Cool Stuff in Other Cities

[Uncommon]

On 7/22/2023 at 11:27 AM, prahaboheme said:

Miami is still in Florida and suffers from a lot of the same draconian laws that prevent it from reaching its potential. The fact that there is no train to South Beach is indefensible.

Draconian laws? The 2020s have brought a lot of plans to improve public transit in Miami and between expansion of Tri-Rail, Metromover, Metrorail, and Brightline, how do you figure that being in Florida is what is causing it from reaching its potential?

[prahaboheme]

2 hours ago, Uncommon said:

Draconian laws? The 2020s have brought a lot of plans to improve public transit in Miami and between expansion of Tri-Rail, Metromover, Metrorail, and Brightline, how do you figure that being in Florida is what is causing it from reaching its potential?

FDOT prioritizes cars over mass transit alternatives, plain and simple. 

[Uncommon]

47 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

FDOT prioritizes cars over mass transit alternatives, plain and simple. 

Yeah, so does literally every single other state's department of transportation, and let's not pretend this isn't the case. This is the United States of America and not Amsterdam. Cars rule in 99.7% of the nation. The fact that a city -- one of only a small handful in this nation -- is actively implementing plans to improve public transit is a revelation and net positive. Your use of "draconian" literally applies to nearly every single incorporated area in the country, save for a tiny minority aiming and allocating funds to drastically improve public transportation including LA, Seattle, Austin, Boston, and a few others I could count on my hands and feet.

[prahaboheme]

Agree to disagree.

[Uncommon]

1 hour ago, prahaboheme said:

Agree to disagree.

Care to provide proof of another state's DOT that prioritizes mass transit alternatives over cars?

[prahaboheme]

There are plenty of states and cities with comprehensive mass transit plans — MA, NY, NJ, DC, CA, OR, WA, VA, HI. 

And many others making somewhat of an effort.
 

How about you tell me where FDOT is actively involved in bringing mass transit alternatives to FL’s metro areas. They are focused on building roads and endless sprawl, as that is a major economic engine for the state. 

[Uncommon]

49 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

There are plenty of states and cities with comprehensive mass transit plans — MA, NY, NJ, DC, CA, OR, WA, VA, HI. 

And many others making somewhat of an effort.
 

How about you tell me where FDOT is actively involved in bringing mass transit alternatives to FL’s metro areas. They are focused on building roads and endless sprawl, as that is a major economic engine for the state. 

Don't move the goalposts. You clearly suggested other states' DOT prioritize mass transit alternatives over cars. You still have not presented one shred of evidence besides just listing random states. If the priority is transit, then I'd expect to see more funding allocated for rail than roads in CA, for example. Literally anything showing public transportation as a state's PRIORITY over cars in the most car-centric nation in the world would be a welcome sight that I look forward to. I'll wait.

Also, the irony in saying "And many others making somewhat of an effort," yet criticizing Miami as "draconian" in its efforts to expand is comically eye-raising at best and reeks of a typical agenda at worst:

Metromover (https://www.miamidade.gov/global/transportation/metromover-upgrade-project.page),

Metrorail (https://www.miamidade.gov/global/release.page?Mduid_release=rel166854898373927)

Tri-Rail (https://www.tri-rail.com/pages/view/downtown-miami-link)

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by Uncommon

[prahaboheme]

Honey, I did not move the goalpost. If you’re going to post with such disdain for another contributor to a forum, at least read what was suggested with an open mind. 

Anyway, this will be my last post on this forum anyway so you don’t have to bother with that.

[Uncommon]

7 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

Honey, I did not move the goalpost. If you’re going to post with such disdain for another contributor to a forum, at least read what was suggested with an open mind. 

Anyway, this will be my last post on this forum anyway so you don’t have to bother with that.

I have zero disdain for a complete Internet stranger. It's weird that you've made it personal. You made a claim and I disagreed and refuted it. Plain and simple.

[jrs2]

14 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

There are plenty of states and cities with comprehensive mass transit plans — MA, NY, NJ, DC, CA, OR, WA, VA, HI. 

And many others making somewhat of an effort.
 

How about you tell me where FDOT is actively involved in bringing mass transit alternatives to FL’s metro areas. They are focused on building roads and endless sprawl, as that is a major economic engine for the state. 

