>> Providence Downtown Area

[basachs]

"$500,000 to help turn Broadway into an historic Main Street boulevard, as requested by the West Broadway Neighborhood Association."

Does anyone know what it means to turn something into an historic Main Street boulevard? Signs stating this? Improvements to the street somehow?

[Recchia]

I think bike lanes were in the vision for Broadway, that's all I can remember.

There's the redo of Station Park and the Promenade/Smith Hill Pedestrian access I've been talkin about..

[Cotuit]

"$500,000 to help turn Broadway into an historic Main Street boulevard, as requested by the West Broadway Neighborhood Association."

Does anyone know what it means to turn something into an historic Main Street boulevard? Signs stating this? Improvements to the street somehow?

I hope it's not putting up olde tyme style street lamps like we have on Atwells Avenue with no further funding for repairs or maintenance, like the Cianci administration did to keep constituents happy and voting.

[basachs]

I hope it's not putting up olde tyme style street lamps like we have on Atwells Avenue with no further funding for repairs or maintenance, like the Cianci administration did to keep constituents happy and voting.

That is what I was afraid of. I like the aesthetic of them though. Burying the lines and making the street less garish in terms of lighting. But 500k aint going to accomplish that.

Replacing sidewalks, planting trees, and putting in all new street signage signifiying its historical status would be nice. As of now, the west side does not have those fancy street signs. I hope the 500 k is not for a "Historical Main Street" branding program like the I-Way allocated for.

[Garris]

I hope it's not putting up olde tyme style street lamps like we have on Atwells Avenue with no further funding for repairs or maintenance, like the Cianci administration did to keep constituents happy and voting.

Those lamps can be done better than was accomplished on Atwells. New Haven's lamps are a perfect example. They're much higher up in the air and arched to prevent vandalism...

Does anyone know the specifics on the following item?

"$997,177 to improve pedestrian access from Promenade Street to Smith Hill"

- Garris

[Recchia]

"$997,177 to improve pedestrian access from Promenade Street to Smith Hill"

- Garris

The vision a while back (when they applied for funding last spring) had among other things new walkways under the 6/10 interchange, new plantings, a pedestrian bridge over the river somewhat near the old Farmer's Market, and then ambiguous "plans" to better connect Waterplace, Smith Hill, Promenade and Federal Hill for pedestrians. They didn't really have a set plan for what would actually connect these four neighborhoods though, other than the bridge and the new ped. underpasses. They did however mention how bad Dean Street is for pedestrian mobility.

[Cotuit]

The last rendering I saw for the produce market included an auto bridge connecting Harris and Holden per the map that I created.

One would hope, the city could get the developer to fund this bridge and it would not be part of the recent funding.

[basachs]

For anyone curious as to the money for Broadway and what it would do here is a response from the WBNA:

"The WBNA was approached by Broadway merchants and neighbors last winter asking for the following as outlined in the application (with over 20 neighbors signing a support letter): The project would install decorative lighting, scenic landscaping improvements, and a bike path along Providence's historic Main Street Boulevard to reconnect this gem to Downcity and Olneyville. Additionally, when over 200 neighbors came together to create the West Side Action plan, people voiced the above desires"

[eltron]

Elmwood Ave will be seeing some significant improvements as part of this funding as well...

Particularly in the way of pedestrian safety and street trees/landscaping (hooray to the reintroduction of elm trees to Elmwood!)

[AriPVD]

I've been mulling this over all day...

Should Downcity (the district bordered by Washington, Weybosset, Memorial Blvd and Empire) have ANY structured parking (with the exception of that dedicated exclusively to residential units) or should all parking be on garages on the periphery, thus encouraging a more dense and interesting district? Thoughts?

[Recchia]

I've been mulling this over all day...

Should Downcity (the district bordered by Washington, Weybosset, Memorial Blvd and Empire) have ANY structured parking (with the exception of that dedicated exclusively to residential units) or should all parking be on garages on the periphery, thus encouraging a more dense and interesting district? Thoughts?

Personally I don't think you have to compromise density for parking garages. You can always put ground floor retail or offices as part of them to help them be part of the city more. The mall pretty much has Cap Center/Waterplace and even northern downtown pretty well covered, as does the Convention Center.

[Garris]

I've been mulling this over all day...

Should Downcity (the district bordered by Washington, Weybosset, Memorial Blvd and Empire) have ANY structured parking (with the exception of that dedicated exclusively to residential units) or should all parking be on garages on the periphery, thus encouraging a more dense and interesting district? Thoughts?

Outstanding question... I think part of the answer depends upon what you define as the "periphery." Is that the Southern edge, and does parking there form a new barrier between downcity and the future 195 land?

Here's my opinion of the options...

1) A large "downtown shopping parking structure" with either metered parking or broadly applied retail reimbursed parking that would preferably be on the border of downtown and the future 195 land, near the current surface lots at Dorrance and Friendship in order to serve both. This enormous structure would have pedestrian friendly retail at ground level and, most importantly, a Providence visitors center with clear directions, maps, and a tour center.

