COMPLETE: GTECH Center

[Gusterfell]

There is a noticable difference in level based on tides in the Narragansett Bay.

[dgreco]

I found that out the hard way several years ago. A friend and I were eating lunch on the steps that descend into the river on the north side of the basin, and were surprised by the (rather quickly) rising tide.

With the combined sewer overflow program nearly (?) complete, I hope that this water will clear up somewhat.

Not really relevent to your basic point, but I have seen small fish in the basin on several occasions.

[jencoleslaw]

dredging is problematic because of what is under the sand--really really polluted heavy metals from all those years of plating and jewelry making upstream. my unscienific opinion would be to block off the river in stages and dredge, and figure out where the dredge material would go and work your way down the river. It would be so much more dramatic, cleaner, better looking if it was deeper. and maybe we'd have fishes!

[dgreco]

dredging is problematic because of what is under the sand--really really polluted heavy metals from all those years of plating and jewelry making upstream. my unscienific opinion would be to block off the river in stages and dredge, and figure out where the dredge material would go and work your way down the river. It would be so much more dramatic, cleaner, better looking if it was deeper. and maybe we'd have fishes!

[runawayjim]

Its jsut a shame cause when you sit out there during the day you see the trash from the mall obviously bags etc, but then you see tires and everything else, further up you see lawn chairs and stuff it is just kind of sad.

[jencoleslaw]

i remember having a conversation years ago with someone who shall remain nameless at the parks department regarding organizing a clean up of the pond/lake banks at RWP. this person said that a community cleanup would be a union problem. so i said, "so can you assign some of the parks personnel to clean it up?" and this person replied "no, it isn't in their job description." We discussed this for some time, and it was finally determined that parks personnel would do it if they were paid time and a half, but they would file a grievance if they were told to clean up during the regular work week.

Now, again, this was years ago and the parks department is a different animal now, but it would be interesting to see what a community cleanup of a city/state asset like the river would look like.

[mental757]

I was going to comment, but decided not too...

[chaz200]

Article on Gtech's move in today's paper:

http://www.projo.com/business/content/gtec...0J.354e322.html

[runawayjim]

When are we going to learn to insist on adequate parking for new construction in Providence?

[matt]

I think what runawayjim means to say, if I may, is that there are ample parking opporutunities in Downcity, and as with any major city, it is expected that those who work downtown will use alternate transportation than just one-person/one-car.

I think we need to learn to insist that one car per person is not a viable solution anymore.

[mental757]

Maybe someone should put a RIPTA pamphlet in those 'packets'

[runawayjim]

I think what runawayjim means to say, if I may, is that there are ample parking opporutunities in Downcity, and as with any major city, it is expected that those who work downtown will use alternate transportation than just one-person/one-car.

I think we need to learn to insist that one car per person is not a viable solution anymore.

[matt]

no, i meant to say "you can't be serious".

[Cotuit]

GTECH purposefully designed their building with less spaces than employees to force their employees to find other modes of travel. I would be shocked to learn that they do not have any incentive program for RIPTA passes or car sharing. One of the benefits of having the building where it is is it's proximity to RIPTA. If you use the tunnel by the skating center and walk through Waterplace Park, you only have to cross one street to get from the bus to GTECH.

[bhooley]

This is a great building, but unfortunately Def Leppard had predicted its demise back in the 80's...

[abdiorio]

When are we going to learn to insist on adequate parking for new construction in Providence?

[runawayjim]

This is a great building, but unfortunately Def Leppard had predicted its demise back in the 80's...

[Carter711]

GTECH purposefully designed their building with less spaces than employees to force their employees to find other modes of travel. I would be shocked to learn that they do not have any incentive program for RIPTA passes or car sharing. One of the benefits of having the building where it is is it's proximity to RIPTA. If you use the tunnel by the skating center and walk through Waterplace Park, you only have to cross one street to get from the bus to GTECH.

[JJK5]

??? is that supposed to be an actual image?

[Frankie811]

GTECH purposefully designed their building with less spaces than employees to force their employees to find other modes of travel.

[bhooley]

Site has hotlink protection.

[chaz200]

My friend, you can't serious! GTECH reduced the amount of parking and office spaces as a means of reducing the cost of this project, even though technically they didn't build or finance it. USAA did. And hopefully the Westin 2 webcam will be in effect forever so we can zoom in and spy on the corporate balcony parties, where they grease the palms of their clients.

[runawayjim]

Garage spaces are the first to go when they want to cut cost. If Rhode Island had a great intermodal transportation system then I would say it is not big deal but we don't. Unless you live near a bus route or there is a commuter lot near by it is a royal pain to travel to Providence without a car. Of course if you lived in the city it's not as much of a problem. The reason we have so much surface parking is the fact that as a culture we are car centric and we don't force new development to go vertical with ample parking and don't put enough resources into making it easy to get to Providence without a car.

[dgreco]

that might be the case... but there is not a parking problem in providence!!!! i don't know where people get this idea. sure, you might not be able to park at your office or in front of it or even a block away, but you might have to walk a few blocks. i don't consider that a parking problem. people going into a city, whether it's for work, business, or pleasure, should not have this expectation that they can park right in front of where they're going. i go downtown at night fairly regularly and there's never a time when i spend more than 5 minutes looking for a space, and i have yet to pay a lot for parking. it's always free. i may have to walk a bit, but that's expected in a city.

[runawayjim]

I agree completely the ammount you will pay to park in a garage and probably walk almost the same amount of distance isn't worth it at all. Is there anyway they could have "free garages" or rates where sometimes its free to get more people to use garages. maybe reduce allowed spots on the street?