There’s a brand new boutique in Salem providing North Shore fashionistas with a place to grab all of the latest looks.

Sacred Gear recently opened its doors at 118 Washington Street between Fresh Taste of Asia and Upper Crust. The Fashion Apparel and Accessories retailer promise a great shopping experience for your professionals and offers outfits for both work and play. Their mission is to offer unique women's & men's fashion apparel & accessories with unmatched service to their customers who are looking for that special attire or addition to their wardrobe.

The store will cater to the brand savvy shoppers, presenting the latest looks from Canterbury of New Zealand, Fidelity Denim, Triple Five Soul, 1921 Denim, Flo, 575 Denim, Project Raw, Joe's Jeans, Blue Marlin, Ed Hardy Intimates, Majestic Select, Goodie Two Sleeves, Red Monkey Design Hats, Big Buddha Bags, Phetnikone Nokham Bags and many more.

Sacred Gear is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sundays from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. To learn more, visit their website at www.sacredgear.com.

To learn more about RCG Salem please visit our website at RCGSalem.com. RCG is a real estate investment, development, and management firm with offices in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area, historic downtown Salem, Massachusetts and Western North Carolina in Brevard. We own and manage over 1,000 apartments and retail units and we develop new or rehabilitate old residential and commercial properties for rental or for sale. In New England and in Western North Carolina, our aim is to provide out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly places to live and work at reasonable prices and to give our residents responsive and professional services.

On Wednesday, May 21st, the Lynn Museum and Historical Society will recognize RCG's Ladder 3 Lofts development project with the 2008 Lynn Museum Revitalization Award. Alex Steinbergh, a Principal at RCG, will receive the award on behalf of the project.

Established in 1897, the Lynn Museum & Historical Society is the only organization in the city devoted to collecting, preserving, and fostering an appreciation of Lynn's rich history. The museum selected the winners for their significant efforts in keeping Lynn vital. RCG has made numerous contributions to the Lynn real estate revival, including the Ladder 3 Lofts project for which they are being awarded.

In a joint venture with Emerald Development, RCG converted the historic 19th century Franklin Firehouse into 15 luxury loft-style condominiums. Formerly home to the Ladder 3 Company of the Lynn Fire Department and rumored to have been originally wired by Thomas Edison, the building received a complete makeover but retains striking architectural features, including its large arched windows and red brick walls. The 15 lofts at Ladder 3 feature open floorplans, exposed brick, and 10 foot plus ceilings. Deeded parking comes with every loft.

RCG is a real estate investment, development, and management firm operating primarily in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area. RCG manages over 700 apartment and retail units for its affiliates and develops new or rehabilitates old residential and commercial properties for rental or for sale. RCG aims to provide out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly places to live and work at reasonable prices. For more information about RCG, please visit www.RCG-LLC.com

The Salem Chamber of Commerce’s 86th Annual Dinner will take place on April 16th at the Peabody Essex Museum, and RCG tenants will be well represented amongst this year’s crop of deserving nominees.

Six RCG tenants have received Celebration Salem Award Nominations in a variety of categories that reflect the diverse reach the company has developed in the Witch City.

Indicative of the continuing growth and expansion of a revitalized downtown area, four RCG tenants have been nominated for New Business of the Year 2007. The hip Gulu-Gulu Café, Radiance Aveda Salon, Rouge Cosmetics and the gourmet Pizza shop Upper Crust, all made a mark on Salem in their first year of existence.

The Excellence in Retailing Award “showcases the outstanding achievements of Salem retailers.” This award honors: creativity, superior knowledge and industry know-how. A & J King Artisan Bakers, a tenant in RCG’s Derby Lofts development and nominee of the award, have applied all of those principals to carve out a successful bakery in the bustling downtown scene.

RCG’s final nominee reflects the amazing contribution that individuals can make on a city. Hugh Kerr, proprietor of Passage to India and other local establishments, has been nominated for Businessman of the Year. This award recognizes a chamber member who has demonstrated “excellence in business practices throughout the year and has demonstrated a sincere commitment to Salem.”

RCG would like to congratulate all of these deserving nominees and wish them all continued success.

RCG is a real estate investment, development, and management firm with offices in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area, historic downtown Salem, Massachusetts and Western North Carolina in Brevard. We own and manage over 1,000 apartments and retail units and we develop new or rehabilitate old residential and commercial properties for rental or for sale. In New England and in Western North Carolina, our aim is to provide out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly places to live and work at reasonable prices and to give our residents responsive and professional services.

RCG is pleased to announce the recent addition of Erik Steiner to the Income Property Group.

