160 replies to this topic

[cosmo1]

runawayjim, on Nov 29 2007, 04:35 PM, said:

yes, everyone is entitled to that. however, not every home is created equal. if you choose to live in the downtown area of a vibrant city, you are choosing to live with the noise that goes along with it. i recently moved to federal hill about 2 blocks from the main public safety complex. i hear every fire truck, ambulance, and police car that goes by. i chose to live here knowing what i was living near. i am not going to ask them to turn off their sirens. i am not going to ask the restaurants on atwells to close early so that the cars stop driving by earlier. no, i accept that i live in a vibrant neighborhood and just deal with it.

do not take this to mean that you should just suck it up with murphy's, that's not what i'm saying. i am only saying that not every home is created equal when it comes to ambient noise, especially when that home is in such a dense area with lots of bars, restaurants, and activity in general.

[cosmo1]

I understand what you are saying - every home is not created equal however, in a perfect world, it would be nice to think so.  The problem that you address is not with the noise from sirens from fire trucks, police cars, etc.  The problem is that we were here first and were present with a vey untrue vision of what was going in the retail space.  Everyone in the condominium association should have had a chance to vote on this but this was never addressed.  A city  is a  collection of noises, electic people and various issues however this is more than anyone bargained for.  The building at the time was a split between renters and owners. If a meeting had been held to determine what went into the retail space, the outcome might have been different.  Also, we were presented with a fallacious picture of what was to be.  How can solutions be met when the owner of Murphy's states that we should move up or move out. This is not a solution.  The condo association,the restaurant and residents need to formulate a solution and uphold the condomium documents which has not been done.

cosmo1, on Nov 29 2007, 07:56 PM, said:

I understand what you are saying - every home is not created equal however, in a perfect world, it would be nice to think so. The problem that you address is not with the noise from sirens from fire trucks, police cars, etc. The problem is that we were here first and were present with a vey untrue vision of what was going in the retail space. Everyone in the condominium association should have had a chance to vote on this but this was never addressed. A city is a collection of noises, electic people and various issues however this is more than anyone bargained for. The building at the time was a split between renters and owners. If a meeting had been held to determine what went into the retail space, the outcome might have been different. Also, we were presented with a fallacious picture of what was to be. How can solutions be met when the owner of Murphy's states that we should move up or move out. This is not a solution. The condo association,the restaurant and residents need to formulate a solution and uphold the condomium documents which has not been done.

[cosmo1]

Addendum - We have lived in Providence for 2 years before buying into the Cosmo so we are very familiar to the workings of a vibrant city which is what we are not objecting to.  We want the quality of life to be retained as everyone is entitled to that. It comes down to being a good neighbor and working through the issues not telling someone to move up and out - that speaks volumes about the lack of cooperation.  Before this article was printed, we appealed to the appropriate sources but there were no solutions. In hopes that this article will produce something positive, I will go forward.

[runawayjim]

please note i never said this about your situation.  your situation just plain sucks and i wholeheartedly agree with you in your case.  everything else was said as a generality.

[CtownMikey]

so basically the cosmo need to update/improve the sound-proofing for noise issues (maybe vibrations) and update/improve the vents for smell issues??


it sounds like an easy fix

[cosmo1]

runawayjim, on Nov 29 2007, 08:50 PM, said:

please note i never said this about your situation. your situation just plain sucks and i wholeheartedly agree with you in your case. everything else was said as a generality.

Thank you - I really appreciate this.

CtownMikey, on Nov 29 2007, 09:09 PM, said:

so basically the cosmo need to update/improve the sound-proofing for noise issues (maybe vibrations) and update/improve the vents for smell issues??


it sounds like an easy fix

Yes, that is true but it needs to be implemented which we are still waiting for this to happen. It' s been a long time. Thank you.

[CtownMikey]

if you were assured proper soundproofing and venting.. then cant legal action be taken?   since they lied

[cosmo1]

CtownMikey, on Nov 29 2007, 09:33 PM, said:

if you were assured proper soundproofing and venting.. then cant legal action be taken? since they lied

You are correct however we would like to resolve this before resorting to that option.

[stylin]

I am also glad you cleared that up, it seems to me that cosmo1 has been beaten up enough and doesn't deserve the comments made on this site by uninformed readers and writers.

runawayjim, on Nov 29 2007, 07:50 PM, said:

please note i never said this about your situation.  your situation just plain sucks and i wholeheartedly agree with you in your case.  everything else was said as a generality.

[quente]

@ Cosmo1
I read the article today and felt you were cast in a less favorable light than the owner of Murphy's.

The incessant noise that you put up with on a regular basis, night-after-night is completely different from the periodic noises that you'd expect in any urban setting like police sirens, people walking by or even a street festival - really apples and oranges.

In addition to the noise, when you then add the food smells from the kitchen, cigarette smoke from the patrons smoking outside (and most likely talking loudly as well), I don't know how you managed to put up with it.  

