LITTLE ITALY NEWS DECEMBER 2015 EDITION

www.littleitalytroy.org

troylittleitaly@gmail.com

Troys VicTorian sTroll

Join us, on Sunday, December 6, 2015, 12-5 pm, as Little Italy once again participates in this fine Troy tradition by maintaining an information table in the Troy
Atrium. We will be flying the colors as we market our historic neighborhood to
thousands who attend the Victorian Stroll. Our Little Italy Bingo volunteers will
support the Adopt-a-Family program and be stationed in the Bingo Hall on the
second floor of the Troy Atrium.
Silent Auction will begin at 11am and will end at 3pm. You do not have to be present to win. Auction will be held outside the bingo hall.

MERRY CHRISTMAS (BUON NATALE!) AND HAPPY NEW YEAR (BUON ANNO!)

The Chiappone family, caretakers of St. Marys Nativity set, will display the crche in the window of the USA Track & Field building located at 233 Fourth Street. The building, one block
south of the site of the annual Christmas in Little Italy event, is owned by businessman George

ITALIAN CHRISTMAS MARKET

Our friends at the American Italian Heritage Museum are again sponsoring an old Italian Market at 1227 Central Avenue, on Friday, December 4th and Saturday, December 5th from 12 noon
to 4 pm.
The exhibit rooms at the museum will be transformed into market places filled with many items
for you to enjoy, with something for almost everyone on your Christmas shopping list. Be sure
to look for unique Italian merchandise that will be available for purchase featuring Ceppos, Befana items, hand-packed olive oils, personalized and theme ornaments, Sicilian carts and delicious Italian baked goods. Also available will be the room-sized Italian Nativity special exhibit.
Celebrate our culture!

The Visitor Center Moves

On Saturday, November 21st a group of neighborhood volunteers moved the contents of the Little Italy Visitor Center from its previous site at 39 Hill Street to 212 Fourth Street. The new site
has been used by our neighborhood group for storage. We are grateful to Peter Kehoe, a long
time Little Italy supporter, for his kindness to our group during the past several years that we
were tenants of his Hill Street building.
We acquired the modest, one story brick and cinder block building in 2008 from the City of
Troy. There is much work to be done at the new site which was formerly a neighborhood gas
station operated by Louis DeMaria. In December 2011 contractors from the NYS Little Italy
Visitor Center Moves
Department of Environmental Conservation removed two abandoned gasoline fuel tanks and
filled two additional gas storage tanks embedded in concrete with sand. Local architect Don
Windelspecht provided drawings of the building which will help direct us as we plan renovation
and restoration projects beginning in 2016. The new site will include a reception area, meeting
room, and space for storage. Our next door neighbor will be the new DeFazios import store
complex (formerly the Vanilla Bean Bakery).
Marion a photo of the building appeared in the August 2008 LI Newsletter. We should
use it in this article about the move.

DECEMBER MEETING
December 16, 6 pm
Italian Community Center
1450 Fifth Avenue, Troy N. Y.
Meeting will be held on the second floor
Submitted by Sam Chiappone

SOUP KITCHEN
THURSDAY 4:40 to 5:30
Italian Community Center
1450 Fifth Avenue, Troy, N.Y
The kitchen served over 100 adults and
children at Christmas time

The value of pride in the neighborhood

by Mike Esposito
Each year, since 2005, we submit an annual report on activities of Troys Little Italy neighborhood listing how
we contribute to the sense of community. One of the highlights of 2015 was the recognition given to Rocco DeFazio, Marion Field, and Michael Esposito who were proud to be honored by the Hudson Mohawk Industrial
Gateway.
Members of Troy Little Italy and the South Central Neighborhood Watch work within existing city systems and
programs to focus on the neighborhood housing stock, support the preservation and adaptive reuse of buildings,
cooperate with Troys Departments of Public Works, Code Enforcement, and the Community Policing Unit,
identify and encourage ways to attract artists, young professionals, entrepreneurs, empty nesters and young families as owner-occupants to the neighborhood, communicate with other neighborhood groups, and collaborate
with community partners.
Programs and events are planned which honor the achievements of neighbors, support local businesses, celebrate
neighborhood history and diversity, raise funds for local social service providers, share ethnic culture and traditions, represent Little Italy in a positive way, and continue to maintain a web site, Facebook account, and
monthly newsletter. Little Italy neighborhoods throughout America continue to stand the test of time, flourish,
and inspire a sense of pride and community.
During 2015 our neighborhood organization sponsored a Montreal based group of circus performers at the Gasholder House in February; initiated the First Annual Little Italy Bocce Tournament at the Italian Community
Center in April with the co-operation of Pat Miele, President of the ICC; continued the Stickball Tournament in
May which benefitted Joseph House & Shelter and Troy area food pantries; supported a garage sale and flea
market in June organized by Andrea Daley; celebrated the opening by Capital Roots (formerly Capital District
Community Gardens) of its 50th community garden, located in Troys Little Italy on Ida Street; co-sponsored
concerts in the former Hill Street MarketPlace in July and August with the support of Vito Ciccarelli, Troy City
Events Coordinator; co-sponsored the Cruise In along with the South Troy Timing Association in September;
organized the celebration of contributions of the DeMaria Family in October; and will co-sponsor the annual
Christmas in Little Italy event on December 5 th with Joseph House & Shelter.
Arcadia Publications released Troys Little Italy Revisited in July. We compiled a Directory of Troy City Services which first appeared in our April newsletter and has since been printed for general distribution to residents.
We joined local groups who raised money and clothing for longtime Little Italy residents, the Marcus Family,
after a tragic fire destroyed their residences. Our Quality of Life Committee co-sponsored a ziti dinner fundraiser
with the Italian Community Center in June for the Marcus Family Fundraiser. We also continued our monthly
Neighborhood Watch and Troy Little Italy meetings, issued nine newsletters, and upgraded our website.
Our neighborhood group is grateful for the continuing support of our three neighborhood partners: the Italian
Community Center, the Troy Youth Associations CYO Center, and Josephs House & Shelter. We benefit from
the working relationship we have with the City of Troy, its departments and agencies, and the City Council.
Community organizations and groups ready and willing to assist us in programs or events we initiate, whether
its union members of Troy Firefighters or the U. S. Postal Service, the ARC, the Atrium bingo players, or students from area colleges. As this year ends we also recognize our faithful volunteers. What sustains us as we
make the effort to maintain a stable neighborhood is the loyalty and affection former residents and the many
longtime residents of our old neighborhood have for this small piece of Troy. We want our neighborhood to be a
clean, safe place for people to live, work, and visit.