North Main St.

[citybuilder]

It should be Lupo's

I understand the resistance, but it sucks that the Summit NA basically told Lopu to go screw and then let this place happen. It was previously a club called Jade, FWiW.

Hi, I had noticed this post earlier, and being an SNA board member, wanted to check back in our history and see whether we ever took a position on Lupo's, or Tantric. We didn't, formally or informally, never even had any significant discussion of the possibility of Lupo's. I'd be interested in knowing how this perception got formed?

[Dan]

Is Summit just another neighborhood name for Mount Hope? Or Is Summit a neighborhood within Mount Hope or vice versa?

[PVDJack]

Is Summit just another neighborhood name for Mount Hope? Or Is Summit a neighborhood within Mount Hope or vice versa?

Summit, also known as Hope, is its own neighborhood that borders the Mt. Hope neighborhood. Yes, kinda confusing...

[Frankie811]

Is Summit just another neighborhood name for Mount Hope? Or Is Summit a neighborhood within Mount Hope or vice versa?

Mt Hope is the area around Onley St towards Cypress St. Hope is the area around Hope and Rochambeau. Summit is around Summit Ave towards N. Main.

[gregw]

Mt Hope is the area around Onley St towards Cypress St. Hope is the area around Hope and Rochambeau. Summit is around Summit Ave towards N. Main.

Actually, Hope and Summit are the same. Hope is just the official name of the neighborhood but everyone refers to it as Summit.

Mt Hope is between Olney and Rochambeau.

http://204.17.79.244/profiles/mth_main.html

Summit (Hope) is between Rochambeau and the Pawtucket line.

http://204.17.79.244/profiles/hop_main.html

[JWalker]

"Summit" is what people call the entire area, including "Hope" and parts of Mt. Hope and Blackstone, that go to Hope Street when they want Chinese food. No who lives here calls this corner of the map "Hope" (too easy to confuse with "Mt. Hope" next door). Hope Village is the recent invention of some optimistic realtors.

[BLev]

Does anyone know how we can get the broken signage cleaned up from the BlockBuster parking lot?

There is one of those lighted signs that's been lying on it's side, obviously broken and ignored, for months now. It's quite an eye sore.

-BL

[Cotuit]

Does anyone know how we can get the broken signage cleaned up from the BlockBuster parking lot?

Is it Blockbuster's sign on Blockbuster's property? Call the manager and tell them to clean it up, if they blow you off, call corporate. You can also register a complaint with the city here. They are violating codes by not keeping their property up and creating a safety hazard. The city can force them to take action.

[Frankie811]

Is it Blockbuster's sign on Blockbuster's property? Call the manager and tell them to clean it up, if they blow you off, call corporate. You can also register a complaint with the city here. They are violating codes by not keeping their property up and creating a safety hazard. The city can force them to take action.

I doubt they own that land since there is a Rent-a-Center next door.

[Garris]

During my long run yesterday, I ran all the way up North Main St/Main St to Pawtucket, and took a good, hard look at the area. It is, as everyone here knows, a completely different experience to walk/run an area vs driving through it.

That said, I came away pleasantly surprised. Unlike other strip mall hells, North Main is actually utterly walkable. Its sidewalks may be in the best condition of any in the city, there's decent tree coverage, and, aside from places like auto repair shops, setbacks aren't terrible. There actually were quite a number of people out and about.

Also, the retail there seems pretty healthy, with a mix of seemingly thriving stores from the local (a map store, for instance) to chains (and regrettably pawns).

It seems like to me that there is nothing wrong with North Main that good future zoning can't fix. If future construction/expansions/replacements were required to front the street with parking off street, and taxation/policy encouraged mixed use, I see no reason why, if new zoning was passed in 2010, North Main wouldn't be a completely different place by 2030.

I was also thinking about light rail. Is that center median wide enough? I imaging the street would need to be completely reconfigured, getting rid of on street parking for lanes to allow the median to be widened for light rail. Also, there is a good buffer of land on the cemetery they might allow to be used without encroaching into the grave space.

What would need to be done for light rail there?

If zoning were redone, I bet light rail would be fuel on the fire to absolutely transform that area. I'm a lot less pessimistic than I've previously been.

Thoughts?

