– The City of Gloucester will release a Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) on September 21st, inviting prospective development teams to share early-stage concepts for a public-private partnership to shape the future of I4-C2, a City-owned waterfront parcel at 65 Rogers Street. With direct harbor access and high visibility, 65 Rogers Street offers a rare opportunity to combine municipal leadership with private sector innovation, investment, and operational expertise, while advancing Gloucester’s blue economy.The site sits within Harbor Cove, an active marine district that includes commercial fishing, boatyards, maritime services, and visitor-oriented uses. It is also located one block from Main Street and the Civic Center District.Over the past several months, the City has led a community visioning process to identify public priorities for the site, including strengthening the working waterfront and enhancing public access to the harbor. Because the property is located within Gloucester’s Designated Port Area (DPA), future development must also respond to specific regulatory requirements governing allowable uses. The EOI will outline these community priorities and regulatory parameters so that development teams can shape concepts that respond to both market realities and public goals.Given the site’s complexity and significance, the City welcomes collaborative teams that bring together complementary development, maritime, technical, operational, and financial expertise. Early conversations among potential partners will be important to identify complementary strengths and build the kind of collaborative team that can navigate the regulatory environment and deliver a feasible, community-aligned concept.The EOI will be posted on BidNet Direct, and all submissions must be made exclusively through BidNet. The effort is being supported by Zapalac Advisors, a real estate and economic development firm, through an award from MassDevelopment’s Real Estate Services Technical Assistance Program. Earlier MassDevelopment funding also supported geotechnical engineering services to evaluate the site’s general conditions.The EOI is intentionally non-binding, and concepts and coalitions do not need to be fully formed at this stage. Its purpose is to see what kinds of improvements to the site are possible through a partnership and evaluate the feasibility and alignment of those concepts with community priorities. Responses will help the City determine whether to move forward with a future Request for Proposals (RFP), which would enable the City to lease the site to a chosen partner.  At this point, the City is assessing the opportunities available.If the City proceeds with an RFP, the City would enter into a lease and development agreement with the selected development team. The City will work in partnership with the development team to ensure community priorities are achieved, facilitate successful navigation of regulatory processes, and support the pursuit of public funding and grants to support the project. The development team would be responsible for assembling the expertise, financing, and management capacity needed to execute the project, and for overall project implementation and ongoing operational management.The City will host a site visit for prospective development team members in early October. RSVP is required, and instructions will be included in the EOI package on BidNet Direct. The visit will offer an opportunity to assess the site’s physical conditions and development potential, review the EOI conditions, and connect with potential partners.Ahead of the EOI release, the City encourages interested entities to review the project webpage at https://www.gloucester-ma.gov/1586/I4-C2-Site-Visioning, register on BidNet Direct, and begin exploring potential partnerships..For more information, contact Emily Sloane, Economic Development Coordinator, through the City’s Contact Us form:https://gloucester-ma.gov/forms.aspx?fid=123 —

Mayor Paul Lundberg

City of Gloucester

Shorescape…

Treat yourself today with a $17.99 + tax Lobster Roll, served with chips & pickles! 😋

Plus, pizza night just got even better:
🍕 Buy any 18” pizza and get a second 18” pizza HALF PRICE!
🍕 Buy any 16” pizza and get a second 16” pizza HALF PRICE!

Limit of 2 per customer on pizza specials.

Grab dinner, feed the family, and save while you’re at it! ❤️

Excludes gluten free
Excludes online orders
Pizza specials cannot be combined

The shoulder season months of September and October are my favorites of the year. And it’s the very best time to visit Russell Orchards in Ipswich. There are pick-your-own opportunities, farm animals, pumpkins and treats! I enjoy getting a cup of hot cider and some baked treats when we go. There’s always plenty of assistance if needed and there are so many choices! (They are closed on Mondays so you don’t make the same mistake I did)

To my friends, neighbors, fishermen, fishing families, and everyone who has supported my effort to bring Mark Doughty home:

Thank you.

The response over these past several weeks has meant more to me than I can put into words. People have called, written, researched, shared Mark’s story, and reminded me that I am not carrying this alone.

I especially want to thank Senator Bruce Tarr.

Senator Tarr formally asked the Fishermen’s Memorial Cenotaph Committee to reconsider Mark’s case using all available information, including facts that may not have been submitted or fully considered over the past 25 years.

Senator Tarr listened, and he acted. I am grateful for that.

I do want everyone to understand where things stand today. Since Senator Tarr made that request, I have not heard directly from the Cenotaph Committee. I do not know whether they have agreed to reconsider Mark’s case, whether they have met to discuss it, or whether a meeting is planned. I simply have not been given that information, and I don’t want to speculate about what may be happening behind the scenes.

In the meantime, Senator Tarr has also helped bring together an upcoming meeting with Mayor Paul Lundberg, Representative Andrew “Dru” Tarr, and me to discuss where we go from here. I appreciate that effort, and I see this meeting as an opportunity not only to discuss Mark, but to begin a larger conversation about the future of the Cenotaph.

During this process, I have learned that four other names are also in question. With Mark, that makes five unresolved cases spanning roughly 25 years. Those families deserve to be heard as well.

We have also studied the history of the tablets themselves. Some early tablets covered only five, six, or seven years, while the current tablet has covered more than a century. The fishing industry has changed dramatically. Our fleet has changed, where fishermen work has changed, and the rate at which names are added to the memorial has changed.

I believe it is reasonable to ask whether the process governing the Cenotaph should evolve with the industry and community it represents.

