Uptown Village

[Ted]

Nothing says ghetto like security gates or grates.

Wealthy Bakery doesn't have security gates.

Phil's Stuff doesn't have security gates.

Wealthy at Charles doesn't have security gates.

Literary Life Bookstore doesn't have security gates.

From the Heart Yoga (opening soon on Wealthy) doesn't have security gates.

The Sparrows doesn't have security gates.

Brick Oven Pizza (soon to open) doesn't have security gates.

Armenta Studio doesn't have security gates.

Atomic Object doesn't have security gates.

Coat of Many Colors doesn't have secvurity gates.

The institute for Global Education doesn't have security gates.

The Wealthy Theater doesn't have security gates.

Need I continue?

[ModSquad]

You couldn't be more correct. We don't have gates on our house either.

[twoshort]

I'm not defending them, because they look ridiculous, but they already had a smashed window (lower, small window) when they first opened. I wonder if an alarm system with stickers and a panel visible to patrons during the day would be an equal deterrent.

[ModSquad]

I'm not defending them, because they look ridiculous, but they already had a smashed window (lower, small window) when they first opened. I wonder if an alarm system with stickers and a panel visible to patrons during the day would be an equal deterrent.

[PRCH]

However, the sad fact of the matter is that without these gates there would be regular break-ins.

[ModSquad]

It's not a fact. It's a supposition based on limited evidence. It is sad that you feel that way about my community. I listed a few businesses on Wealthy (pretty much at random). Survey all of the Wealthy businesses between Union and Fuller and see if your supposition is supportable.

Guy gets hit by lightning during a storm. Do you hide in the basement every time there's a storm, so you don't get hit by lightning? Didn't think so.

[fotoman311]

This is my community too. I live on the corner of Madison and Hall. My point is that what the merchants are selling in the stores of which I am speaking are hot desirable items for folks that have not so good intentions. Therefore, the break-ins. I do not mean it as an indictment of the whole neighborhood, just the criminal element.

[PRCH]

This is my community too. I live on the corner of Madison and Hall. My point is that what the merchants are selling in the stores of which I am speaking are hot desirable items for folks that have not so good intentions. Therefore, the break-ins. I do not mean it as an indictment of the whole neighborhood, just the criminal element.

[Nitro]

"Nothing says ghetto like security gates and grates".

[PRCH]

Come on John, that's a bit extreme.

Modified for Nitro: "Nothing says ghetto like security gates and grates, and graffiti".

Manhattan? I've walked for blocks without seeing grates. I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge during a blackout; didn't see any grates in Brooklyn either. Guess I must have been in 'nice' neighborhoods.

An answer to street crime: don't have one. Anybody??

[GRDadof3]

Manhattan? I've walked for blocks without seeing grates. I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge during a blackout; didn't see any grates in Brooklyn either. Guess I must have been in 'nice' neighborhoods.

An answer to street crime: don't have one. Anybody??

[plee30]

Yeah, security devices, guns and metal gates. I'm not a big fan of bars on windows, but sliding metal gates over a business that has a lot of "smash and grab" merchandise doesn't seem so out of the question. A yoga place, a pizza shop closed for the night, and a bakery? Not so much. Hard to resell day-old bread on the black market, or a yoga mat. They even have metal sliding gates over stores in the mall for off-hours, so it's not relegated to Wealthy Street. Plus, they have massive bar code detectors at the doors in each and every store to deter criminals. It's the sad reality of merchandise retail.

Anyone know if All City Kicks has metal gates at night?

[jas49503]

Maybe sellers of "hot desirable items" should move to the malls: no exterior windows to break, plus rent-a-cops. I stand by my original statement: "Nothing says ghetto like security gates and grates".

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself". Franklin Roosevelt.

[jas49503]

why don't stores with smash and grab merchandise use some sort of inch thick bulletproof type glass. It seems that that would deter theives and be relatively resistant to smashing.

I agree that is is dumb not to take your merchandise out of the window at night. it seems that you are asking for your windows to get smashed out when the merchandise is literally inches from the sidewalk with only a easily broken window in your wayl.

[PRCH]

M.K.Gahndi said "Be the change you want to see in the world".

The Uptown Forward Team is promoting the creation of a Corridor Improvement District/TIF.

Improvements (including safety, security, and beautification) can be financed by "captured" taxes (Not new taxes). Quit reading these posts for a while and email [email protected] or [email protected] for details. Time for change.

[PolarBoy]

An answer to street crime: don't have one. Anybody??

[GR Jackson]

The grates need to not be visible from 9 a.m. until the business district is closing down, at least 6 days a week. The small window to the shop, coupled with the bars always being visible do truly detract from the over all feeling of the building/block. I would rather not see bars at all, but if people need them to feel alright they need to use them in such a way that doesn't detract from the rest of the district.

[ModSquad]

Again folks. It is real easy to offer up suggestions when you are not the one that either owns the shop or owns the building. I have said and will continue to say that the bars are not to be visible during their normal business hours which should be 9 or 10 AM until 9 or 10 PM. I have emailed Darel Ross Lighthouse Communities new president who happens to be in charge of their commercial properties. He will address it with the owners. I cannot believe some of the comments here...put in bullet proof glass? Do you have any idea what that costs? And saying stores that sell merchandise which is hot on the black market should locate in malls...c'mon folks we are talking about America here.

I say Amen to Nitro...let's focus on making the neighborhood safe. I would love it if some of the business owners in the business district that are contributing to this post would stop by and at least have a conversation with this new business owner.

The fact remains this is a neighborhood that has lots of folks living in it that love coffee shops, bakeries, book stores, and yoga centers. But it also includes folks that love urban gear, wing heaven, and the second hand furniture store. Hey, it even has folks that may like both. Rather than throw verbal stones about how someone is running their business, we need everyone to come together and find a way to co-exist in a positive community minded way that support all the businesses.

[jas49503]

I cannot believe some of the comments here...put in bullet proof glass? Do you have any idea what that costs?

[GR Jackson]

I don't think that people are saying that the business doesn't belong, and that there doesn't need to be a variety of types of businesses. That isn't the issue. I am sure that people in the neighborhood will stop by and check out the store and invite them into the business community.

[jthrasher]

having bars or grates on windows/doors, no matter what time they are visible, sends a negative message about the community.

[ModSquad]

having bars or grates on windows/doors, no matter what time they are visible, sends a negative message about the community.

[starrfish]

having bars or grates on windows/doors, no matter what time they are visible, sends a negative message about the community.

[canetoad]

Isn't it also possible that gates across windows say less about the community - "this is a high theft area" - than they do about the merchandise inside - "we have stuff that lots of people want"? I don't find well-kept, moveable gates to be "ghetto" at all. Instead, they signal to me a business that sells desirable goods and is responsibly protecting their merchandise, especially in a down economy - i.e., they care about their business. Many places I've visited have lots of businesses that use gates - nice parts of San Francisco, for example - but that doesn't mean I've ever felt unsafe walking through those neighborhoods, or that I felt they negatively reflected the local community. Instead, they just seemed to be store that carried nice stuff that could be easily grabbed - regardless of where they were located.

[jthrasher]

I give up