City to Hold Informational Meetings for Business Owners, Employees of Recent Fenway Fire

Mayor Says City and State Officials to Discuss Available Resources,
Job Training, and Next Steps

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today said City officials would hold two meetings on Wednesday, January 14, 2009, for the seven Fenway neighborhood businesses destroyed by last Tuesday's four-alarm fire in an effort to provide information about next steps, job training, and available resources to both business owners and the more than 60 employees affected.

The meetings will be held at the nearby Boston Arts Academy, located at 174 Ipswich Street, which is directly across the street from Fenway Park's right field. Officials will meet first with the building's landlord and business owners at 3:00 P.M., followed by a second meeting that will take place at 4:00 P.M. for business owners and employees. Spanish and Korean-speaking translators will be available at both meetings.

"Our goal here is to help folks get back on their feet, reopen their businesses, and make sure people have employment in the meantime. But we know that this can take time, and we want to try and answer some of the questions about the process," Mayor Menino said. "It's incredibly important that the owners and the employees of these businesses attend Wednesday's meetings – we want folks to know what is available to them."

Meeting attendees will hear from the City's Department of Neighborhood Development; the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services; the Inspectional Services Department; the Jobs and Community Services division of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and staff from the U.S. Department of Labor's local Rapid Response office that works with employers and any employees to maximize public and private resources that are associated with job loss.

Mayor Menino also said officials from the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services (MONS) and the Department of Neighborhood Development's (DND) Office of Business Development have been working with those involved, including the landlord, since the fire first started at approximately 2:00 A.M., on Tuesday, January 6. The fire caused approximately $5 million in damages to the businesses, located at the intersection of Peterborough and Kilmarnock Streets.

Officials said that the building's landlord has hired engineers to assess the structural integrity of the building in an effort to determine whether it can be rebuilt or if it needs to be torn down. This information would likely be shared at Wednesday's meetings, the officials added.

City officials said a team of staff would continue to work closely with the building's landlord and business owners to offer guidance and assess specific needs in an effort to expedite the process of reopening. Mayor Menino said DND's Office of Business Development would provide financial, technical, and permitting assistance, and would work with the Office of Neighborhood Services to determine potential sites for relocation.

Boston Fire officials have said the fire started in Thornton's Fenway Grille, and quickly spread to the six neighboring businesses, including: Greek Isles Restaurant, Rod-Dee Thai Cuisine, Umi Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar, Sorento's Italian Gourmet, and Bon Cleaners, a dry-cleaning business.

For more information about Wednesday's meetings, businesses owners and employees should call 617.635.0328, or visit www.cityofboston.gov/dnd.