2120 replies to this topic

[maverick]

RLucas83, on Sep 5 2007, 02:07 PM, said:

Atlanta has a good 4 skylines too, the suburb of Buckhead has a skyline bigger and better than most mid sized american cities!

Buckhead is an area within Atlanta. Would you say "the suburb of the Upper West Side" or "the suburb of SoHo" in reference to NYC?

That said, yes, Atlanta does have 4 "skylines" if you like, but the Downtown and Midtown skylines are sort of getting conglomerated, thanks to the massive buildup of towers in between.

[RLucas83]

maverick, on Sep 5 2007, 01:36 PM, said:

Buckhead is an area within Atlanta. Would you say "the suburb of the Upper West Side" or "the suburb of SoHo" in reference to NYC?

That said, yes, Atlanta does have 4 "skylines" if you like, but the Downtown and Midtown skylines are sort of getting conglomerated, thanks to the massive buildup of towers in between.

While i know its "within Atlanta" Buckhead is as far away from downtown as Warwick is from Providence, which is why i refer to it as a "suburb"

# 1 reason why a centralized downtown is better = TRANSIT..... something Atlanta knows absolutely nothing about!

Once Prov gets more commuter rail and hopefully some light rail, prov will have a better transit system than Atlanta.

Edited by RLucas83, 05 September 2007 - 01:27 PM.

[Pseudo_Work]

RLucas83, on Sep 5 2007, 12:27 PM, said:

While i know its "within Atlanta" Buckhead is as far away from downtown as Warwick is from Providence, which is why i refer to it as a "suburb"

# 1 reason why a centralized downtown is better = TRANSIT..... something Atlanta knows absolutely nothing about!

Once Prov gets more commuter rail and hopefully some light rail, prov will have a better transit system than Atlanta.

If it does.

[Cotuit]

Claremorris 2, on Sep 4 2007, 11:12 PM, said:

HOWEVER, I'm sorry to break it to you but Providence gets a little bit boring after awhile.

I agree, I wouldn't live here if it weren't for its proximity to other things. Providence is great, but if it were flung out somewhere in the wide open prairies of the mid west or something hundreds of miles from other cities, or beaches, or other anything, I wouldn't live here.

That said, most days and for long stretches of time, Providence is plenty for me. I found that living in New York and Boston, I got into a routine, shopped at the same places, ate at the same places, spent most of my time going from home to work and back... the big lively metropoli are really no different than any place else once you get into your life routine. I think I take advantage of Providence more because all the things it has to offer are tied up in a neat little package that is easily accessible (I wouldn't go anywhere in New York that required me to go through Times Square for example).

Claremorris 2, on Sep 4 2007, 11:12 PM, said:

I know many people who rightfully consider Providence a part of Boston's metro

Yes, the US Census Bureau has officially added Providence to Boston's metropolitan area, though Providence retains a sub-metro area of its own. We're glommed onto Boston just as Worcester and Manchester are.

[Garris]

Well, last I checked, the "W" isn't under construction yet, I'll jump into the obvious flame ambush...

Claremorris 2, on Sep 4 2007, 11:12 PM, said:

...mainly because what I have read is utterly ridiculous.

HOWEVER, I'm sorry to break it to you but Providence gets a little bit boring after awhile.

First, welcome to UP!

Second, in my experience, every urban area gets "boring" (or, perhaps more appropriately, "familiar"). For example, I lived in Manhattan for over four years and, much as you put it, how many times can you go to Times Square? Or the Village? Or Union Square? Or the Upper West Side? Etc, etc, etc...

As Cotuit put it, you develop a routine and wear down a path that becomes second nature whereever you are, from the most to the least exciting place in the world...

Claremorris 2, on Sep 4 2007, 11:12 PM, said:

Boston has truly lived up to its nickname as... Hub of the Universe...

I won't even begin to talk about how much more exciting the architecture prospects are for Boston.

I won't touch the first statement... You can have that argument with someone from, oh, say, Chicago...

Regarding the second statement, my impression has been that from the construction of City Hall to the present (essentially, the new bridge and the breakout ICA), Boston architecture has been in suspended animation...

Claremorris 2, on Sep 4 2007, 11:12 PM, said:

But there is no way you could possibly say Providence is better than Boston... New York is too much, Providence is too little, and Boston is just right... ...but please just realize how silly you look when you say Providence is better than Boston.

Providence just is not there yet. That's why RI has a problem with keeping college graduates in the state

Regarding your first statement, as people say, "your miles will vary." After doing tons of dating of women in Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville for over two years, it really reinforced my decision to have taken the position I did in Providence (over Boston, BTW). I hardly feel "silly" at all. While not declaring one place "better" than another (it's' apples and oranges, like comparing While Plains or Stamford to Seattle), I can say with complete certainty that it's been "better for me."

