Cool Stuff in Other Cities

[prahaboheme]

And then sometimes things actually are edgy and forward thinking rather than nostalgic crap that pays homage to an outdated eyesore that lost its utility two decades ago.

[spenser1058]

18 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

And then sometimes things actually are edgy and forward thinking rather than nostalgic crap that pays homage to an outdated eyesore that lost its utility two decades ago.

I guess the Magic Kingdom* (and the Contemporary) are the only two things from the ‘70’s I get nostalgic over. It tended to be a forgettable decade, even if it’s the one when I came of age. Leisure suits still make me shudder.

The inverted pyramid always seemed odd to me for a pier.

*Truthfully, I like the scale of Disneyland better and it’s from the ‘50’s, but I never worked there.

Edited August 17, 2020 by spenser1058

[Uncommon]

Yeah, the old Pier building looked stupid. This new building looks pretty good. Doesn’t look overly-artsy to me at all.

[jack]

5 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

Could this be a lesson for Sanford?

St Pete was good condo market prior to all of the apartments going up. The arts and restaurant scene was solid as well.  The apartment growth is new. Point being, St Pete was cool last decade for older and wealthier people. That created a decent starting point. 

[AmIReal]

54 minutes ago, jack said:

St Pete was good condo market prior to all of the apartments going up. The arts and restaurant scene was solid as well.  The apartment growth is new. Point being, St Pete was cool last decade for older and wealthier people. That created a decent starting point. 

Absolutely! St Pete was like a higher end version of WP and that is the foundation of the arts and the old food scene. A little over a decade ago St Pete saw an influx of younger, gay couples move in and that enhanced the retail component and upped the food scene to a cooler vibe. 

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

And then sometimes things actually are edgy and forward thinking rather than nostalgic crap that pays homage to an outdated eyesore that lost its utility two decades ago.

Good observation. 

I couldn't agree more.

A perfect example of what you described would be the former Jaymont block and those tacky looking old dime stores that occupied the site until our dynamic, forward thinking mayor Buddy Dyer had the guts and the spine to take the initiative to get rid of them as should have been done under that backward thinking old fossil Bill Frederick, whose pandering to a group of grannies who couldn't let go of the past, cost us a major high rise which would have been an iconic addition to our skyline and rivaled the height of SunTrust..

Because of that forward thinking by Mayor Dyer, we got a glistening, modern high-rise complex with a multiplex theater in its place, which transformed the corner of "Main & Main" into an actual city center rather than the "outdated eyesore that lost its utility…. decades ago" which it replaced.

Not as good as what Bill Frederick ruined for is, but a vast improvement nonetheless.

Good point.  

[spenser1058]

You can’t really understand downtown St. Pete unless you understand Webb’s City. For downtown to become what it is today, Doc Webb’s extravaganza had to go away.

It did, Doc Webb died in an unmarked grave, but it was still an amazing thing while it lasted:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida/2019/08/18/webbs-city-closed-40-years-ago-today-what-happened-to-the-worlds-most-unusual-drug-store/

Edited August 17, 2020 by spenser1058

[prahaboheme]

1 hour ago, JFW657 said:

Good observation. 

I couldn't agree more.

A perfect example of what you described would be the former Jaymont block and those tacky looking old dime stores that occupied the site until our dynamic, forward thinking mayor Buddy Dyer had the guts and the spine to take the initiative to get rid of them as should have been done under that backward thinking old fossil Bill Frederick, whose pandering to a group of grannies who couldn't let go of the past, cost us a major high rise which would have been an iconic addition to our skyline and rivaled the height of SunTrust..

Because of that forward thinking by Mayor Dyer, we got a glistening, modern high-rise complex with a multiplex theater in its place, which transformed the corner of "Main & Main" into an actual city center rather than the "outdated eyesore that lost its utility…. decades ago" which it replaced.

Not as good as what Bill Frederick ruined for is, but a vast improvement nonetheless.

Good point.  

Actually, it isn’t. I’ll take a wild guess that you’ve not taken an effort to get over to St Pete to see the new Pier because it’s easier for you to be an armchair critic.

Similar say, to how you’ve said you have no use for downtown Orlando these days and never go there.

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, prahaboheme said:

Actually, it isn’t. I’ll take a wild guess that you’ve not taken an effort to get over to St Pete to see the new Pier because it’s easier for you to be an armchair critic.

Similar say, to how you’ve said you have no use for downtown Orlando these days and never go there.

Sure, why not? 

I just want you to be happy. 

As for St Pete's odd looking pier, I will say this... had Buddy Dyer been mayor over there, not only would they have gotten a better looking pier, it wouldn't have taken the better part of 20 years to agree on a design and build it. It would have been done and people would have been enjoying it years ago.

It's enough to make one wonder if Bill Frederick hasn't been over there working behind the scenes, slowing things to a crawl.  

  

[prahaboheme]

19 minutes ago, JFW657 said:

Sure, why not? 

I just want you to be happy. 

As for St Pete's odd looking pier, I will say this... had Buddy Dyer been mayor over there, not only would they have gotten a better looking pier, it wouldn't have taken the better part of 20 years to agree on a design and build it. It would have been done and people would have been enjoying it years ago.

It's enough to make one wonder if Bill Frederick hasn't been over there working behind the scenes, slowing things to a crawl.  

  

I’m quite simple really. All I needed from you was another emoticon. 