I live on Broadway and hear sirens, traffic and people fairly consistently, but for the most part, I don't really notice it. But the one thing I do notice is the low, rhythmic THUMP THUMP THUMP of my upstairs neighbor's sound system. Fortunately, a phone call or knock on the door takes care of the problem right away. Otherwise, it would get old real fast.

I wish you all the best and hope that this situation gets resolved soon.

[Pseudo_Work]

quente, on Nov 29 2007, 08:34 PM, said:

@ Cosmo1
I read the article today and felt you were cast in a less favorable light than the owner of Murphy's.

The incessant noise that you put up with on a regular basis, night-after-night is completely different from the periodic noises that you'd expect in any urban setting like police sirens, people walking by or even a street festival - really apples and oranges.

In addition to the noise, when you then add the food smells from the kitchen, cigarette smoke from the patrons smoking outside (and most likely talking loudly as well), I don't know how you managed to put up with it.  

I live on Broadway and hear sirens, traffic and people fairly consistently, but for the most part, I don't really notice it. But the one thing I do notice is the low, rhythmic THUMP THUMP THUMP of my upstairs neighbor's sound system. Fortunately, a phone call or knock on the door takes care of the problem right away. Otherwise, it would get old real fast.

I wish you all the best and hope that this situation gets resolved soon.

Well said.  I also think it's very noble of you, cosmo, to actively engage in the dialogue about this here, rather than letting yourself remain an otherwise anonymous complaint.  This is the kind of thing that needs to happen more in order to generate resolutions between commercial and residential downtown.  Kudos.

[cosmo1]

Pseudo_Work, on Nov 30 2007, 01:43 AM, said:

Well said. I also think it's very noble of you, cosmo, to actively engage in the dialogue about this here, rather than letting yourself remain an otherwise anonymous complaint. This is the kind of thing that needs to happen more in order to generate resolutions between commercial and residential downtown. Kudos.

Thank you - I really appreciate what you said. The reason I came forward as there needs to be resolution and solutions. Ignoring situations never brings results and this is something that is not exclusive to me but happening to others. Commerical and residential downtown need to work together.

[TheAnk]

Condo living in itself is a strange dichotomy; ownership of your own piece of the pie but with common ownership that lessens your right to personal privacy and choice.. cosmo made decisions to live based on rule that were given to her at the time as the rule.. I see that the opin of the board is to toughen up, this is city living...

But Murphy's is affecting her life, and while I disagree with her stance that everyone has the right to a quiet, scent free abode, I do agree that decisions like this must be put to a vote by the association, which replaces the owners individual rights and replaces them as commune rights..

I mean jesus, that terrorist organization the WBNA chimes in on things in all surrounding hoods and they are supposedly for the Broadway area and the "armory" aka West End... The condo association doesnt even get to vote on what business lives below them in THE SAME BUILDING??? Thats insane..

Because a home above a deli sports bar is worth less than a home above a martini piano bar.. No matter how you want to slice it..  Its that simple... Regardless of how people may judge these condo buyers, its not relative..

[cosmo1]

TheAnk, on Nov 30 2007, 01:40 PM, said:

Condo living in itself is a strange dichotomy; ownership of your own piece of the pie but with common ownership that lessens your right to personal privacy and choice.. cosmo made decisions to live based on rule that were given to her at the time as the rule.. I see that the opin of the board is to toughen up, this is city living...

But Murphy's is affecting her life, and while I disagree with her stance that everyone has the right to a quiet, scent free abode, I do agree that decisions like this must be put to a vote by the association, which replaces the owners individual rights and replaces them as commune rights..

I mean jesus, that terrorist organization the WBNA chimes in on things in all surrounding hoods and they are supposedly for the Broadway area and the "armory" aka West End... The condo association doesnt even get to vote on what business lives below them in THE SAME BUILDING??? Thats insane..

Because a home above a deli sports bar is worth less than a home above a martini piano bar.. No matter how you want to slice it.. Its that simple... Regardless of how people may judge these condo buyers, its not relative..

[cosmo1]

Condo Living does have its imperfections however in this case, there are condominium rules that have to be enforced that clearly address all these issues.  They are not being upheld.  We were here before Murphy's and I disagree, as this was not part of what was going to happen here. Everyone is entitled to serenity in their home otherwise we would not have bought here.  This has nothing to do with urban living. I am very familiar with the concept and issues surrounging urban living.

[cosmo1]

Pseudo_Work, on Nov 30 2007, 01:43 AM, said:

Well said. I also think it's very noble of you, cosmo, to actively engage in the dialogue about this here, rather than letting yourself remain an otherwise anonymous complaint. This is the kind of thing that needs to happen more in order to generate resolutions between commercial and residential downtown. Kudos.

I would like to respond to the article about me in Dowtown Duel written in the Providence Journal on November 29th.

The article makes me sound truly elitist.  The bottom line is everyone is entitled to the quiet enjoyment and sanctity of their home which should be odor and noise free regardless of price.  This is not a class issue.  It is not an urban or rural issue.  This is a quality of life issue.