For example, I know that the intersection of Chestnut and Ship street has at times been envisioned as a future mixed use neighborhood on the 195 land (retail, residential, university, etc) called "Chestnut Square." A downtown parking structure located there would be on a major North-South road, be within equal walking distance from Downcity and the future Chestnut Square, and it would spur development of South Dorrance. This would require (gasp!) planning from the city...

2) Since I think Downcity doesn't have that long to wait, I think the next best option would be something like what Grant's Block is supposed to do. I, unfortunately, don't think visitors (not the people who live there) want to walk too far from their shopping destination. The most successful applications of this type of retail district parking I can think of (Nicolette Mall in Minneapolis; multiple locations in Vancouver, Copley in Boston, 70 France in Edina, etc) have parking clearly marked but hidden in mixed use buildings with the parking on the "back end" of major retail streets or underground. The problem with this in Downcity is that "the back" of any street is another important street and no one, for some reason, seems willing to put parking underground here.

3) The cheapest and quickest fix would be the coordinated use of the copious parking already existant downtown. The Parkade, Arcade parking, Grants Block, surface lot, etc owners should all get together and work out a common exterior signage, fee, etc system. There would be corresponding large, clear, attractive signage on major streets, intersections, exits, etc to direct people to parking. There should also be widespead reimbursement for retail purchases at every major retailer downtown.

This would be hard because it would require close coordination with:

- Retailers

- Parking structure owners

- The city

Ok, this post was far too long, but that's my $0.02. I prefer option 1.

- Garris

[Frankie811]

http://www.projo.com/news/20051228_tax.html

[Cotuit]

This all looks pretty good. A few things though:

I wonder where the new train station garage would go?

I don't like the idea of pedestrian bridges flanking the Atwells and Broadway bridges. One would assume that they will have to have suicide fencing on either side and will become in effect cages. Anyone who ever walked over the old footbridge to India Point knows what I mean. If they were wide enough, the cage effect would recede, but I'd rather just see the existing bridges widened to allow for a landscaped strip between the roadway and the sidewalks, and decorative lighting. The sidewalks are not actually the problem with these bridges, if they were cleaned and the snow was ever cleared, they are perfectly good sidewalks. The problem is the Service Roads. New bridges are not going to change the fact that pedestrians are forced to cross 3 lanes of highspeed traffic on either end of these bridges. The interesections (notably on the Downcity side) are also built for cars, with wide radius curbs and right turn lanes, not good for pedestrians. The money would be best spent, urbanfying (is that a word?) these intersections. The Services Roads should also be reduced to 2 lanes with on-street parking to calm traffic, and future developement should be encouraged to meet the street, making the Service Roads into city streets not extentions of the highway as they are now.

My crazy scheme would be to eliminate the Service Roads entirely. There aren't Service Roads in other areas, why do we need them between Atwells and Broad Street?

[ruchele]

I agree with you, Cotuit, especially about the folly of new pedestrian bridges, and the elimination of the service roads- Those roads should definitely become city streets with pedestrian access. I'm not sure how the access to 95 would work, since the service roads are basically entrance & exit ramps now, but someone should be able to figure it out.

I'm dissapointed that the TIF district doesn't extend down Broad St. across 95. That area definitely needs some help, and there's a lot of room for development on the old Boy Scouts site and in the retail area across from the high school fields. I wonder what the thinking was in leaving those couple of blocks out of the TIF scope?

[Recchia]

I'm dissapointed that the TIF district doesn't extend down Broad St. across 95. That area definitely needs some help, and there's a lot of room for development on the old Boy Scouts site and in the retail area across from the high school fields. I wonder what the thinking was in leaving those couple of blocks out of the TIF scope?

I have a feeling that the city feels that area isn't far enough along as downcity/the west end is and therefore would benefit more from regular old tax breaks instead of a TIF system.

[CtownMikey]

http://www.projo.com/opinion/editorials/co...ax.d714327.html

and

http://www.projo.com/opinion/editorials/co...m.17882526.html

1. Why cant we be building low budget hotels along with the high end hilton, masonic, and westin.

2. If R.I. does fix it's tax problem, would it ever be possible to make it lower than MA and CT? And any thought s on Carcieri wanting to do this tax reform in 06', is it Bullsh*t?

[PVDJack]

http://www.projo.com/opinion/editorials/co...ax.d714327.html

Thanks for posting this. I couldn't agree more. I believe making RI's taxes (income and sales!) competitive with our neighbors is the single greatest short-term leverage point we have.

We can talk about urban planning and building design all day (and god knows, I'd love to ), but if the "economic architecture" isn't complementary, we aren't going to begin to, as Cicilline says, "fill our vast potential."

PVDJack

[CtownMikey]

so is it just a matter of lowering taxes?

I have no clue what that really means. I'm guessing a cut in certain people's budget such as city mayors and the state gov't.