I won't toot the horn of FDOT, and I will acknowledge that Sunrail was not necessarily a "plan" by FDOT as much as it was an opportunity brought about by CSX's desire to shift freight operations and to modernize.

Um, you're in DC, right.  Who pays for DC's metrorail?  There's no state DOT involved because there is no state.  So it's all federal...  what standard do you apply there compared to a typical state DOT or FDOT?  That's an easy one b/c the Fed pays for everything in DC.

So, state DOT's aside, the municipalities are the ones that make these plans and submit proposals to the Fed and State for $$$.  So why place the onus on FDOT to be the proactive ones here? The State doesn't go into a city and say we're putting a train here.  It's The City's responsibility to do that and The County's.  

If Buddy Dyer sits on his rear during his first term and doesn't try to resurrect the '90's Lynx proposal, yet during this time Rep Mica is in talks with CSX and FDOT for a future CRT, who's fault is that, who is to blame for inaction, and who is to get credit if a deal is struck?  Well, it's Buddy Dyer's fault for not spearheading anything.  But John Mica is to get credit for getting FDOT to agree to pay for CSX's proposal and to pay for Sunrail, etc. And as a result, Dyer is to get credit for making Orlando a partner entity along with the other affected counties to see Sunrail through.  But with Sunrail, it was the vision of a State rep from this district that made it happen, when it should have been the local governments initially coming together.  So, it's not an LRT or Heavy Rail (like Metrorail), which you would expect as an initial system, rather, it's the CRT extended area system.  Kind of the reverse.  But then again, this whole process happened in the reverse like I pointed out.   But like I posted before, Mica's gone so don't expect anything from a political placeholder.  It's going to be up to The City and The County's to spearhead it from here for expansion(s) of Sunrail.

But that's how it's done.  And FDOT was actively involved with Sunrail b/c without FDOT, it wouldn't have happened.  FDOT was also involved with SoFla's systems, and Jax's downtown APM, and Tampa's downtown Streetcar.

Grown Management plans aside, it is the local municipalities' responsibility to make these plans and then bring them to the State, not the reverse.

[jrs2]

Cool?  Yeah, if you're familiar with Gainesville and it's stagnant growth history.  But over the past decade or so, right in the center of town, 13th & University, they have been building things gangbusters.  This is what I was hoping to see (in a way) when I was  running around and playing barefoot in puddles...  The link below is for one building they built on University a few short blocks from campus.  But if you look at the other photos from other angles, you will see more than half a dozen higher rise apartment mixed use buildings they've built just in this zone.  They took out Leonardo's Pizza, but, not every day is a Sunday...

https://www.apartments.com/hub-on-campus-gainesville-3rd-ave-gainesville-fl/g7yzx1y/

https://floridayimby.com/2021/12/affordable-mixed-use-housing-complex-coming-to-gainesville-fl-will-provide-151-units.html

In the first photo, the building to the left that's green..., that's Evolve:

https://floridayimby.com/2022/05/evolve-gainesville-to-end-construction-in-2023-at-931-west-university-avenue-gainesville-florida.html

https://www.swamprentals.com/sweetwater-apartments

Then the middle building is The Hub on Campus.  Then the building to it's right is the second link above...the 10 story one...that's Sweetwater.  Those three are on University to the east of 13th.  That does not include the building that is to go at the NE corner of 13th & University, where the orange and blue gas station was. 

In the second phot looking NW, you see two of the above mentioned buildings in the foreground from the backside of them.  Beyond them is yet another cluster already built and also u/c going down 13th Street.  Back to the right, you see The Hub at 3rd which is on the east side of 13th (pictures 3 & 4).  The 4th photo is taken from over the roof of Publix, probably taken from The Standard, described next: On the west side of 13th beginning at the corner with University is The Standard, which also houses Target.  It is very big and was the first of this cluster to go up...

https://huboncampus.com/gainesville-third-ave/tour/

And these buildings are separate from the ones they already built along SW 2nd Ave between campus and downtown Gainesville over the past 15-20 years... and, they are separate from the cluster built across campus along University to the west closer to the stadium and also behind in the Student Ghetto.

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by jrs2

[aent]

20 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

There are plenty of states and cities with comprehensive mass transit plans — MA, NY, NJ, DC, CA, OR, WA, VA, HI. 

