>> Providence Downtown Area

[CtownMikey]

Downcity/Providence Retail

Parking Downtown

Station Park Discussion

WaterFire

Brown's Jewelry District expansion

Downtown Condo Market

Downcity Signage

Grovery Store Downcity?

Jewelry District's Conservation Future...

Burnside Park

Downtown Business Improvement District

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It's almost 1 a.m. and I'm bored. AND realized that I have tons of questions and things about Providence to talk about with no appropriate thread to do it in.. so i HOPE this is appropriate

SOO I went searching through other sections of the Urbanplanet and noticed that a few pretty big cities have no downtown life (or so the members of that section say)--- Atlanta for example.

Then I was wondering how Providence compares to other cities as far as downtown nightlife.

I myself have been clubbing plenty of time around richmond/pine street and they are always packed, but that is just one section of downcity.

I imagine that after the Waterplace, OTW and Westin condos are completed, along with the entire westminster street lofts project, the entire downtown will be at least a little bit busier during the hours of 8pm-2am which is pretty neat.

What does everyone else think..?

compared to other notable cities..

what the chnage in nightlife will be in 2-3 years..

anything

[glassandsteel]

The nightlife in Providence is above all things, consistant. There's something good to do on any night of the week if you know a good number of spots. That's hard to come by for a mid-size city. You can find live music, karaoke, dancing, and/or a damn-good jukebox pretty much any night. There's always an interesting crowd too. So if I were to compare it to the cities I've been in, I would say that nightlife in Providence is far livelier than a lot of cities many times larger than itself. The concentration of this action in such a relatively small city makes it that much more impressive.

[CtownMikey]

cool B)

by the way I didnt mean any offense to Atlanta.. I just hear so much about how dead the downtown is

[Florida]

I think once your Condos are built in "Downcity" Providence, you'll see much more life other than clubs and the usual. If there aren't many restaurants and shops now there will be. Do you have any shots of your "Downcity"?

[CtownMikey]

Awesome of you to check us out Taurean.

There are plenty of Aerial shots and street level photos in the Providence section that are scattered about.. but i'll leave it to Cotuit to post some "HOT" pictures of Prov

Now its 2:30 am lol. I was checking around page 2 of the OTW section and saw the aerial of most of downtown (including the rendering), which is beautiful, and then I saw the newly renovated RISD apartments in the hospital trust building and I completely forgot that beginning this september.. around 500 students will be filling that building nightly. I guess that will be downtown's first boost of new life along with the next few westminster lofts opening shortly after. That should brighten up the city a bit at night as well

[Recchia]

The nightlife in Providence is awesome. The only thing I hate about it is that everything shuts down so early. Even in Albany (the worst city in the Northeast) the bars are all open til atleast 3am.

Is there any kind of good system to ship people from the various colleges in Providence (RIC, PC, JWU) downcity and then back at night? Obviously they can take the bus inbound but is there buses that late to take people back? In Albany everyone gets sh*tfaced, takes the bus downtown and then there are van cabs to take people back to various colleges later on.

[Frankie811]

The nightlife in Providence is awesome.  The only thing I hate about it is that everything shuts down so early.  Even in Albany (the worst city in the Northeast) the bars are all open til atleast 3am. 

Is there any kind of good system to ship people from the various colleges in Providence (RIC, PC, JWU) downcity and then back at night? Obviously they can take the bus inbound but is there buses that late to take people back? In Albany everyone gets sh*tfaced, takes the bus downtown and then there are van cabs to take people back to various colleges later on.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why is Albany the worst city in the NE? I've been there several times bar hopping and they close at 4am.

[Recchia]

Why is Albany the worst city in the NE? I've been there several times bar hopping and they close at 4am.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess I meant the city as a whole is the worst-climate, downtown, restaurants, transit, pedestrian facilities, its gotham city look.

The nightlife isn't too bad in Albany, but only if you're a cheap drunk college student (aha like myself). Everything's open late and its VERY easy to get into bars with fake ID's or "chalked" New York State ID's. The bars that we go to aren't even downtown though, they're in the "student ghetto" thats more like midtown, and they're all hole in the wall bars that normal people usually would avoid...

I should probly stop bashing Albany so much, I have a vendetta against it probly because the school I go to there sucks so much.

