Episode 8: Josh Muncey
Josh Muncey
Discusses Jamaica Plain
As part of Boston’s Design Week 2022, Kevin Cradock Builders assembled a panel discussion titled, “The Renaissance of Jamaica Plain.” One of the panelists was Josh Muncey, owner of the home called the Paragon, which Kevin oversaw the renovation of. Josh shared moments from that experience with working with Kevin, along with his thoughts about the Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain, where they both live. In addition to being a resident of Jamaica Plain for almost twenty years, Josh is the founder and leader of The Muncey Group real estate agency and founder of The Welcome Home Fund, a group that helps first-generation homebuyers of color make their downpayment on a home.
As usual, we took three clips from Josh’s presentation that evening, and played them back for him, hoping he could say more. The clips involved Josh talking about:
the ample green space of JP, including the Jamaica Pond and Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum;
the feeling of “belonging” that is Josh feels in the JP community;
and the “authentic” restaurants, shops, and culture that are so present in a community with activist roots, along with a wide swath of ethnic diversity, income types, and strong LGBTQ+ representation.
Josh also came prepared with one amazing boombox story. Beginning with a rundown of his previous Sony and JVC experiences, he went deep with the Panasonic RX-DT707, aka, the Cobra Top. This spurred on a discussion of Strawberries Records in Newton and in Brookline on Harvard Ave (now a Starbucks). Kevin reminisced about going there to pick up the debut album of LL Cool J, “Radio,” and the hit song, “I Can’t Live Without My Radio,” back in October, 1985, which he played on his own Panasonic and then an even deeper dive into “casingles” and the Beastie Boys.
Original date of panel: 04.26.2022
Media partner: New England Home
SHOW NOTES
In this episode, there is a significant discussion about Franklin Park, the largest open space in Boston which abuts parts of several neighborhoods, including Dorchester, Mattapan, Roxbury, Roslindale and of course, Jamaica Plain. Kevin mentions what he calls his “favorite place,” the Overlook at Franklin Park. The book that Kevin references in this episode is Ethan Carr’s Boston’s Franklin Park Olmsted, Recreation, and the Modern City .