And many others making somewhat of an effort.
 

How about you tell me where FDOT is actively involved in bringing mass transit alternatives to FL’s metro areas. They are focused on building roads and endless sprawl, as that is a major economic engine for the state. 

Florida is literally probably number one in the nation over the last decade for launching or extending new (non-bus) mass transit systems... Sunrail launched less then a decade ago, along with Brightline, which when the Orlando section launches will be the second fastest train in the US, and the state has many other expansion projects in the works, including the E-W Sunrail expansion/Sunshine Corridor/OBX (I'll lump that all as one), a potential Sunrail extension to Daytona, Brightline's further expansion to Tampa, Tri-Rail's entire coastal corridor, which is launching another Tri-Rail extension by the end of the year and plans to more then double the length of the Tri-Rail system, and supposedly Metrorail is expanding soon. Seriously, what state has actually launched as much as what Florida has in the last decade?

And realistically for Orlando, if the Sunshine corridor gets built, it seems extremely likely a private company will step in to build a local transit loop around the I-Drive corridor as well. There was interest in that before Brightline is built, its gonna be way more interest after they have a station to connect to.

 

The only place I know of coming close is California, and thats with a literal train from nowhere to nowhere on that CA HSR. that seems likely its going to run out of money before it launches. 

Edited July 27, 2023 by aent

[Uncommon]

To be fair, in California, LA's light rail is being massively extended and will continue to see lots of extensions in the future. There definitely are municipalities dedicating funding to transit projects but where I staunchly disagree with @prahabohemeis that Miami is purposely being held back by Florida's DOT and other DOT prioritize public transportation over cars. That is categorically untrue. And rather than admit he or she was dead wrong or furnish proof, they just took their ball and headed home. Fine by me.

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, jrs2 said:

Cool?  Yeah, if you're familiar with Gainesville and it's stagnant growth history.  But over the past decade or so, right in the center of town, 13th & University, they have been building things gangbusters.  This is what I was hoping to see (in a way) when I was  running around and playing barefoot in puddles...  The link below is for one building they built on University a few short blocks from campus.  But if you look at the other photos from other angles, you will see more than half a dozen higher rise apartment mixed use buildings they've built just in this zone.  They took out Leonardo's Pizza, but, not every day is a Sunday...

https://www.apartments.com/hub-on-campus-gainesville-3rd-ave-gainesville-fl/g7yzx1y/

https://floridayimby.com/2021/12/affordable-mixed-use-housing-complex-coming-to-gainesville-fl-will-provide-151-units.html

In the first photo, the building to the left that's green..., that's Evolve:

https://floridayimby.com/2022/05/evolve-gainesville-to-end-construction-in-2023-at-931-west-university-avenue-gainesville-florida.html

https://www.swamprentals.com/sweetwater-apartments

Then the middle building is The Hub on Campus.  Then the building to it's right is the second link above...the 10 story one...that's Sweetwater.  Those three are on University to the east of 13th.  That does not include the building that is to go at the NE corner of 13th & University, where the orange and blue gas station was. 

In the second phot looking NW, you see two of the above mentioned buildings in the foreground from the backside of them.  Beyond them is yet another cluster already built and also u/c going down 13th Street.  Back to the right, you see The Hub at 3rd which is on the east side of 13th (pictures 3 & 4).  The 4th photo is taken from over the roof of Publix, probably taken from The Standard, described next: On the west side of 13th beginning at the corner with University is The Standard, which also houses Target.  It is very big and was the first of this cluster to go up...

https://huboncampus.com/gainesville-third-ave/tour/

And these buildings are separate from the ones they already built along SW 2nd Ave between campus and downtown Gainesville over the past 15-20 years... and, they are separate from the cluster built across campus along University to the west closer to the stadium and also behind in the Student Ghetto.

 

Not trying to pee on your parade here, but to me it looks like the same boring, cookie-cutter crapitecture we get in DTO.  

[JFW657]

Ground has broken on the tallest skyscraper to be built in ‘Atlanta in the last 30 years’

Rockefeller Group, a real estate development firm, unveiled renderings of what they called Atlanta’s new trophy tower which will change the skyline.