[Liamlunchtray]

Then I was wondering how Providence compares to other cities as far as downtown nightlife.

I myself have been clubbing plenty of time around richmond/pine street and they are always packed, but that is just one section of downcity.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We went to Portland OR on vacation last year to visit some friends, and I was most impressed with their downtown area. Granted it's a much bigger city than Providence, but it was really cool to see a living active downtown with a variety of things going on, great pedestrian access, and wonderful public transit. I would love for PVD to eventually be able to approach this level of livelyhood. The other thing I loved about PDX is that onstreet Parking is actually pretty easy to come by downtown. I assume thats because with all of the public transit a lot of people arent driving in.

Liam

[EPBOY]

New map shows the way around downtown

"A map that will help people walk, shop and play in downtown Providence hit the streets this week."

from today's Providence Journal

[Frankie811]

http://www.projo.com/opinion/columnists/co...ss.1db5829.html

[CtownMikey]

I noticed how Providence never gets mentioned in the "national" posts when it comes to nice architecture or anything like that

[Frankie811]

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20...e5.2201cca.html

[CtownMikey]

Is anything at ALL going on with the weekday (1am) and weekend (2am)curfew in Providence? Club Diesel sometimes is allowed to stay open until 4am on holiday weekends (Sunday nights), but I know how everyone hates the dead nightlife after 1-2 am everynight.. everbody seems to want 4am. I say we should at LEAST try 2am on weekdays and 3am on weekends. YEP. I like the sound of that

[CtownMikey]

I couldnt find that thread that talked about kennedy plaza.. and the talk of maybe relocating the entire station somewhere more suiteable for the upcoming years that should bring more people downtown.

Now, I am looking at the rendering of OTW.. from the aerial view.. and noticed that if Kennedy plaza was no longer right in front of the Bank of America building, we could fit 2 very nice business or residential towers in its place. Does anyone see this happening in say...... the next decade?

[Frankie811]

Is anything at ALL going on with the weekday (1am) and weekend (2am)curfew in Providence? Club Diesel sometimes is allowed to stay open until 4am on holiday weekends (Sunday nights), but I know how everyone hates the dead nightlife after 1-2 am everynight.. everbody seems to want 4am.  I say we should at LEAST try 2am on weekdays and 3am on weekends. YEP. I like the sound of that

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think the clubs should be allowed to open late on weekends, but with all the trouble that occurs when the clubs let out , don't look for it to happen anytime soon. The police would oppose this of course, and they would probably use The Complex as an example (stabbing there this weekend). Most clubs in Albany, NY close at 4am EVERYDAY!

[Nyuszi]

I think the clubs should be allowed to open late on weekends, but with all the trouble that occurs when the clubs let out , don't look for it to happen anytime soon. The police would oppose this of course, and they would probably use The Complex as an example (stabbing there this weekend). Most clubs in Albany, NY close at 4am EVERYDAY!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course, there's the logic that holds that if everything stayed open until 4 (or could and, thus, there were staggered closing times), the crowds of ragingly drunk people wouldn't just be dumped out on the streets at the height of their drunkenness in one big pig pile. I don't think that would help the true violence, but would likely cut down on all the vandalism and petty crime.

Oh, and in answer to

Is there any kind of good system to ship people from the various colleges in Providence (RIC, PC, JWU) downcity and then back at night?

I know there used to be this drunk bus that was a private, for-profit company. You paid for a ticket that included club entry and the bus ride. Of course, I think there was a flaw in the logic in that it didn't directly serve the colleges, it had a central parking lot.. so there was still the issue of driving home.

[Nyuszi]

The nightlife in Providence is awesome. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, it's kind of serendipity that this thread and the one about the Globe Article Pvd vs Worcester showed up on the same day... I'm not sure if I should drift this off into another thread but I'll stay here for now..

Where IS this excellent nightlife and all these 25-35 year olds? I've lived here for over a year now and I feel like I strike out almost every weekend. I should admit that I spend at least as many Saturday nights watching a movie with my bf or at the Wickenden Pub as I do at a bar, club, or lounge, but still... my complaint is mainly that I can't seem to find the place with the crowd my age. Usually, wherever I go, the band or DJ is great, but I'm either surrounded by the underage Fake ID crowd or by people twice my age. So, anyone have any hints as to where to go? (I just went to Deja Vu the other weekend and that was pretty good)

[Cotuit]

I think the Providence nightlife is good for 18-25 year-olds, and there is a big fake ID crowd here, my brothers used to come from the Cape before they turned 21. I think there is a bit of a hole in the 25-35+ category, though it's a pretty happenning scene as far as gay clubs are concerned for pretty much all ages (lots of people come from Boston for the Providence gay clubs). Then you have the old man type joints.