Edited August 18, 2020 by prahaboheme

[JFW657]

3 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

I’m quite simple really. All I needed from you was another emoticon. 

You're sooooo sophisticated. 

[jack]

16 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

You can’t really understand downtown St. Pete unless you understand Webb’s City. For downtown to become what it is today, Doc Webb’s extravaganza had to go away.

It did, Doc Webb died in an unmarked grave, but it was still an amazing thing while it lasted:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida/2019/08/18/webbs-city-closed-40-years-ago-today-what-happened-to-the-worlds-most-unusual-drug-store/

That is one of the most Florida things I have ever heard of. Thank you sir for making me smile this morning.

 

[spenser1058]

More Mid-Century Modern in Jax. I have no doubt @HankStrong will like the Atlantic Coast Bank (1st pic) ALMOST as much he liked the brise on our round building:

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/10-more-examples-of-mid-century-modern-in-jacksonville
 

From The Jaxson 

Edited August 18, 2020 by spenser1058

[HankStrong]

Gross

[spenser1058]

This seems like a notable investment in refurbs . I know Orlando has a somewhat similar program, but do we know how much is allocated to it?

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/downtown-storefront-facade-grant-program-launched
 

From The Jaxson

[AmIReal]

3 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

This seems like a notable investment in refurbs . I know Orlando has a somewhat similar program, but do we know how much is allocated to it?

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/downtown-storefront-facade-grant-program-launched
 

From The Jaxson

Last year, the City increased the individual amounts to $15,000- 120,000, or half the total costs. They are grants instead of loans.

https://bungalower.com/2019/05/29/city-hall-upping-the-limit-on-their-facade-improvement-program/

https://www.orlando.gov/Building-Development/Business-Incentives/Business-Incentive-Programs/Small-Business-Façade-Site-Improvement-and-Adaptive-Reuse-Program#section-1

Edited August 20, 2020 by AmIReal

[spenser1058]

How ‘bout some REAL high speed rail? Here’s the Azuma taking you from London to Leeds in the UK:

 

[smileguy]

25 minutes ago, AmIReal said:

Last year, the City increased the individual amounts to $15,000- 120,000, or half the total costs. They are grants instead of loans.

https://bungalower.com/2019/05/29/city-hall-upping-the-limit-on-their-facade-improvement-program/

https://www.orlando.gov/Building-Development/Business-Incentives/Business-Incentive-Programs/Small-Business-Façade-Site-Improvement-and-Adaptive-Reuse-Program#section-1

And last I checked, there was still some $$ left for this year, which ends Sept. 30.  Get your facade grants in!

[JFW657]

32 minutes ago, AmIReal said:

Last year, the City increased the individual amounts to $15,000- 120,000, or half the total costs. They are grants instead of loans.

https://bungalower.com/2019/05/29/city-hall-upping-the-limit-on-their-facade-improvement-program/

https://www.orlando.gov/Building-Development/Business-Incentives/Business-Incentive-Programs/Small-Business-Façade-Site-Improvement-and-Adaptive-Reuse-Program#section-1

 

6 minutes ago, smileguy said:

And last I checked, there was still some $$ left for this year, which ends Sept. 30.  Get your facade grants in!

Kudos to Mayor Buddy Dyer for his smart leadership, working on behalf of downtown and its small businesses.  

 

 

[spenser1058]

Sad news for @prahaboheme. The replica of the bar from Ceers at Boston’s Faneuil Hall is the latest victim of COVID.

Fortunately, the Bull & Finch, the neighborhood pub that Cheers was actually created from, will soldier on.

Meanwhile, I shall continue to mourn that the Boston Traders sportswear that Ted Danson often wore while tending bar is gone forever. Thankfully, J. Press is forever!

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cheers-faneuil-hall-marketplace-boston-closing/
 

From CBS News

 

[aent]

On 8/20/2020 at 11:49 AM, spenser1058 said:

How ‘bout some REAL high speed rail? Here’s the Azuma taking you from London to Leeds in the UK:

So, umm, I'll bite.... what makes this more of a REAL high speed rail then what Brightline is building right here in Orlando?

[elefants]

20 minutes ago, aent said:

So, umm, I'll bite.... what makes this more of a REAL high speed rail then what Brightline is building right here in Orlando?

Brightline tops out at just under 80mph and is considered "higher speed" whereas Azuma hits 125mph.

Edit: Brightline hits 125 as well, once the Orlando leg is complete.

Edited August 21, 2020 by elefants

[spenser1058]

11 minutes ago, aent said:

So, umm, I'll bite.... what makes this more of a REAL high speed rail then what Brightline is building right here in Orlando?

Even Brightline acknowledges it’s not true high speed. Of course, the inland route was always preferable for that but the whole exercise was never about the train. Given they haven’t made a single target, they’ll just end up dumping the whole thing on the government anyway, as Fortress and most PEFs are wont to do. But they’ll make sure they get their cash before they dump it.

Edited August 21, 2020 by spenser1058

[aent]

1 minute ago, elefants said:

Brightline tops out at just under 80mph and is considered "higher speed" whereas Azuma hits 125mph.

The West Palm Beach to Orlando section is supposed to hit 125mph as well, the trains are capable of 140mph although the tracks will not permit that.

[elefants]

1 minute ago, aent said:

The West Palm Beach to Orlando section is supposed to hit 125mph as well, the trains are capable of 140mph although the tracks will not permit that.

You're right!  I was just looking it up to make sure and I was mistaken.  Good question,  then.