Erik joins the organization as a Tenant Relations Associate for RCG LLC. He will work with the Income Group, interacting with tenants within the expansive portfolio of income properties and condominiums. Prior to joining RCG LLC, Erik served in a similar capacity with Certified Property Management in Brookline. Erik is a 2007 graduate of Hamilton College in New York where he majored in Economics and earned a minor concentration in Hispanic Studies.

RCG is a real estate investment, development, and management firm with offices in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area, historic downtown Salem, Massachusetts and the Southern Appalachian Region of North Carolina. We own and manage over 1,000 apartments and retail units and we develop new or rehabilitate old residential and commercial properties for rental or for sale. Our aim is to provide out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly places to live and work at reasonable prices and to give our tenants responsive and professional services.

November 15, 2007 – RCG is pleased to announce that RCG North Andover Mills LLC recently received special permit approvals for the first phase of a multi-phase mixed-use redevelopment of East Mill in North Andover.

The approvals include 20 residential apartments, 15,000 square feet of new retail space, and street improvements along High Street that include the addition of 29 new parking spaces. In conjunction with permitting future uses, RCG has invested in renovations to the lobbies and infrastructure of East Mill, including the planned installation of a 70-kilowatt solar panel array that recently received a grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s Renewable Energy Trust.

RCG first purchased the historic property, formerly known as the East Campus of the Davis and Furber Machine Shop, in January of 2007and has since signed leases for over 30,000 square feet of space, including Cambridge Soundworks, Smolak & Vaughan LLP, Nelson Bach USA, Bikram Yoga Merrimack Valley, and the High Street Grill. RCG continues to aggressively market commercial space and expects to deliver the Phase I residences in the summer of 2008. For more information about East Mill, you can visit www.eastmillnorthandover.com.

RCG is a real estate investment, development, and management firm with offices in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area, historic downtown Salem, Massachusetts and the Southern Appalachian Region of North Carolina. We own and manage over 1,000 apartments and retail units and we develop new or rehabilitate old residential and commercial properties for rental or for sale. RCG aims is to provide out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly places to live and work at reasonable prices and to give our tenants responsive and professional services. To learn more about RCG LLC visit www.RCG-LLC.com www.RCGsalem.com.

ASHEVILLE, NC, October 31, 2007 – An affiliate of RCG has acquired the Woodland Hills Apartments located at I-26 and New Stock Road in North Asheville in the second largest multi-family real estate transaction in Western North Carolina for 2007. Located along one of the major growth corridors in Western North Carolina, the property is just minutes from downtown Asheville and the University of North Carolina’s Asheville campus.

The rental community consists of almost 17 acres overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains offering a full amenity package including a pool, clubhouse, playground and fitness center. The 216 apartment homes consist of a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom units ranging in size from almost 700 to over 1,200 square feet.

According to Nick Bayne, Principal and Partner of RCG, “We are extremely pleased to be a part of the Asheville community and look forward to future investments within the region. We believe the unique character of Asheville is a perfect match for our overall investment and operating philosophies. Our strong belief in building a true sense of community and operating in a more sustainable manner reflects our active commitment to residents and neighbors of Woodland Hills. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be implementing improvements reflecting this commitment with our ultimate goal to be the premier rental community within Western North Carolina offering a premium quality of living environment at competitively priced market rates.”

Kenny Jackson and John Minor with Sperry Van Ness – Whitney Commercial Real Estate were the listing agents and Trent Van Dyke from Hamlin–Chastain Associates assisted the buyer. According to John Minor with Sperry Van Ness, “The sale was in line with recent transactions of large, newer communities reflecting Asheville’s low 3% apartment vacancy rate combined with a shortage of multi-family sites with proper zoning and infrastructure capacity to support large complexes. Consequently, we continue to see strong interest from investors nationwide for competitively priced complexes within the region.”

RCG LLC is a real estate investment, management and development firm headquartered in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts area with its regional affiliated operations, RCG SE, LLC, headquartered in Brevard, North Carolina. RCG owns and operates over 1,000 apartment and commercial properties within New England and Western North Carolina. Operating as RCG Southeast, LLC within the Southern Appalachian region, the firm is actively pursuing a number of regional projects, including a proposal to develop a unique new urbanism residential development, Cadence Point, near downtown Brevard. RCG Southeast will provide property management services for the Woodland Hills complex, which is owned by RCG Woodland Hills, LLC of Brevard. Additional information concerning RCG may be found at www.rcg-llc.com.

