Parking lots on Westminster St.

[AriPVD]

Anyone know anything about the twin parking lots that strangle Westminster Street as you approach Cathedral Square? I think they would make great city squares (a la Rittenhouse) surrounded by midrise townhouses (a la the South End). Any thoughts?

[Cotuit]

At Snowe Street? I say jam pack them with midrise residential (with ground floor retail) structures, and structured parking for Downcity businesses and residents. A park would be nice, but hopefully, someday, Cathedral Square itself will be an attractive city park.

[Frankie811]

Anyone know anything about the twin parking lots that strangle Westminster Street as you approach Cathedral Square?  I think they would make great city squares (a la Rittenhouse) surrounded by midrise townhouses (a la the South End).  Any thoughts?

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A few weeks ago you asked the reader's here for their opinions on what we'd like to see happen on Westminster St. Did you find our responses valuable and did you discuss them with your boss?

[AriPVD]

I'm always discussing what I post. You should hear the conversations that go on in this office..it's like my second urbanplanet forum.

[Frankie811]

I'm always discussing what I post.  You should hear the conversations that go on in this office..it's like my second urbanplanet forum.

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[Garris]

At Snowe Street? I say jam pack them with midrise residential (with ground floor retail) structures, and structured parking for Downcity businesses and residents. A park would be nice, but hopefully, someday, Cathedral Square itself will be an attractive city park.

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Not bad... My only concern with this is that there isn't enough to fill the retail spaces that currently exist already... Another few streets of empty retail slots won't help...

I'd do something in the Newbury St vein... That is, mostly residential mid-rises with walkup stairs to the entrances (looking like big townhouses) with scattered nook and cranny retail (rather than the more formal lower level retail frontage on Westminster) that is made with restaurants and markets in mind...

I'd love to see something Rittenhouse style, but I'm not sure there is enough space. Providence's downcity is so dense that pocket parks tend to look more like empty, vacated space than anything else...

- Garris

[Cotuit]

I'd love to see something Rittenhouse style, but I'm not sure there is enough space.  Providence's downcity is so dense that pocket parks tend to look more like empty, vacated space than anything else...

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The edges of the spaces aren't quite right. On the Social Security Building side of Westminster, a park would look out of place because that building has such a massive blank wall facing what would be the park (I don't think it's literally blank, I think there are windows, but there are no entrances to the building on that side, blank isn't the word I want, it's 'static'), the the buildings on Snowe Street itself don't show their best faces to the street.

It could work on the other side, if the strip club goes, and a nice liner building were built facing the park, a rowhouse structure. It could be a bit like Union Park in Boston's South End.

[Cotuit]

Not bad...  My only concern with this is that there isn't enough to fill the retail spaces that currently exist already...  Another few streets of empty retail slots won't help..

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I wouldn't put retail on the Snowe Street side. Only along Westminster. Like Newbury, where there really isn't much retail on the cross streets between Newbury and Boylston, I don't think we should try too hard to foster a retail presense on the cross streets Downcity, just focus on Washington, Westminster, and Weybosset.

[Baines]

I wouldn't put retail on the Snowe Street side. Only along Westminster. Like Newbury, where there really isn't much retail on the cross streets between Newbury and Boylston, I don't think we should try too hard to foster a retail presense on the cross streets Downcity, just focus on Washington, Westminster, and Weybosset.

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I agree...the condo option is still very viable as would be entertainment and relocated retail.

[Garris]

I wouldn't put retail on the Snowe Street side. Only along Westminster. Like Newbury, where there really isn't much retail on the cross streets between Newbury and Boylston, I don't think we should try too hard to foster a retail presense on the cross streets Downcity, just focus on Washington, Westminster, and Weybosset.

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Oh, I see... I agree 100%. Sounds perfect.

- Garris