- Garris

[jencoleslaw]

if adding light rail on N main Street (a state road, btw) means that you'd have to get rid of all those elms and others in the median then i'm afraid i'd have to fight against it. there has been a very distinct attempt by the city and the state to turn NMS into a boulevard of sorts with the median tree planting and landscaping.

[urbie]

Actually, Hope and Summit are the same. Hope is just the official name of the neighborhood but everyone refers to it as Summit.

Mt Hope is between Olney and Rochambeau.

http://204.17.79.244/profiles/mth_main.html

Summit (Hope) is between Rochambeau and the Pawtucket line.

http://204.17.79.244/profiles/hop_main.html

OK -- but how 'bout Rochambeau itself? That's where Meg and I signed a lease. We don't want to sound like idiots, saying we live in Hope/Summit when it's really Mt. Hope... or vice versa!

[Edited to say: Hmmmm -- I guess in our case, we should say Mt. Hope, because we're in one of those houses that have garages behind them, on Dana -- and Dana is clearly Mt. Hope. So cartographically speaking, that probably tips the scales to the point where we should say we're in Mt. Hope?]

Another question, since light rail was mentioned. Down at Kennedy Plaza, there are some old pictures of what it looked like 60 years ago, when they had trolleys. Where did the trolleys run, before they were taken out?

Urb

[basachs]

if adding light rail on N main Street (a state road, btw) means that you'd have to get rid of all those elms and others in the median then i'm afraid i'd have to fight against it. there has been a very distinct attempt by the city and the state to turn NMS into a boulevard of sorts with the median tree planting and landscaping.

Yeah, I'd have to join you there. I rather enjoy the median trees and the feeling that street has from them.

[Jenkins]

OK -- but how 'bout Rochambeau itself? That's where Meg and I signed a lease. We don't want to sound like idiots, saying we live in Hope/Summit when it's really Mt. Hope... or vice versa!

Another question, since light rail was mentioned. Down at Kennedy Plaza, there are some old pictures of what it looked like 60 years ago, when they had trolleys. Where did the trolleys run, before they were taken out?

Urb

Since it is all a bit muddled anyway, why don't you just coin a new term and say you live at the Summit of Mount Hope

[eltron]

If you look at old photos of Elmwood Ave, you'll see that light rail, trees, and plenty of car travel space, worked very well and was destroyed by RIDOT in the '30's.

I would imagine North Main was similar, and could, with the right amount of effort, be brought back - light rail, trees, and all...

[gregw]

OK -- but how 'bout Rochambeau itself? That's where Meg and I signed a lease. We don't want to sound like idiots, saying we live in Hope/Summit when it's really Mt. Hope... or vice versa!

[Edited to say: Hmmmm -- I guess in our case, we should say Mt. Hope, because we're in one of those houses that have garages behind them, on Dana -- and Dana is clearly Mt. Hope. So cartographically speaking, that probably tips the scales to the point where we should say we're in Mt. Hope?]

Urb

You picked a great location in my mind. As far as a name, you have the luxury of saying either Mt Hope or Summit. Or you can just say you live on Rochambeau -- everyone around here knows where that is.

[gregw]

Just got back from a weekend in Western Mass and Vermont and noticed that they had a lot of Walgreens stores that actually looked pretty nice.

They were clearly newish, built to the street, were brick, and had these nice glass entryways with a neon Walgreens logo with an Rx bottle.

Does anyone know if there's any chance if we'll get ones of these nicer Walgreens on North Main or how to go about lobbying for one if it's not too late? I really hope we don't get stuck with the cheapo Dryvit model that they have been putting up in RI.

[jencoleslaw]

Just got back from a weekend in Western Mass and Vermont and noticed that they had a lot of Walgreens stores that actually looked pretty nice.

They were clearly newish, built to the street, were brick, and had these nice glass entryways with a neon Walgreens logo with an Rx bottle.

Does anyone know if there's any chance if we'll get ones of these nicer Walgreens on North Main or how to go about lobbying for one if it's not too late? I really hope we don't get stuck with the cheapo Dryvit model that they have been putting up in RI.

too late.

that's what happens when no one from the community shows up at the city plan commission meetings.

actually this one will be just as ugly but it will be built to the corner of NMS and Frost Street, not all set back with parking up front. i don't think this one will be brick, AND they are taking out a bunch of trees from the median so they can have their own turn lane off NMS because cod knows no one would dare venture across NMS without it.