Whitney Commercial Real Estate Services has roots going back to its founding as Whitney Realty in 1965 in Clearwater Beach, FL. It is currently operated by Richard Whitney, the son of its founders, and has three divisions consisting of Sperry Van Ness Commercial Real Estate Advisors, Sperry Van Ness Property Management Services and Whitney Construction and Development, a general contracting firm with a license classification of unlimited.

RCG recently renovated more than 20,000 square feet of former office space in three downtown Salem Buildings to create 15 loft-style residential apartments at 76 Lafayette Street, 8-12 Barton Square and 247 Essex Street. These luxury loft-style residences all feature open floor plans and provide generous room dimensions, bathrooms, and closet space. All of the apartments have large windows and hardwood floors. Many apartments have spectacular views of either Salem Harbor or the downtown cityscape.

In addition to experiencing an increase in downtown residents, this historic North Shore coastal community has seen an influx of interesting shops and stores. Once known primarily for its witches and folklore, the City of Salem is drawing residents and visitors alike to see the many museums, including the critically acclaimed Peabody Essex Museum, and historic sites, including the House of the Seven Gables, located all within walking distance. Residents of Salem and neighboring communities continue to enjoy one of the many dining destinations including the newly opened cafes and bakeries that are all within walking distance of each other. Located within walking distance of the commuter rail line, downtown Salem has fast become a small but hip alternative to Boston for those seeking their own urban enclave.

To learn more about the Salem Lofts project please visit our development page at www.rcg-llc.com/development. To learn more about renting one of these great loft-style residences, please refer to our rentals page at http://www.rcg-llc.com/residential

RCG is a real estate investment, development, and management firm operating primarily in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area. RCG aims to provide out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly places to live and work at reasonable prices. To learn more about RCG LLC, visit www.RCG-LLC.com or www.RCGSalem.com

RCG is pleased to announce the recent additions of both Jonathan Krinskey and John Armstrong to the company.

Jonathan Krinskey joined the organization in July as the Maintenance Manager for RCG LLC. Jonathan has assumed responsibility for the management of RCG’s portfolio of income properties and condominiums. Prior to joining RCG LLC, Jonathan served as a Property Manager with Waxman Insurance in Chelsea as well as the Hamilton Company in Allston. Jonathan is an alumnus of Curry College, where he graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management with a Sales and Marketing concentration

Shortly after adding Jonathan, RCG welcomed John Armstrong as a Principal to lead, in conjunction with Henri-Claude (HC) Bailly, the firm’s newly launched effort to enter the rapidly growing renewable energy and carbon markets. John arrived at RCG with more than 30 years of domestic and international experience in the energy field. Prior to joining RCG, John was a partner in PA Consulting, the successor firm to Hagler Bailly. Before joining Hagler Bailly, where he served as Senior Vice President for 15 years, John was the Assistant Director of the Minnesota Energy Agency where he was in charge of energy efficiency and renewable energy for eight years. He also served as the Director of the Wisconsin State Energy Office. He attended Yale as an undergraduate and the University of Wisconsin graduate school in oceanography and limnology.

RCG is a real estate investment, development, and management firm operating primarily in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area. RCG manages over 700 apartment and retail units for its affiliates and develops new or rehabilitates old residential and commercial properties for rental or for sale. RCG aims to provide out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly places to live and work at reasonable prices.

For more information about RCG, please visit www.RCG-LLC.com

Chulamama opens Salem store

Historic Downtown Salem just got a little hipper, at least if you’re a mom-to-be or an infant. The newest addition to the burgeoning retail community in Downtown Salem is Chulamama, a shop that features fashionable clothing and other helpful items for infants and moms-to-be. The Grand Opening of the store, which is Chulamama’s first brick and mortar store, will be on September 15 and 16 at its location on Derby Street in Salem.

Founded by two moms from Swampscott, Heather Roman and Noelle Moreno, Chulamama is the latest stylish entry into the downtown Salem retail resurgence. Adding to the recent success seen on Salem’s Front Street, Chulamama was the final piece of the puzzle in the retail community at Derby Lofts, which is now fully occupied. Rouge Cosmetics, a high-end cosmetics and body care boutique, as well as Radiance AVEDA Salem, an expansion of a popular Marblehead hair and massage salon, will also open in the coming months.

Roman was born and raised in Topsfield, MA. She went to Rhode Island School of Design where she focused on art and design. She lives in Swampscott with her husband and two young children.

Moreno studied Mass Communications at La Salle University after growing up in New Jersey. She also modeled for six years, during which time she developed a passion for the fashion industry. Moreno eventually settled in Swampscott, where she lives with her husband and two toddlers.