The 60 story skyscraper will boast multimillion-dollar apartments, more than 6,000 square feet of retail space and 224,000 square feet of office space.

Executives with the Rockefeller Group told Washington that they expect the 1072 West Peachtree skyscraper to officially open in early 2026.

 

 

[jrs2]

13 hours ago, JFW657 said:

Not trying to pee on your parade here, but to me it looks like the same boring, cookie-cutter crapitecture we get in DTO.  

No argument there; but it's the dynamic that fascinates me the most. It's more of an urban design commentary.  For example, if you go to Columbus, OH, TOSU's campus edges are lined with multi-story buildings all up and down the main border street corridors.  Granted, C-Bus is a large city already, but to see Gainesville pseudo-follow that model, the size that it is, is something I would have never anticipated.  I of course prefer to see floor to ceiling glass with a steel frame or brick glass and steel, or similar...but...

8 hours ago, JFW657 said:

Ground has broken on the tallest skyscraper to be built in ‘Atlanta in the last 30 years’

Rockefeller Group, a real estate development firm, unveiled renderings of what they called Atlanta’s new trophy tower which will change the skyline.

The 60 story skyscraper will boast multimillion-dollar apartments, more than 6,000 square feet of retail space and 224,000 square feet of office space.

Executives with the Rockefeller Group told Washington that they expect the 1072 West Peachtree skyscraper to officially open in early 2026.

 

 

733'.  it's a block and a half from that former IBM tower in Midtown.  very nice.  

[shardoon]

On 7/26/2023 at 7:55 PM, prahaboheme said:

Honey, I did not move the goalpost. If you’re going to post with such disdain for another contributor to a forum, at least read what was suggested with an open mind. 

Anyway, this will be my last post on this forum anyway so you don’t have to bother with that.

So that's it? You disagree, take it personal, then go to a safe place where there is no countering views?

[jrs2]

https://www.miamicondoinvestments.com/miami-river/miami-riverbridge-project-receives-approval-for-construction-in-downtown-miami

This was recently approved.  It is the redevelopment of the Hyatt/ Knight Center

The tall tower will be the max height allowable:  1,049'

Between this and the already u/c Waldorf, Miami will have two towers over 1k' in height... (one for sure since it is already u/c); but I think this one will get built.  That intersection of Brickell & Miami River will have tall towers at all four corners: Icon, Aston Martin Residences, this project, and another at the SW lot across from Icon.

[orange87]

Stamford, Connecticut is doing it's best to erase Trump from their city. Trump previously had the tallest building in Stamford; Trump Parc Stamford at 350 feet. It was recently sold and it has been renamed to Park Tower Stamford. To further remove any doubt of wether the tallest building in Stamford is by Trump, a 365 foot tall building was recently approved and will be the tallest building in Stamford once built.

[Ivanhoe]

31 minutes ago, orange87 said:

Stamford, Connecticut is doing it's best to erase Trump from their city. Trump previously had the tallest building in Stamford; Trump Parc Stamford at 350 feet. It was recently sold and it has been renamed to Park Tower Stamford. To further remove any doubt of wether the tallest building in Stamford is by Trump, a 365 foot tall building was recently approved and will be the tallest building in Stamford once built.

I was recently in Stamford and found the waterfront redevelopment quite impressive. 

[orange87]

2 hours ago, Ivanhoe said:

I was recently in Stamford and found the waterfront redevelopment quite impressive. 

Stamford is basically a mini Manhattan. It's a great little city.

[orange87]

Mohegan Sun in CT Voted Number 1 Casino in America

Article: https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-casino-hotel-2023/

Edited September 22, 2023 by orange87

[Ivanhoe]

16 minutes ago, orange87 said:

Stamford is basically a mini Manhattan. It's a great little city.

I was equally impressed with the improvements in New Haven — it was always a dynamic city vibe however having spent about a decade away from it, it’s noticeably changed.

The Town and Gown vibe seems diminished. 

5 minutes ago, orange87 said:

Mohegan Sun in CT Voted Number 1 Casino in America

Article: https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-casino-hotel-2023/

I would have gone with Foxwoods down the street but concur it’s a great casino experience. 

[jrs2]

Guess where I am...

 

[jgardnerucf]

Ok I'll guess:   The Contemporary Art Museum, Boston?