In this episode, we had the pleasure of having Laura Charles and Steve Marcelin on to speak about Roslindale Village Main Street!

RVMS was established in 1985 as one of the first urban Main Street Programs in the nation, with the help of then City Councilor Thomas M. Menino and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Within its first three years, RVMS achieved great success in revitalizing Roslindale Village, with 33 façade changes, 43 commercial building rehabilitations, 29 net new businesses, and 132 net job gains—totaling over $5 million in new investments. Roslindale Village Main Street received a National Main Streets Urban Pioneer Award in 2006 for its revitalization efforts.

Today, Roslindale Village is a thriving commercial hub, with free public wifi in Adams Park, and a fabulous Farmers Market. And, there are now 20 Main Street Districts in the City of Boston. We are proud to have been the first one!

Laura was acting as the interim director was absolutely incredible in her time acting as the director. Give it a listen!

In this episde, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ginger Brown, the director of JP Centre/South Main Streets!

JP Centre/South Main Streets is a volunteer-driven, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to guide the growth of Jamaica Plain’s Centre and South Streets’ business district through the active collaboration of residents, business owners, and others committed to a community-led initiative. In partnership with Boston Main Streets, we provide a direct conduit to the City of Boston and can provide industry assistance to help new businesses succeed. JP Centre/South Main Streets endeavors to sustain our lively community with economic vitality, placemaking, and advocacy.

In this episode, I had my good friend Brian on to talk about all the great things he is doing in the community! He performs constantly in the area and also teaches kids and adults as well, piano lessons!

Check him out if you are interested in learning more about what he does! As always, check us out at sazamarealestate.com for all your real estate needs!

Gena is the owner of the company, which is a ceramics and art studio in Roslindale. It is space for not only kids, but adults too, to get creative! We talk about her journey to opening the studio up and her battles through the pandemic and overcoming it!

Ken's career in real estate began in 2003. Since then, his success is a result of his profession being a perfect match for him. He views real estate as a place where he is able to bring together his passion for advocating for his clients with a love of design as it relates to varied lifestyles.

What sets him apart from other agents is his acute attention to detail, tireless work ethic, and practiced negotiating skills that put his clients' needs first. These traits often save his clients thousands of dollars by avoiding unexpected and costly pitfalls.

As an agent, Ken provides clients with an accurate value of properties through his excellent communication skills and knowledge of local and national real estate trends. In addition to his personal transactions, he also mentors others as a co-chair of the Greater Jamaica Plain Community of Real Estate Professionals.

Prior to his career in real estate, Ken worked in the field of education, leading programs with Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School. He was also the Director of the Charlestown Boys and Girls Club. He received a B.A. in Psychology from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, and an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Ken is an avid outdoorsman, triathlete, and runner. He also volunteers with various local non-profits and youth leadership development programs. He has a passion for green living and integrates this into his daily personal and professional life.