Mike Egan was quoted as saying “no one is having problems with Murphys”, then who is Paul Shapiro?  “There are growing pains with any new business and any mixed use building is going to have stuff like this.”  I disagree because there are other mixed use retail spaces that do not inflict problems on residents like this.  Besides the Condominium Association, there are Condominium Documents which are clear and simple.  It would clear up many existing issues.  The Condominium Documents need to be enforced and they are not.

To clarify, the city noise issue, I expect that as I lived in Providence for two years before moving to The Cosmopolitan.  What I do not expect are loud and boisterous patrons, the disrespect of not being a good neighbor and caring for others concerns.

The city has complicity in this as they had a meeting in which many issues surrounding this were misrepresented.  Also, they were approached in a proper manner to tryand resolve these conflicts.  They chose to ignore this.  It is incredulous that Rita Murphy thinks this is an isolated issue – this will happen to others.

Some of the residents feel this will bring negative publicity to the building.  My answer:  The appearance outdoors of the common areas complete with grease trails and overflowing garbage speaks volumes.  Also, the odors travel through the elevator shaft and up the fire escape entrances.

The answer from my neighbor to “move up, high up and go home” clarifys everything.  Well, I am home and plan on staying home.  The guy that plays the saxophone personifies city living; your issues do not.














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[cosmo1]

I would like to respond to the article written about me in the Providence Journal on November 29th entitled Downtown Duel

The article makes me sound truly elitist.  The bottom line is that everyone is entitled to the quiet enjoyment and sanctity of their home which should be odor and noise free regardless of price.  This is not a class issue.  It is not an urban or rural issue.  This is a quality of life issue.

Mike Egan was quoted as saying "noone is having problems with Murphys", then who is Paul Shapiro?
Also, "there are growing pains with any new business and any mixed use building is going to have stuff like this."  I totally, disagree because there are other mixed use retail spaces that do not inflict problems on the residents like this.  Besides the condominium association, there are condominium documents which are clear and simple.  It would clear up many existing issues.  The condominium documents need to be enforced and they are not.

To clarify, the city noise issue, I expect that as I lived in Providence for two years before moving to The Cosmopolitan.  What I do not expect are loud and boisterous patrons, the disrespect of not being a good neighbor and caring for others concerns.

The city has complicity in this as they had a meeting in which many issues surrounding this were misrepresented.  Also, they were approached in a proper manner to try and resolve these conflicts.  They chose to ignore this.  It is incredulous that Rita Murphy thinks this is an isolated issue - this will happen to others.

Some of the residents feel this will bring negative publicity to the building.  My answer:  The appearance outdoors of the common areas complete with grease trails and over flowing garbage speaks volumes.  Also, the odors travel through the elevator shaft and up the fire escape entrances.

The answer from my neighbor "to move up, high up and go home" clarifys everything.  Well I am home and plan on staying home.  The guy that plays the saxophone at night personifies city living; your issues do not. Cosmo 1

[KRC]

cosmo1, on Dec 1 2007, 12:28 PM, said:

I would like to respond to the article written about me in the Providence Journal on November 29th entitled Downtown Duel

The article makes me sound truly elitist.

Hi cosmo!  As a resident and active member of the downtown community and someone familiar with both you and Ruth, I found the article to be dead on accurate.

Cotuit, can we either change this thread name or delete it all together?  We already have a Providence Press thread and I don't want this to get confused.  cosmo1 should look to extend her 10 minutes of fame under a different thread name.

[cosmo1]

KRC, on Dec 2 2007, 10:07 AM, said:

Hi cosmo! As a resident and active member of the downtown community and someone familiar with both you and Ruth, I found the article to be dead on accurate.

Cotuit, can we either change this thread name or delete it all together? We already have a Providence Press thread and I don't want this to get confused. cosmo1 should look to extend her 10 minutes of fame under a different thread name.

I am sorry you view this as 10 minutes of fame - I was looking for justice and that this does not happen to anyone else. I was being direct and it is unfortunate you interpret it this way.    Cosmo1

[Dan]

The article is here.

cosmo1, on Dec 1 2007, 01:28 PM, said:

The bottom line is that everyone is entitled to the quiet enjoyment and sanctity of their home which should be odor and noise free regardless of price.  This is not a class issue.  It is not an urban or rural issue.  This is a quality of life issue.

Lets be fair:

If there is a biohazard issue, have you contacted the Dept. of Health?  If there is waste, such as fry  grease or garbage left (or spilled and not cleaned up) in common areas or somewhere else inside the building to rot overnight, is a quality issue.  Is this the case?

On the other hand, living in the city center is not, and will not ever be, noise free.  Paying upwards of a million dollars doesn't give anyone the right to coerce other neighborhood stakeholders to fall in line with his or her ideals.  If the streets were dark and quiet and the businesses all closed up, no one would ever want to live in Downcity at any price.

Providence has some fine old buildings and exciting nightlife in this district, and many would argue that investing in a home and living in the heart of it all to be a quite rewarding and enjoyable experience.  There will always be many sights, sounds, and scents.  

It's a city, and its not for everyone.