Restrictions

As a longtime participating lender in U.S. Small Business Administration programs, Haverhill Bank was prepared to help when Congress approved the Paycheck Protection Program. The PPP is the centerpiece of a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus package and converts many loans into outright grants. Haverhill Bank President and CEO Thomas Mortimer said his institution has already funded $15 million to local businesses.

“This isn’t just about business. It’s personal. These are our families, neighbors, frontline workers at local businesses who need a helping hand as the nation faces the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s,” he said.

On the day the program launched two weeks ago, he said, Haverhill Bank was already coaching businesses remotely. As a result, it received more than 160 applications and $34 million in requests.

The program allows businesses to keep paying employees and/or bring back laid-off workers. For the kinds of small businesses served by Haverhill Bank, most businesses won’t have to repay the loan if they keep people on the payroll.

Mortimer said bank staff have worked tirelessly to process the applications since time was of the essence. He explained that Congress allocated $349 billion and the bank processed loans all the way up until the time the current round of funding ran out on Thursday.

“This program will save many businesses from continued hardship and will benefit many who are unemployed,” Mortimer added.

LIVE. PLAY. WORK. Thorndike Exchange and Sal Lupoli’s Bold Plan

September 12, 2019 by Tyler McMillan Leave a Comment

It’s hard to imagine the city of Lowell 20 years from now. Over the past few decades, the city’s reputation as a cultural center has grown, and the signs of its economic expansion are apparent when we scan the horizon and see cranes and girders silhouetted against the sky.

One of the most ambitious projects, and possibly a hint of things to come, is Thorndike Exchange. This ambitious mixed-use complex, the vision of developer Salvatore Lupoli, aims to push the limits of luxury in the Mill City and create a vibrant hub for living, dining and shopping. As its website notes, the Exchange is a “live-play-work environment,” which happens to be just a footbridge away from the Gallagher Terminal train station. As lifestyle factors and skyrocketing rents drive professionals out of Boston, we may start seeing them in Lowell, where the Exchange promises options for food, drink and recreation that many only expect to find in Metro Beantown.

The heights of Lupoli’s aspirations are apparent the moment you enter the lobby of the completed first phase of the Thorndike Exchange project. Large windows flood the reception area with natural light. Floral fragrances gently ventilate through the hallways. Soothing music plays quietly in the background.

The Exchange is a $60 million project that began in 2012, when Lupoli began negotiating the purchase of what was then the Comfort Furniture and Bedding building, whose owners had filed for bankruptcy in 2011. The acquisition wasn’t completed until 2014, and it took another three years to acquire a building permit.

The completed first phase of the Thorndike Exchange project includes retail space and 65 apartments, with the leasing of apartment units and commercial spaces underway.

The Exchange pays homage to Lowell’s rich history and represents a blend of modern renovation with classic preservation. The original doors used in train deliveries remain on the first floor of the five-story building, and many hallways feature original granite that had been hiding behind the walls. Each floor is named after a famous figure in Lowell history: Jack Kerouac, Benjamin Butler, Charles Hood, Bette Davis and James McNeill Whistler.

The glimpses of the city’s past are balanced with contemporary architecture and design. The units feature handcrafted cabinets, spacious kitchens and living rooms, and overarching designs that are sleek, elegant and visually impactful. When he came up with the idea for the Thorndike Exchange, Lupoli says he realized that “every market, including tertiary cities, deserves quality. This is taking that a step further into providing luxury.” This recognition drove Lupoli to push boundaries and test the limits of what was possible.

From the beginning, the project was meant to balance the building’s sense of history with a contemporary feel. Exposed brick and impressive views evoke Lowell’s past. Photos courtesy of Shanklevision and Boston Light Source.

The inclusion of cutting-edge amenities is essential to Lupoli’s concept. Residents can walk their dogs directly outside the building atop filtrated turf. A concierge service stands ready to carry groceries and meals to residents’ apartments. During New England’s cold winters, the enclosed bridge leading directly from Thorndike Exchange to the neighboring Gallagher station is heated to keep commuters cozy. In bad weather, residents can go all the way from the Exchange to Boston’s North Station without feeling a raindrop. A large TV screen in the station’s waiting area provides status information on trains. This area is also the site of a Lowell Police Department satellite office.

Lupoli, who co-founded the famous Sal’s Pizza chain, considers dining integral to the plan. “With my restaurant background,” he says, “I made sure to feature commercial spaces for multiple restaurants and a full-service cafe. I didn’t want the amenities to be an a la carte design.” No restaurants have opened yet, but Lupoli suggests there is significant interest from multiple entrepreneurs. “It is just a matter of ensuring the right fit,” he says. “This will not be a matter of if the restaurants will open, rather when.” Lupoli says the restaurants will be third-party businesses and not operated by himself or his Lupoli Companies team. The two-level main restaurant will have about 6,000 square feet of space for seating and 4,000 for the kitchen and storage.

The Exchange is optimized for a community experience with its common spaces. “If you are a millennial or empty nester,” Lupoli says, “you want quality within your apartment, but you also want a space to hang out. You may want to play pool, talk and interact, type on your laptop, or meet new people.” There are common spaces on every floor, each boasting complimentary coffee and WiFi. The first floor features a full gym outfitted with Precor fitness machines, kettlebells and a range of cardio equipment. A yoga room abuts the gym. There are libraries, a museum and a resident-only garden area that will feature beds of herbs and flowers, grills and lawn chairs. Special soundproofing has been installed throughout the building to preserve the calm atmosphere, despite its proximity to the train station and the Lowell Connector.

Waterfall granite countertops and creative lighting give common areas an ultramodern ambiance. Photos courtesy of Shanklevision and Boston Light Source.

Thorndike Exchange offers nine different styles of units, ranging from around $1,700 to $3,000 a month. The second phase of the project will feature a connected nine-story residential complex with an estimated 70 to 75 rental units.

On top of the Exchange, Lupoli and crew are building two rooftop lounges. One will be utilized as a private space for residents and guests, while the other will be open to the public. The view includes the South Common and stretches all the way to the Lowell Sun building. Lupoli hopes the restaurants and lounges will combine to bring increased vitality to Lowell’s nightlife and make Thorndike Street a destination for locals looking to unwind.

One of the major problems of city living is finding a place to park. Lupoli has solved this by partnering with officials to utilize the Gallagher station’s parking garage. According to Lupoli, the garage was underutilized, with an estimated 300 parking spots going unfilled on a daily basis. There will also be guest parking near the Exchange for apartment visitors and customers at the commercial spaces.

The Thorndike Exchange is a project that balances comfort and ease with a seemingly never-ending supply of unexpected, surprise details — it is, in Lupoli’s words, a boutique hotel that has been fashioned into a living and lifestyle experience. Hard to imagine? You can call the office to book a tour and see for yourself.

The design of Thorndike Exchange puts emphasis on common areas (left) for residents to engage socially. Exercise buffs will find much to enjoy about the gym (right), which boasts an array of high-tech fitness gadgets, as well as a designated room for yoga. Photos courtesy of Shanklevision and Boston Light Source.

Thorndike Exchange
Lowell, Mass.
(978) 455-0847
ThorndikeExchange.com