It’s a good thing he’s an optimistic guy, Ernie Lucatano has a big job to do.
Lucantonio has got to convince local businesses to re-join the beleaguered Pine Avenue Business Association.
Typically that wouldn’t be all that hard to do. Any successful business person knows a united business community can change the face of an entire district.
But, the challenge is going to be a tough one and Lucatano knows it.
The Pine Avenue Business Association, known as PABA, broke into pieces last year when members who had purchased health insurance through the group found out their premiums had not been paid.
Two administrators resigned and just recently former members began signing agreements with the three remaining board members to accept a 31 percent return of their money.
The incident discredited PABA and recently, in an effort to revive the faith of the business community, Mayor Paul Dyster and Police Chief John Cella asked Lucantonio to become the “Revitalization Coordinator” for the Pine Avenue strip.
Lucantonia, easy going and with a ready laugh, was happy to have a chance to bring new energy to the street where he spent his childhood.
His father and grandfather were plaster contractors in the city. “My father’s been gone eight years. People still talk about him,” Lucantonio said. “He was a good man.”
His other grandfather, Nicholas, owned Yarussi Construction, and Lucantonio’s uncle, Nicholas, still runs the business today, despite being well into his 80s.
Lucantonio, a retired supervisor at Occidental and a Lewiston real estate agent, understands why the mayor and chief of police asked him to take on the job.
“I’ve got a good name here. People trust me,” he said.
So, for now, Lucantonio will reaching out to Pine Avenue business owners, trying to restore their faith in PABA.
On a recent walk down the business strip he stopped in to see Jim Fasciano, who recently opened Dreamland Mattress.
“I’m joining,” said Fasciano told Lucantonio as the two discussed PABA. Fasciano, owner of Fastract Real Estate and brother to Anthony Fasciano, the owner of Shorty’s Restaurant just down the street, said his family had been members of PABA in the past. “I’m going to participate and try to make it stronger.”
Lucantonio also stopped in at Frontier Vacuum and Rug Cleaning where owner George Lalonde told Lucantonio that he had been a PABA board member twenty years ago but then let his membership lapse because “I just got too busy.”
Lalonde, whose front door was boarded up due to recent vandalism, said that there were several issues that concerned him, including the street garbage cans being filled to overflow by residential tenants and the use of street parking spaces by business owners.
When asked up front whether he would consider rejoining Lalonde noted, “We’ll see what I hear.”
A few days later, at an informational meeting at the Christophoro Columbo Society, many street issues were discussed, including improving street lighting and the extension of holiday lights from Hyde Park to Pine Avenue during the holiday season.
Police Chief John Cella told the 20 or so business people in attendance that increased police presence has resulted in a 40 percent increase of arrests last year, and detailed plans to install four security cameras on the street and increase the number of officers walking the beat.
Also walking the beat will be Lucantonio
“I’m going to try,” he said. “That’s all I can do.”
But there’s just one thing, he adds. “I can’t do it alone.”
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