But why is lowering taxes so hard for our state? We have to give a little to get a little. The state just doesn't want to give lower taxes before getting any it seems.

Cotuit, Michael needs another school lesson.

Taxes 101

[Garris]

This all looks pretty good. A few things though:

Right as usual Cotuit...

I agree 100% on the pedestrian bridges... I was scratching my head on that one trying to figure out why they were necessary. And I noticed the kiosk Westminster bridge idea is back... I always liked it, but thought that was supposed to be too expensive an option?

On the service roads, I'm somewhat torn. As someone who very frequently has to go between Rhode Island Hospital and the Providence VA, I have to admit that those service roads currently have a very useful purpose in connecting South Providence with Western and Northern Providence. We always talk about West-Downtown connections, but the South/North and South/West connections aren't that robust right now. I agree that doing away with the service roads would be great from a visual and pedestrian standpoint, but unless something is done to upgrade Dean et al to make it more useful as the key artery that people are already treating it as, I'd leave things status quo. Aren't all of those developers for the sites along the highway depending on the service roads as well for access?

On the West Side park/common at Dean and Washington? Great, great idea. Perfect to help spur development of that area into a true (and new) residential neighborhood. With good sidewalk connectors to a Westminster St retail district, that area will fly...

Where exactly would the second train station garage go? And only 1.4 million for it??? The trees lining 95 are listed as costing 0.6 million more!!!

And what can one say about all of the Downcity traffic redevelopment ideas and Westminster connector except GET THEM DONE!! Just even reading about reconnecting Westminster in an official capacity is extremely exciting.

- Garris

[CtownMikey]

"The trees lining 95 are listed as costing 0.6 million more!!!"

is this project the one that is pretty much finished?

It spans from about the end of exit 15 to the beginning of ext 16 with prety brick structures and bushes/trees?

[Cotuit]

unless something is done to upgrade Dean et al to make it more useful as the key artery that people are already treating it as, I'd leave things status quo.

Well, removing the Service Roads or no (and I don't think that is something that would actually happen, but I'd like it to in my fantasy world), Dean needs updating. There's no road in some areas, it's all patches.

The trees lining 95 are listed as costing 0.6 million more!!!

I was talking to Thom Deller about this at the last forum meet, I was saying please don't spend good money on something so stupid. He assured me that there was actual federal money that was allocated to projects like this and it wasn't good money that could be used someplace else, there's an actual federal line item for planting trees along urban highways. It keeps the weird planting trees lady happy and let's the city say, "we planted trees, now we're building some skyscrapers, so shut your trap."

is this project the one that is pretty much finished?

It spans from about the end of exit 15 to the beginning of ext 16 with prety brick structures and bushes/trees?

No, this is trees along the banks of Route 95 between Atwells and Broad Street.

[Cotuit]

I was one of the handful of people who actually went to work today (I'm not complaining because I had a week and a half off). I walked home around 5:30-6pm, after dark, but still early evening. I gotta say, Downcity was downright scary tonight with hardly anyone on the streets. When I was walking down Snow Street to Washington a guy in a Trans-Am slowed beside me because I think he thought I was a prostitute (I could have told him to check the corner outside tazza, there was a rent boy there). Generally a number of unsavory characters skulking about in the dark, not a nice experience. It's a little unsettling what a difference everyone having the day off can make in the feel of the city. It wouldn't take too many people giving up on Downcity living or too many businesses folding to see Downcity slide right back downhill again.

[gregw]

It wouldn't take too many people giving up on Downcity living or too many businesses folding to see Downcity slide right back downhill again.

I hate to say it, but almost every time I go by Design Within Reach, the shoe store and the furniture place next door on Westminster they're totally empty. Tazza and Symposium seem to do better.

This is just my observation and perhaps, hopefully, they're all doing well.

It's funny though. I would have thought that the ideal kinds of stores for that location, which desperately needs traffic, would be ones that people can return to over and over again and linger. Tazza and Symposium fit the bill in this regard as would an assortment of restaurants or jazz clubs.

[PVDJack]

I hate to say it, but almost every time I go by Design Within Reach, the shoe store and the furniture place next door on Westminster they're totally empty. Tazza and Symposium seem to do better.

This is just my observation and perhaps, hopefully, they're all doing well.

It's funny though. I would have thought that the ideal kinds of stores for that location, which desperately needs traffic, would be ones that people can return to over and over again and linger. Tazza and Symposium fit the bill in this regard as would an assortment of restaurants or jazz clubs.

Would a large Barnes & Noble make sense Downcity? In Manhattan (I'm thinking of the Union Square and Astor Place locations), they generate a lot of foot traffic, lingering, etc. Interestingly these locations are choose to a bunch of schools (NYU, Cooper Union, the New School, etc.) much like Downcity is.

EDIT

Oh, I see now that B&N operates a couple of bookstores for JWU. I wonder if JWU would pressure them from opening their own nearby store. Could always have another big Borders (now, I'm thinking of the one on Church St. in Burlington...)