Station Park Discussion

[mental757]

AMTRAK barely cares about thier station, never mind the park!!

[JVP85]

What they need to do here is make an addition to the train station on that park. It should include a glass atrium and shops (coffee stands and such..similar to south station) that open out to the streets, and should be no more than 3 stories high.

[KBagley]

Apparently the State will be placing a moratorium on the use of Station Park for 2007 to allow for improvements, specifically re-seeding and giving the grass a chance to grow... I think we have the mess Underdog left to thank for this... ugh.

I'm particularly concerned via my involvement with RI Pride and the fact that we may be looking at another battle following last year's debacle over the ownership of Station Park and Amtrak's refusal to allow access to the sections over the rail tunnel. We fought hard, right up until the week before our festival in June, to be able to access the park, and it put a lot of pressure on us as volunteers trying to make the event happen.

While I understand the need to improve the park and the tactic of imposing a moratorium to avoid giving certain groups special treatment, is it really worth losing the economic impact of a year's worth of events that take place there?....

The Pride Festival and Parade alone brought 15,000 people downtown in one day this year and I can assure you we took great care in making sure nothing was damaged and we were out there at 9am the next morning picking up litter, including what had blown across the street onto the statehouse lawn. We were really hurt to see what Underdog did to the field at the end of the season after all our efforts not to make a mess of it in the beginning of summer.

I'm curious to hear what other people think. I agree the park needs improvement and I would love to see a well-manicured, lush lawn here, or whatever they are envisioning, but can't they achieve this without having to make the park off-limits for a year?

[brick]

I think a big lush lawn there is just about the least practical thing that could go there. It will be nearly impossible to maintain. I hope they plan on putting in some footpaths since the Fidelity folks have already "burned" a few impromptu ones of their own, mostly because the current paths go nowhere useful.

[Cotuit]

When they have events, such as Fashion Week, at Bryant Park in New York, the people holding the event have to re-sod, the lawn is closed for a day or two, and then it is as lush as ever for people to enjoy. If there is a will, there is a way to have both large events, and a well maintained park.

[dgreco]

When they have events, such as Fashion Week, at Bryant Park in New York, the people holding the event have to re-sod, the lawn is closed for a day or two, and then it is as lush as ever for people to enjoy. If there is a will, there is a way to have both large events, and a well maintained park.

[runawayjim]

i am telling you FIELD TURF!, but honestly I think some sort of athletic field type thing is best, for state championships etc. It would add soem events to the city, just for example, 5 soccer championships, and 5 football championships, in providence, in a nice area would be really nice.

[AriPVD]

I wrote this for the ProJo but I am significantly repositioning it. Feel free to discuss the merits on here, maybe it can help refine my arugment:

Develop an Intermodal Hub at Station Park

In the past decade, Rhode Island has taken very significant steps towards rebuilding a statewide, fully integrated mass transit network. How many States can claim that they have a stop on the Nation

[runawayjim]

it needs some proofreading, but other than that, it's great. one thing to note: what you call providence station is officially named union station i believe.

i'm gonna send you a PM

[gregw]

While Gaspee Station has its merits, I think there are some objections to it that you might anticipate and address.

1. Aren't you just transferring the problems of Kennedy Plaza to a new location? How will Gaspee Station manage not to have the same issues of overcrowding, crime, litter that people now associate with KP?

2. Also what will become of KP? You imply that it will remain a transit hub. Could you give more detail?

3. You need to show the economic benefits of the move in order to justify the (considerable) cost and address who will bear the cost. Is the current lack of intermodal connection really such an economic liability that it makes sense to abandon a recently redone "intermodal" facility, KP, despite its flaws?

4. You need to reassure people that the view of the State House will not be spoiled by noisy buses, asphalt, overflowing trash cans, etc. In other words, paint a aesthetically pleasing picture of the Gaspee Station.

5. I would streamline the global warming argument. Unfortunately, even when presented with overwhelming evidence that climate change is occurring, the vast majority of Americans are unwilling to sacrifice any convenience to reduce it. More to the point, will Gaspee Station really reduce global warming more than KP in any noticeable way?

Hope this helps.

BTW, per the correction, the current train station is Providence Station. Union Station is the old train complex.

[jencoleslaw]

A lot of great points and arguments, Ari, but i think that the Cap Center Commish would be loathe to put anything in the sightline of the state house that might include poor people, pan handlers and diesel spewing busses.

[runawayjim]

A lot of great points and arguments, Ari, but i think that the Cap Center Commish would be loathe to put anything in the sightline of the state house that might include poor people, pan handlers and diesel spewing busses.

[jencoleslaw]

i am so sick and tired of people complaining about things blocking the view of the statehouse. what's the big deal?!?!?! if you wanna see the statehouse, take a walk!

[runawayjim]

it is the view FROM the statehouse, not the view OF the statehouse i was referring to.

[dgreco]

maybe it'd be good for the people in the statehouse to see poor people. it might help get their butts in gear and take care of the state and city's problems.

personally, i think having the transit moved to a more prominent location like right by the mall and the train station and statehouse would help get better community policing rather than what happens now.

[runawayjim]

I always here the whole poor thing, about the train station, and bus station... but do you really ever see that many poor people... And if we want do something like MBTA, unless you have a "performing" permit, you arn't allowed at the stations and police/secruity, im not sure what they are, "escort" you out if you are not permited.

[MikeR]

Creating Gaspee Station would require opening Exchange Street to Gaspee Street. Eventually, this right-of-way could be dedicated to an urban fixed-rail vehicle. In addition to creating connectivity, the new station addition could host amenities sorely lacking at the current Providence Station, including more and better food service, upgraded commuter facilities, visitor and convention information and centralized taxi service.

[jencoleslaw]

I always here the whole poor thing, about the train station, and bus station... but do you really ever see that many poor people... And if we want do something like MBTA, unless you have a "performing" permit, you arn't allowed at the stations and police/secruity, im not sure what they are, "escort" you out if you are not permited.

[TheAnk]

The Kennedy Plaza area should be made to resemble Harvard Square, or at the very least Porter Square... Right now its just a transportation hub; adding a building in the middle with some retail, and have the buses go around it would be better..

Now it looks barren and depressing, a couple useless benches and people standing around.. Toss a building in the middle with maybe 4 retail stores, put brick everywhere and toss up some sculpture art or some iron works from that place by Eagle Square.. instant attraction..

The one thing, in my opinion, that Providence lacks, is large sculpture-like art.. I don't know my a$% from my elbow when it comes to art, but I know if this stuff is around it creates a good, positive feeling; like a street with a lot of houses decorated for Xmass.. That is, until the real artists, grafiti artist come and tag the hell out of it..

[urbie]

The Kennedy Plaza area should be made to resemble Harvard Square, or at the very least Porter Square... Right now its just a transportation hub; adding a building in the middle with some retail, and have the buses go around it would be better..

[matt]

Sidenote: Polo grounds have been proposed in Narragansett

[dgreco]

Sidenote: Polo grounds have been proposed in Narragansett

[runawayjim]

I thought it was a good idea for downtown, but maybe Narragansett will be better?

[Cotuit]

This article about a proposed bus station in Nashville made me think of Gaspee Station. And the rendering shows that a bus depot can look nice too.

Bus depot set for 2008 opening. MTA to take construction bids; facility will have shops, parking. [The Tennessean]

[dgreco]

It would definately fill in that area nicely, not a concern to me, but what do you do with kennedy plaza and that space? just make more driving lanes?