I have specific ideas I intend to bring to the meeting, including modernizing the process and giving Gloucester’s fishing industry a meaningful voice in its future. I will leave those details for our conversation rather than negotiate them publicly.

What we need to protect now is the integrity of the memorial, the families it was created to honor, and the reputation of the city it represents.

The Cenotaph says something about Gloucester. I want it to say that we embrace our fishing families, honor our history, and have the courage to make something better when circumstances change.

I believe Senator Tarr, Mayor Lundberg, and Representative Tarr can help move that conversation forward, and I am looking forward to sitting down with them.

There is still work ahead. But today I want to recognize progress and thank everyone who helped make it possible.

And Senator Tarr, thank you for listening, taking action, and helping bring the right people together.

My personal hope remains the same as when this began:

Tom. Jimmy. Mark. Together.

Someday I hope to stand in front of that tablet, see my entire crew together, and finally be able to say:

I brought my crew home.

With gratitude,

Joseph A. Marcantonio

Captain and Co-Owner, F/V Starbound

Sole Survivor

Captain Christa Miller- Shelley toasts The Adventure on her 100th birthday sail Wednesday night in the harbor.

Katherine McMillan Photo

Caitlin Smith Photos

Gloucester’s Adventure is one of a couple of remaining knockabout (no bowsprit, for safety) Grand Banks fishing schooners. Yesterday on 9/16/26 she celebrated her 100th birthday, born a century ago in Essex.

Attention Residents – Save the Date!

Save the Date for the return of From the Deep: A Downtown Gloucester Arts Party on Saturday, November 7 from 11:00AM – 5:00PM. Explore the depths of art and culture in the City of Gloucester during this free arts party! Over 30 unique cultural events will take place at cultural and business locations across the cultural district in Downtown Gloucester.

If you’re an artist, don’t just save the date – take part in it! Artists in the city and beyond are invited to propose events, public art displays, and community programs that celebrate the funky grit of Gloucester. The Harbortown Cultural District has set aside $4,000 to fund free cultural programs within the walkable downtown district during the event.

Applications are due by October, 1, 2026. Learn more and fill out an application here: https://www.harbortownculturaldistrict.org/from-the-deep

Hayfields…

Many people have never been exposed to  “open studios” which was originated here on Cape Ann over 43 years ago.  A recent post on the North of Boston Visitor’s and Convention Bureau website sums up the event in this way.  “There’s something special about stepping inside an artist’s studio. You don’t just see the finished work—you experience the creative process, meet the artist, and discover the inspiration behind every piece. It’s one of the most memorable ways to explore Cape Ann, whether you’re visiting Gloucester, Rockport, or planning a North Shore getaway.”  Various artists will also provide demonstrations during the tour.  

This is also a critical time of year for the Artisans to welcome new applicants to join the Open Studios for 2027.  The deadline for artists to apply is October 31, 2026.   A new online application form and detailed information can be found on the “Join” page.

Brochures are available at the Cape Ann Chamber, via Discover Gloucester, the visitors’ centers, the 128-north kiosk, hotels, inns, and major tourist attractions around Cape Ann.   You can also download the brochure and map from the Cape Ann Artisans website.   While visiting artisans in their studios, you can participate in the grocery gift card drawing and also receive complementary copies of North Shore Magazine and New England Home on a first come, first serve basis.

The full list of Artisans and the 2026 tour route are shown below.  New members are marked with an asterisk.  

1. Nina Goodick:  Functional Pottery
2. Jacqueline Ganim-DeFalco: Sea Glass Wearable Art, Garden Stones & Sculpture
3. John Abisamra: Fine Art Photography
4. Tina Frassica:  Quilting
5. Katrina Abbott: Pottery and Textiles
6. Sara Wright: Handwoven and Knit Accessories
7. John Bassett: Eco-Friendly recycled glass art*
8. Pam Stratton: Mosaics, Mixed Media, Eco Printed silk scarves, Jewelry, Sculpture
9. Rob Diebboll: Oil and Water Color Painting
10. Kathryn Roberts:  Watercolor Painting
11. Cindy Efinger: Mosaic and Sculpture
12. Jane Keddy: Textiles, Prints, and Mixed Media*

What:  The 43^rd Annual Cape Ann Artisans Open Studios 

Where: Gloucester and Rockport, MA.

When:   Fall Open Studios: Sat & Sun, Oct 10-11.   10AM-5PM

We’re opening early for select Patriots games this season!
Margaritas + Tequila
$3 Bar Bite Menu, 12:30-1:30pm, Bar Only
$8 Game Day Food Menu
Patriots on the TVs + game sound
First early Sunday: September 20
Doors open 12:30 PM!

🦞 $17.99 + tax Lobster Roll served with chips & pickles!

🍕 Buy any 16” Pizza and get the 2nd 16” Pizza HALF PRICE!
Limit of 2 per customer

🍕 Buy any 18” Pizza and get the 2nd 18” Pizza HALF PRICE!
Limit of 2 per customer

Perfect excuse to skip cooking tonight and grab dinner with us! 🍕🦞

Excludes gluten free
Excludes online orders
Pizza specials cannot be combined

Be inspired by someone you may have seen at our amazing YMCA.”

Julianna and her mom have been seen working out together on the gym floor and weight machines at the Y. She is such a positive and inspiring young woman. It was really by chance that we learned about her disease, Friedreich’s ataxia, which affects her mobility, and wanted to help get the word out.

With her Walk for a Cure coming up next weekend, I’m reaching out to anyone who may recognize her from the Y or around the community and would like to support her efforts.