While nice and certainly not without its positives, the Boston metro also has some serious negatives both as a place to live and as an urban area, negatives I won't bother to list here. For me, there are many other cities in which, for a variety of personal reasons, I'd rather live than Boston (Philly, Twin Cities, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, and SF, amongst others). But that's just me...

Regarding the second comment I quoted above, I agree with you. Providence isn't "there" yet, whatever various people define as "there." I define "there" as being a sustainable livability represented by a durability as an urban area which avoids the "boom-bust" cycles of more "marginal" communities. Living in New Haven many years ago, I got the feeling of fragility, where if the economy would catch cold, New Haven would be in intensive care. It felt like New Haven required a boom economy to feel livable. Baltimore often felt similar to me as well.

Such fragility isn't as prominent in NY, Chicago, Boston, While Plains, etc because they have more developed communities, stable neighborhoods, dependable employers, and deeper overall reserves. And you're 100% right that Providence needs a more robust economy to keep its educational grads (although, looking at my friends, I can think of very few people who live in the same area as after any education they did, no matter how "attractive" the city).

However, many of us feel that reaching Providence's potential as an attractive, stable, livable city is well within reach and are voting with our feet and dollars by choosing to live here...

- Garris

Edited by Garris, 05 September 2007 - 04:48 PM.

[Baines]

Garris, on Sep 5 2007, 04:43 PM, said:

Well, last I checked, the "W" isn't under construction yet, I'll jump into the obvious flame ambush...
First, welcome to UP!

Second, in my experience, every urban area gets "boring" (or, perhaps more appropriately, "familiar"). For example, I lived in Manhattan for over four years and, much as you put it, how many times can you go to Times Square? Or the Village? Or Union Square? Or the Upper West Side? Etc, etc, etc...

As Cotuit put it, you develop a routine and wear down a path that becomes second nature whereever you are, from the most to the least exciting place in the world...
I won't touch the first statement... You can have that argument with someone from, oh, say, Chicago...

Regarding the second statement, my impression has been that from the construction of City Hall to the present (essentially, the new bridge and the breakout ICA), Boston architecture has been in suspended animation...
Regarding your first statement, as people say, "your miles will vary." After doing tons of dating of women in Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville for over two years, it really reinforced my decision to have taken the position I did in Providence (over Boston, BTW). I hardly feel "silly" at all. While not declaring one place "better" than another (it's' apples and oranges, like comparing While Plains or Stamford to Seattle), I can say with complete certainty that it's been "better for me."

While nice and certainly not without its positives, the Boston metro also has some serious negatives both as a place to live and as an urban area, negatives I won't bother to list here. For me, there are many other cities in which, for a variety of personal reasons, I'd rather live than Boston (Philly, Twin Cities, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, and SF, amongst others). But that's just me...

Regarding the second comment I quoted above, I agree with you. Providence isn't "there" yet, whatever various people define as "there." I define "there" as being a sustainable livability represented by a durability as an urban area which avoids the "boom-bust" cycles of more "marginal" communities. Living in New Haven many years ago, I got the feeling of fragility, where if the economy would catch cold, New Haven would be in intensive care. It felt like New Haven required a boom economy to feel livable. Baltimore often felt similar to me as well.

Such fragility isn't as prominent in NY, Chicago, Boston, While Plains, etc because they have more developed communities, stable neighborhoods, dependable employers, and deeper overall reserves. And you're 100% right that Providence needs a more robust economy to keep its educational grads (although, looking at my friends, I can think of very few people who live in the same area as after any education they did, no matter how "attractive" the city).

However, many of us feel that reaching Providence's potential as an attractive, stable, livable city is well within reach and are voting with our feet and dollars by choosing to live here...

- Garris

Very well said. I can only second what you say by adding my perspective of living in smaller cities (Hartford, New Haven), same (Richmond), and larger (Pittsburgh, Tampa). Providence is a very fine city (I selected it over Boston and Pittsburgh).

May I suggest that the BOS proponent read the Providence News thread...amazing national reputation.

[Dozer]

Everything is relative.. what is perfect to one person may he hell to the other. Is it really worth arguing over something that is as subjective as this?

Edited by Dozer, 05 September 2007 - 06:23 PM.

[Baines]

Dozer, on Sep 5 2007, 06:22 PM, said:

Everything is relative.. what is perfect to one person may he hell to the other. Is it really worth arguing over something that is as subjective as this?

Exactly.

As to the W...we have exhusted every facet of the influences surrounding this project - positive, negative, and unknown.

