Mayor Thomas M. Menino, together with Department of Neighborhood Development Director Evelyn Friedman and WPLM Easy 99.1’s “Strictly Sinatra” host Ron Della Chiesa, on Thursday, June 9^th presented awards at the Boston Main Streets (BMS) 15^th Annual Awards Ceremony, which took place at the Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Mission Hill.  Awards were presented to the 2010 Boston Main Streets Volunteers of the Year and Businesses of the Year.

 “For the past 15 years Boston Main Streets has had tremendous success helping revitalize our neighborhood commercial districts, and there are many people here tonight to thank for all their hard work in helping us make that possible,” said Mayor Menino. "This event is special because we get to honor the people in the neighborhoods who are making our local commercial districts vibrant and welcoming places to shop and do business. I’m proud of the work they do.”

 Developed out of a partnership between the City of Boston and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Boston Main Streets initiative was created by Mayor Menino in 1995 as the first urban, multi-district Main Streets program in the nation, with the goal of establishing thriving commercial districts throughout the city.  Named by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change as one of 19 “Solutions for America,” Boston Main Streets continues to empower individuals in the small business sector to have a direct role in the economic health, physical appearance, and development of their own community. Today, Boston Main Streets provides funding and technical assistance to 20 neighborhood-based Main Streets districts throughout the City of Boston and has served as a national model to urban areas seeking to revitalize neighborhood commercial districts including Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Milwaukee, Detroit, and New Orleans.

 In 2005, Boston created the Boston Main Streets Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established to produce significant advances in business development, jobs creation, storefront improvements, and overall quality of life in Boston’s neighborhood commercial districts.

From among the hundreds of Main Streets volunteers who gave more than 19,000 hours of time in 2010, each district has chosen one volunteer to honor as “Volunteer of the Year.”  Since the start of the program in 1995, over 250,000 hours of volunteer time have been contributed to Main Street efforts.  This year’s Outstanding Volunteers are:

Allston Village – Martha O’Connell      

Bowdoin/Geneva – Sonia Alleyne Matthews

Brighton – Cheryl Madruga      

Chinatown – Brian Yun

Dudley Square – Eric Esteves  

East Boston – Beda Sajquim    

Egleston Square – Julianna Brody-Fiaklin         

Fields Corner – Tam Le

Four Corners – Cheryl R. Niamath

Greater Grove Hall-Robert Thomson                           

Hyde/Jackson Square – Brian Salzer 

Hyde Park – Lisa Consalvo 

JP Centre/South – Shamus Kevin Moynihan     

Mission Hill – Toni Komst

Roslindale Village – Karen Kirchoff     

St. Mark’s Area – Vince Droser

Upham’s Corner – Bridget Curd          

Washington Gateway –Craig Nicholson

West Roxbury – Karen Hickman

            In his remarks to awardees, Mayor Menino referred to Boston’s small businesses, as “the heart and soul of our commercial districts” that provide the products and services that are so important to the people who live and work in the neighborhoods.  Each Main Streets district has chosen one business to honor as Business of the Year. The 2010 Outstanding Businesses are:

Allston Village – @Union Cafe

Bowdoin/Geneva – Genius Planet        

Brighton – WGBH       

Chinatown – East West Bank

Dudley Square – Dunkin Donuts

East Boston – Star Service Center       

Egleston Square – Plaza Meat Market

Fields Corner – Hancock 309 Gallery & Consignment

Four Corners – Levi’s Restaurant & Lounge

Greater Grove Hall – Brother’s Super Liquors II

Hyde/Jackson Square – Brendan Behan Pub                

Hyde Park – Spin350 Creative, Inc.

JP Centre/South –City Feed & Supply

Mission Hill –  Lilly’s Gourmet Pasta Express   

Roslindale Village – Tony’s Market

St. Mark’s Area – Crawford Drug       

Upham’s Corner – Only One Design    

Washington Gateway – Foodie’s Urban Market

West Roxbury – Rox Diner

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