[Recchia]

That said, I came away pleasantly surprised. Unlike other strip mall hells, North Main is actually utterly walkable. Its sidewalks may be in the best condition of any in the city, there's decent tree coverage, and, aside from places like auto repair shops, setbacks aren't terrible. There actually were quite a number of people out and about.

Also, the retail there seems pretty healthy, with a mix of seemingly thriving stores from the local (a map store, for instance) to chains (and regrettably pawns).

What would need to be done for light rail there?

- Garris

I love the Map Store, I could single handedly keep that place in business. I think light rail would be absolutely perfect for N. Main. It has destinations that people need and want to get to and currently houses RIPTA's most heavily traveled bus lines. It has highrise apartments (Charlesgate) and dense side streets. It'd be perfect. Then run it down Broad Street and it's be amazing.

[Cotuit]

too late.

that's what happens when no one from the community shows up at the city plan commission meetings.

If only there were someone to remind us when City Plan Commission Meetings were.

Not to mention it would be nice if there weren't about a dozen 'commissions' to keep track of around here. I'm always amazed anything gets built.

[gregw]

If only there were someone to remind us when City Plan Commission Meetings were.

Not to mention it would be nice if there weren't about a dozen 'commissions' to keep track of around here. I'm always amazed anything gets built.

It would also be nice if the people who actually do this stuff for a living (i.e. the planning dept) could see to it that stuff gets done right and insist on the best possible design as opposed to expecting this from ordinary people with jobs, commutes, and families, etc. who are supposed to show up at all these meetings.

[jencoleslaw]

It would also be nice if the people who actually do this stuff for a living (i.e. the planning dept) could see to it that stuff gets done right and insist on the best possible design as opposed to expecting this from ordinary people with jobs, commutes, and families, etc. who are supposed to show up at all these meetings.

well to be fair, the way the zoning is up there, just about anything could go there with very little oversight whatsoever. I think we should feel lucky we got any consessions at all on this project because we had NO LEVERAGE at all. once we get a new zoning code it will be harder to build sh*tty stuff, i hope. or it will be easier. I am not sure.

[Cotuit]

It would also be nice if the people who actually do this stuff for a living (i.e. the planning dept) could see to it that stuff gets done right and insist on the best possible design as opposed to expecting this from ordinary people with jobs, commutes, and families, etc. who are supposed to show up at all these meetings.

With the current make up of the Planning Department I might actually be comfortable letting them have all the say on things, with some Trinity beer drenched input from members of UP, but administrations change and we might find ourselves with a very different Planning Department in the future.

It will sure help when zoning is re-written and review can be a much clearer and open and understandable process.

[Jerry2]

well to be fair, the way the zoning is up there, just about anything could go there with very little oversight whatsoever. I think we should feel lucky we got any consessions at all on this project because we had NO LEVERAGE at all. once we get a new zoning code it will be harder to build sh*tty stuff, i hope. or it will be easier. I am not sure.

You spelled concession wrong dear....signed....-the grammar police-

[JimmyGreaves]

I know there was a lot of opposition to revising the zoning ordinance before the comp plan. However, I feel that an immediate positive impact would be felt if the required building setback was reduced to a minimum of, say, 10 feet city wide (heck even statewide but I'm not going to get greedy) before the city concludes Providence Tomorrow. Since the pushback from residents had more to do with height than setbacks, I think there would be support for this. With the zoning change revised, we wouldn't have to provide incentive for Walgreen's to build to the street by installing a left turn lane and removing trees from the median. Loading areas can be located behind or beside the property, and parking (of which the on street variety is plentiful on N Main) can be located behind the building or on-street.

There is precedent for this. After the building which houses Citi Nails and Apsara was built on Hope Street and set back about 40 feet, the city changed the zoning ordinance which stated that setbacks on "Main Street" overlay districts had to be small to maintain their pedestrian character, a change which did have public support.

I cringe when I see developments such as the hotel on Charles Street, Hope Depot, and Wal-Mart issued approvals for their suburban-style developments, after which the Planning Commission (note...not assigning blame here) states that they have no leverage in altering the design to be more urban friendly. This in a city which constantly cites its urbanity and walkability as positives. We should offer this proposed zoning change as a solution, first to the public at-large, then to the city.