The owner of the building that used to house MJ's Pizza goes before the Zoning Board of Appeals on Aug. 5 for permission to lease the space to a new pizza place.
Stash's Pizza has had signs up in the windows of 330 Belgrade Ave. since March, but has been unable to open due to a combination of a city code that requires new zoning approval for takeout every single time a place changes ownership, even if the restaurant will be basically identical, and a backlog at the Zoning Board of Appeals due to the zooming number of development proposals in other parts of the city.
The backlog had gotten so bad Mayor Walsh this week ordered the board to double its hearing hours starting Aug. 5 to try to get through all the applications.
Even if Stash's wins zoning permission on Aug. 5, its owners will have to wait for the city legal department to certify the approval - and will then have to schedule a separate hearing before the Boston Licensing Board.
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Comments
World class, baby!
By Scratchie
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 5:01pm
World class, baby!
Steve's legacy
By MadMax
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 7:06pm
You know what's word class? Stash' mysterious new owners. I drive by that place about 2-3 times a day, and I was mystified how they could remain shuttered like that, and still make the bills.
Perhaps this is continuing legacy? When the city gave previous owner Steve an award at Adams park, the daughter and I were there cheering and clapping with everybody else.
This is why we badly need
By anon
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 5:06pm
This is why we badly need zoning reform or to do away with it entirely.
A very simple reform in this case
By adamg
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 5:15pm
Eliminate the requirement for zoning hearings on takeout places that are replacing takeout places.
The goal was probably to prevent neighborhood nuisances, but that could be handled at the licensing board - which normally refuses to approve food-serving licenses without proof the applicant has met with the local neighborhood association first.
Yes, get rid of zoning
By Waquiot
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 8:31pm
Please provide your address. I am looking to open a slaughterhouse in Boston and I'm looking for a spot once these pesky zoning regulations are done away with.
Seriously, though, this case is a classic example of the need to streamline the process. If a new owner is essentially doing the exact same thing, the permits should be a slam dunk.
I've been wondering
By Kathode
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 6:12pm
what the delay is about. There is an unmet need in Roslindale for pizza! Hope they open soon.
Pleasant Cafe ?
By kvn
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 8:23pm
Pleasant Cafe ?
I like the
By Kathode
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 8:47pm
Pleasant Cafe, it's just nice to have choices.
A gazillion choices not far away
By adamg
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 10:06pm
Granted, it means driving into West Roxbury, but that neighborhood's 47,000 or so pizza places aren't that far away from where MJ's used to be, except for maybe Bertucci's, way, way up on the parkway.
Peppers , mushrooms , onions,
By kvn
Fri, 07/25/2014 - 7:24am
Peppers , mushrooms , onions, mix it up some. You have to go further than the old house of pizza to beat the Pleasant. For a change , maybe , zip over to Santarpio's in East Boston. Denly's in Weymouth very nice too.
Gross! Their actual foos was
By Ro
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 9:39pm
Gross! Their actual foos was disgusting so I would never go for their pizza after.
Loved MJs seriously missing them. Rhop doesn't cut it most nights.
Are we talking about the same Roslindale?
By anon
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 8:55pm
Varying quality aside, there's Check Mate, Rozzie House of Pizza, Domino's, Romano's, Pleasant..
And Nick's
By adamg
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 10:11pm
Can't forget Nick's!
Also, for the truly desperate, there's a Little Caesar's down on American Legion (couple doors down from Simco) - and the second Domino's, where BBQ Town used to be.
And Rustica
By HenryAlan
Wed, 07/30/2014 - 10:39pm
or whatever it's called in the place that switches back and forth between pizza and Albanian.
Stash's "pizza"
By JAYPEE
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 9:12pm
...is easily the worst pizza in Boston. And that's saying something.
But how come there were two
By shoey
Thu, 07/24/2014 - 9:22pm
But how come there were two pizza places in the former Upper Crust that have already opened and, in one case, closed? Same with the 2 pizza places at the former Brickhouse? MJ's closed over a year ago and Stash already had plans to move in at that time.
I go by every day and say "it
By anon
Fri, 07/25/2014 - 8:42am
I go by every day and say "it's never opening." Last May the sign said "opening 2 weeks under new management."
Rustica Pizza
By Willy
Fri, 07/25/2014 - 10:20am
Speaking of pizza places replacing pizza places, there's a new pizza place across the street from Seven Star called Rustica. Supposedly it's pretty good, I'm going to try it this weekend. It's right down the street from new Stash's! I hope it fares better than the old tenants- Arbri, Prime Time, etc
There was a place years ago
By kvn
Fri, 07/25/2014 - 2:11pm
There was a place years ago on South street, almost at the train station ,Messina pizza . The store was almost burrowed into the embankment. They had the square type slices , 5¢ ,maybe10¢ . Very nice !
Mr. Messina's Place
By dmk
Sat, 07/26/2014 - 5:03pm
That building and Mesinna's Bakery stood on the land now occupied by the Citizen's Bank. It was there through the 60s and after he retired and closed the building burned and was leveled. Later the predecessor of the bank now there moved in, later being bought out by Citizens.
Mesinna's had a wonderful aroma of anisette when you passed by and the square slice was old world style.
If you were into aromas, Kennedy Butter and Egg on Corinth was the place for smelling fresh ground coffee.
Just love...
By Michael Kerpan
Thu, 07/31/2014 - 11:38am
... all your wonderful memories of Roslindale.
Big & Growing Problem
By jmaddenmass
Fri, 07/25/2014 - 11:06am
This is happening all over the city right now. It seems zoning is being oddly and unevenly interpreted by city counsel, particularly for food uses. You wonder why the ZBA has a backlog?
Roslindale pizza
By Grover
Fri, 07/25/2014 - 4:01pm
The goal was not to prevent neighborhood nuisances. The goal was to generate revenue and to make the owners beholden to city politicians. A not very subtle form of Extortion.