Federal Hill Charrette

[Garris]

I often laugh at the yuppies in the North End of Boston who are lamenting the changes happening in that neighbourhood. These people have no idea what the real North End was before they drove the locals out (and before it was a neighbourhood of Italian immigrants, it was something completely different). The same thing has already happened on Atwells, people are lamenting the possible demise of a charm that itself drove out a previous vitality (look at photos of Atwells from early last century, the neighbourhood that was there was spectacular). The neighbourhood will change, hopefully what it becomes will be as good as what it is now, and what it was before.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The only constant is change... If you try to prevent it, you only end up with a dead, static neighborhood. As long as the growth and change is sensitive to maintaining or increasing street level vitality, things will be fine.

I'm personally of the opinion that Atwell's charm and vitality isn't primarily driven by architecture in this case (except for the Square). For example, look at Westminster. It was essentially a dead area that had great architectural assets that people are leveraging to create a new neighborhood.

Atwell's already has the vitality. For Atwell's, I think most of those buildings are quite unremarkable or have been so altered so many times that they are now essentially unremarkable. And the neighborhood would fight to make sure those structures maintain street level vitality, and the city seems to "get it" now.

- Garris

[TheAnk]

The only constant is change...  If you try to prevent it, you only end up with a dead, static neighborhood. 

I'm personally of the opinion that Atwell's charm and vitality isn't primarily driven by architecture in this case (except for the Square). 

Atwell's already has the vitality.  For Atwell's, I think most of those buildings are quite unremarkable or have been so altered so many times that they are now essentially unremarkable.  And the neighborhood would fight to make sure those structures maintain street level vitality, and the city seems to "get it" now.

- Garris

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with Garris.. Change is good.. Displacement and gentrification are terms people use to stifle a city's growth.. Like the new residents are taking something from the old.. Well, those residents took something from the prior, as Cotuit pointed out.. It happens all the time..

In regards to Atwells architecture.. I know I'm probably going to get killed for saying this but... Atwells is ugly.. It looks messy and unorganized... The signage I think is a deterrent for outsiders.. People that visit don't bond with it until like the 5th time there.. Its not inviting.. It looks like a Jackson Pollack painting; like someone threw buildings on the road and saw what stuck, and then left it as is.. I'd like to see underground power lines, better signage, and of course the street paved.. I'd ike to see more benches, and a bigger focus on the park @ Sutton Street.. Some sort of design guidelines for uniformity; not uniformity in style, but uniformity in quality.. Get on those slumlords to fix their buildings..

[Recchia]

In regards to Atwells architecture.. I know I'm probably going to get killed for saying this but... Atwells is ugly.. It looks messy and unorganized... The signage I think is a deterrent for outsiders.. People that visit don't bond with it until like the 5th time there.. Its not inviting..  It looks like a Jackson Pollack painting; like someone threw buildings on the road and saw what stuck, and then left it as is..

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That's exactly what I like about Atwells though. I get your point however.

[Garris]

IIn regards to Atwells architecture.. I know I'm probably going to get killed for saying this but... Atwells is ugly..

Thank you, that's what I was going to say, but I didn't want to offend certain Federal Hill denizens here <cough>Cotuit<cough>. When the Knight St condos were first proposed, people were talking about how the historic architecture of Atwell's was at stake, and I kept thinking, "Am I missing something here?"

It looks messy and unorganized... The signage I think is a deterrent for outsiders.. People that visit don't bond with it until like the 5th time there..

That was certainly the case with me... People I know from Boston who occasionally come to Providence to dine view Federal Hill as some kind of "gem in the rough" they've found, like finding a great Chinese restaurant hole-in-the-wall in an otherwise terrible neighborhood. I took someone I know from Chicago who's a foodie to Federal Hill. Her expections were high, having heard a lot about Atwell's, and she looked around and said, "This is it? Ugh..."

It looks like a Jackson Pollack painting; like someone threw buildings on the road and saw what stuck, and then left it as is.. I'd like to see underground power lines, better signage, and of course the street paved.. I'd ike to see more benches, and a bigger focus on the park @ Sutton Street..  Some sort of design guidelines for uniformity; not uniformity in style, but uniformity in quality.. Get on those slumlords to fix their buildings..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All great suggestions. Providence would do well to bury their power lines everywhere. Almost everyone I've brought to visit me here (and many of these folks don't pay much attention to urban or aesthetic matters) have mentioned how ugly our powerlines are everywhere.

- Garris

[Cotuit]

I agree, a lot of the buildings on Federal Hill are crap, no doubt. Take Andino's for instance, the restaurant is nice, but the building above it is a travesty (Andino's just tourtures me, but there are plenty of other examples). The profusion of store signage I love, but the city's signage, such as bus stop and no parking signs and the like is horrid. The sidewalks are also a mess (if there isn't a law making shopkeepers responsible for their sidewalks, there should be, and fines should be levied, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT SNOWS!).

Everything is just very confusing, the sidewalks are littered with obstacles from valet parking signs to streetlamps, to trash barrels, to cafe tables (I love the outdoor dining, but people gotta walk, it's called a sidewalk not a sideeat, I'm talking to you Meditteraneo!). Who knows where the crosswalks are, and walk signals? Right, good luck. (that is the case in the entire city though).

I'd like to see a more cohesive signage system for the hill (and the city in general). Area maps at bus stops and other key locations would be nice to see too. One can come to the hill and never even realize that DePasquale Square is there. Sidewalks need to be in good repair, clean, and free of obstacles (within reason). Crosswalks need to be marked clearly, and walk signals need be installed and in working order.

I wonder how we can implement a Main Streets program like Boston has been using successfully for a decade here in Providence.

I have noticed that new trash barrels have been put out recently, of course the old ones remain adding to the visual chaos on the street. I've also seen Parks Department people cleaning Garibaldi Park more often this year.

[TheAnk]

I'd like it if Fed Hill looked like Garris's photo of Broadway in Newport

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...opic=8581&st=90

Tight signage, clean sidewalks, old street lights for effect..

[Cotuit]

I'd like it if Fed Hill looked like Garris's photo of Broadway in Newport

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...opic=8581&st=90

Tight signage, clean sidewalks, old street lights for effect..

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I think it'll get there. There seems to be a lot of property owners sitting on things right now waiting for things to shake out. The neighbourhood is in transition, and there is a lot of uncertainty about it's future.

[Frankie811]

Paving of Atwells Ave.

http://www.projo.com/metro/content/projo_2...30.8e915cb.html

[Cotuit]

The brick crosswalks will be untouched.

Ugh, rip the stupid crosswalks out!