We know this is a major deal for the city - prime real estate, a huge skyline impact, an economic "big bang" for Downcity and the development of Westiminster/Weybosset, a major image impact (a "W"), and an indicator of the real estate climate in the metro (we know it is trembling nationally, but the question is can this slide in anyway).

Now we wait for the news.

[Claremorris 2]

Garris - Well stated. I agree with what you have said. I too think Providence has come a far way and will only become more livable in the future. I guess I was responding more to posts about "hating Boston" and how it was a "big city cost without the payoffs".

But enough of my "tirades" on this issue. For the sake of the future development of Downcity this W hotel project has to go though. I worked in the Turks Head for three years and the last thing that part of the city needs is another paved lot. I (and I know you all do) really hopes it happens for the sake of the city.

[JJK5]

I loved every minute of living in Providence. I was only there for a short time, but it was a great experience and so many improvements are happening down there that it's no wonder it's been on the national radar these past few years. I did my best to "reintroduce" friends and relatives who are lifelong New Englanders to the reborn Providence. I just got a call from one of my aunts that they went down and stayed in Providence again for a Waterfire weekend. I introduced them to it last year. They loved it.

However, I will echo the sentiment that Providence doesn't have much to retain or attract recent college graduates. My friends that went to school in Worcester, Providence, or elsewhere in New England ended up in either NYC or Boston. There's just not many jobs for new graduates.

That was one of my chief reasons for moving, that and Boston had a bit more to offer a young-twenties chap like myself. I could definitely see myself returning though, just not at this stage in my life.

It was also really disappointing that I didn't get to see steel rise for the W while I was living in PVD. I think demolition was just beginning when I first arrived, and it's upsetting that it is still an empty lot. I'm still keeping up hope that in a few years I'll be able to exit the train station and look up at a new addition to the skyline. It certainly was exciting to be there while the Westin and Waterplace towers rose.

Edited by JJK5, 05 September 2007 - 08:13 PM.

[tangorre]

On the actual topic of the thread:

The Sept. '07 issue of Lodging Magazine (a hospitality industry mag) listed this project in its Development Report. Only Blue Chip Properties was listed as the owners, no mention of Granoff, and referred to the W Hotel Providence as still in a planning phase.

[Pseudo_Work]

tangorre, on Sep 5 2007, 09:49 PM, said:

On the actual topic of the thread:

The Sept. '07 issue of Lodging Magazine (a hospitality industry mag) listed this project in its Development Report. Only Blue Chip Properties was listed as the owners, no mention of Granoff, and referred to the W Hotel Providence as still in a planning phase.

Hmm...a new shred of hope. Although I'm curious as to exactly what "still in planning" means.

[tangorre]

Yeah, trust me I would prefer "pouring foundation as we speak."

[Jenkins]

Pseudo_Work, on Sep 5 2007, 11:08 PM, said:

Hmm...a new shred of hope. Although I'm curious as to exactly what "still in planning" means.

Ya, but the W website does not list Providence on its list of future hotel destinations.

[Baines]

Jenkins, on Sep 6 2007, 09:52 AM, said:

Ya, but the W website does not list Providence on its list of future hotel destinations.

All so intriguing...Tom Clancy novel stuff. They speak of it, they put a W on the model in the sales center; but no other visable signs - not on the One Ten site, not on the Starwood (W) site, no ads, no promos.

All signs of a struggle to make it happen. Tampa is going through this with a proposed 520' Trump tower for over 1 1/2 years - lack of financing, broken venture relationships, civil suit - and a vacant lot on the river.

[JimmyGreaves]

Delays continue for 110 Westminster luxury project

Not a terribly revealing article but I thought I would bring it to everyone's attention.

[runawayjim]

JimmyGreaves, on Sep 7 2007, 10:20 AM, said:

Delays continue for 110 Westminster luxury project

Not a terribly revealing article but I thought I would bring it to everyone's attention.

the one thing i got out of it was that they are actually selling units (last paragraph).

[CtownMikey]

i believe cotuit stated that he heard of this delay earlier and said to expect something to happen in october to move this proj. along??

[Garris]

runawayjim, on Sep 7 2007, 10:31 AM, said:

the one thing i got out of it was that they are actually selling units (last paragraph).

I interpreted that line as suggesting that downtown units in general are selling, not specifically 110 units, but I could be wrong...

- Garris

[runawayjim]

Garris, on Sep 7 2007, 11:21 AM, said:

I interpreted that line as suggesting that downtown units in general are selling, not specifically 110 units, but I could be wrong...

- Garris

hmmm... here's the quote:

Quote

Despite the market slump, he remains optimistic about downtown development and the future of the Westminster project: “The units are moving slowly, but they’re moving.”