[matt]

So, it's kind of serendipity that this thread and the one about the Globe Article Pvd vs Worcester showed up on the same day... I'm not sure if I should drift this off into another thread but I'll stay here for now..

Where IS this excellent nightlife and all these 25-35 year olds?  I've lived here for over a year now and I feel like I strike out almost every weekend.  I should admit that I spend at least as many Saturday nights watching a movie with my bf or at the Wickenden Pub as I do at a bar, club, or lounge, but still... my complaint is mainly that I can't seem to find the place with the crowd my age.  Usually, wherever I go, the band or DJ is great, but I'm either surrounded by the underage Fake ID crowd or by people twice my age.  So, anyone have any hints as to where to go?  (I just went to Deja Vu the other weekend and that was pretty good)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A couple weekends ago I went to Black Rep on a Saturday night, and had a blast. I had never been before, but a friend of mine is in the house band, so I went with some friends to check it out. I left wondering why I hadn't been there before. I had such a great time, and felt like I was in a crowd of my age group (25-35). The band is taking a break for the month of June, I believe, but when they return, I'll be there with happy feet.

I've had some good times at Tazza, too.

[Cotuit]

I've had some good times at Tazza, too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't know, if I wanted to pay New York drink prices, I'd move back to New York.

[matt]

I don't know, if I wanted to pay New York drink prices, I'd move back to New York.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL A fine point!

[CtownMikey]

There is always some article that I wish I hadn't read in the PROJO.. and today, that article was in the business section (i think). It basically reiterated the fact that New England is growing the slowest of all regions, aging the fastest, and does not have an impressive public school record (they noted that private was not included). The article mentions how Corporation headquarters likely wouldn't want to relocate here due to our colder weather and higher costs.

I've mentioned this before, and I know that we have been discussing the issue of education in another thread, but what (besides tax breaks) are places like Providence and Boston doing about this?? It seems to be getting more and more serious. In fact, the only company I see that will be in R.I. in 20 years is CVS.. they'll skyrocket with profits in pharmacy since our population is considerably older.

I wish we could do something.. it just kind of seems unnavoidable

[Mike D]

There is always some article that I wish I hadn't read in the PROJO.. and today, that article was in the business section (i think). It basically reiterated the fact that New England is growing the slowest of all regions, aging the fastest, and does not have an impressive public school record (they noted that private was not included). The article mentions how Corporation headquarters likely wouldn't want to relocate here due to our colder weather and higher costs.

I've mentioned this before, and I know that we have been discussing the issue of education in another thread, but what (besides tax breaks) are places like Providence and Boston doing about this?? It seems to be getting more and more serious. In fact, the only company I see that will be in R.I. in 20 years is CVS.. they'll skyrocket with profits in pharmacy since our population is considerably older.

I wish we could do something.. it just kind of seems unnavoidable

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is this the article? A great place to visit, but not invest

I read that article too. A lot of what's in that article are reasons why I'm not so sure I want to stay in New England. I have been considering moving to DC/Baltimore, Virginia and North Carolina, precisely because there is a lot of job growth in these area. And after two brutal Boston winters, I don't know if I want to deal with another one.

[CtownMikey]

yes that article.. and look at your responsE!!!!

I'm sure I am just not educated enough ( none at all ) about the economy and how it affects populations shifting and other important factors, but unless we give visitors and potential movers something unique to look foward to.. such as NYC does.. with its EVERYTHING on one island, what chance does providence -or the northeast as a whole- have at changing this future outlook.

One good thing about the article (read it) and click on Mike d's link

"We could overcome the structural costs," Reopel said, "with higher productivity" and by capitalizing on the region's strengths.

James Brett, the New England Council's president and CEO, said the group is meeting with chambers of commerce, beginning last month in New Hampshire, to rally support for working to improve the region's economic profile."