Roman and Moreno also share their space with Monica Winter, founder of the popular Hip Baby Gear, a three-year-old online store for baby merchandise. Winter also opened a retail store in Marblehead in 2006 and looks forward to the expansion into Salem.

“We are three moms who saw a huge need on the north shore for hip, stylish maternity and baby textiles and Gear,” said Moreno.

For more information about Chulamama, stop by 320 Derby Street Salem, MA or visit them online at www.chulamama.com. Hip Baby Gear can be found at www.hipbabygear.com.

Chulamama will offer 10% off the entire purchase for all sales made during the Grand Opening Weekend (Sept. 15th and 16th). Customers will also be entered into a raffle for a new QUINNY stroller.

Derby Lofts is managed by RCG, a real estate investment, development, and management firm operating primarily in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area. RCG aims to provide out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly places to live and work at reasonable prices. To learn more about RCG LLC, visit www.RCG-LLC.com or www.rcgsalem.com.

New CEO for RCG LLC

On July 11, 2007, Matt Picarsic was appointed the new CEO of RCG LLC, becoming the second person to hold the title since the company’s inception in 2002.

The move came as part of an effort to transfer management of the firm to the next generation of RCG Principals. Former CEO Henri-Claude Bailly, who co-founded RCG in 2002 and acted as its CEO for more than five years, will remain with the company and shift his focus to RCG’s newly launched effort to enter the rapidly growing renewable energy and carbon markets as well as existing and future RCG Development projects.

Matt, who is a Harvard University alumnus, started his career with RCG as a summer employee working in RCG’s Income Property department. Since then Matt has been involved with many aspects of the firm, including: Sales, Property Management, Development, and Acquisitions. Matt was elected to Principal in 2006. Now CEO, he has primary responsibility for company oversight, strategy, planning and organizational initiatives. He also continues to lead the firm’s Acquisitions Group.

RCG is a real estate investment, development, and management firm operating primarily in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area. RCG manages over 700 apartment and retail units for its affiliates and develops new or rehabilitates old residential and commercial properties for rental or for sale. RCG aims to provide out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly places to live and work at reasonable prices.

April marked the completion of 557-559 East 2nd Street, the latest project in RCG’s portfolio of “out-of-the-ordinary and environmentally friendly” spaces, and residents have already moved into to the sleek and modern loft-style townhouses.

Situated in South Boston’s thriving Seaport District, with easy access to major highways, the residences at 557-559 offer the privacy of townhouse living in a modern, and open European-style setting.

Limited units are still available for buyers looking to embrace architecturally modern and environmentally sound urban living within close proximity to South Boston’s shopping, beaches and parklands.

There are two, two-bedroom, one and one half bath units for sale, each with three floors of living space. There is also a pair of units available with two-bedrooms and one and one half baths on four floors of living space, including a penthouse study and adjacent outdoor deck with dramatic views of the downtown Boston skyline. All units feature individual, private, heated garages.

In addition to its dramatic interiors and ideal location, the 557-559 project has also drawn accolades for its environmental considerations. The building earned the Energy Star Home 5-star Rating, due to the use of superior insulation, Energy Star Appliances, and high-efficiency windows and heating/cooling systems. This past January, the project was given an award certifying silver status from Green Homes Northeast, a “collaborative program whose mission is to transform the residential building marketplace so that healthy, energy and resource-efficient homes become common practice.”

In addition to its Energy Star ranking, each and every home offers state-of-the-art amenities, including gourmet European kitchens, private heated garages, architecturally stunning multi-level design and oversized windows.

Learn more about this RCG project and the available units at www.557-559.com.

Modern Townhouses in South Boston Near Completion

The newly constructed, European-designed townhomes at 557-559 E. 2nd Street in South Boston should see their first occupants in February, as the four homes at 559 will be complete this month. Designed by one of Boston's most notable up-and-coming architecture firms, Utile Inc., these eight townhomes combine contemporary, sleek European style with superior “green,” energy-saving design and construction.

In addition to a private secure garage parking space in each homeon the first floor, the townhomes at 557-559 include outdoor decksspace and open floorplans. This development has been chosen as a pilot project for GreenHomes Northeast, and each townhome is expected to earn the Energy Star Home 5-star Rating, due to the use of superior insulation, Energy Star Appliances, and high-efficiency windows and heating/cooling systems. and Energy Star Appliances.

Come view a model unit and learn more about this exciting new townhome community by attending our Unveiling Open House on Sunday, January 28th from 3-5:50pm. Ample music and food will be provided in traditional South Boston hospitality.

Learn more about this RCG project at www.557-559.com.