Station Park Discussion

[Cotuit]

there still would be the question of who owned it, and therefore, who maintains it. I am not sure the city wants any more parks as it barely cares for the parks it does have, and it probably takes an act of Cod for the state to make a park...

It would seem that Amtrak owns the land now, though it's development potential is limited and it would seem to be more of a liability than an asset to them. Ownership should be transfered to the city or state.

The question of costs to maintain the property are important, but the past/current condition of the city's parks shouldn't mean that we can never have any other good parks.

In addition to Station Park, the upkeep of Waterplace and the entire riverwalk down to the Hurricane Barrier is an issue. Station Park could be paid for in part by the rent generated from the retail/restaurants that are located in the new building I proposed. Additional funding would come from fees associated with holding events in the park. Fees would be nominal or non-existant for non-profits and for profits would be charged based on the disruption to the park, i.e. if the park had to be totally shut for a for-profit function, such as a paid attendance concert, the fees would be highest. Further, money will have to come from corporate grants, Hasbro being a sponsor of the playground is an ideal idea. Money can be raised from individuals through buy-a-brick, buy-a-bench, adopt-a-spot, or other ways, including just plain appealling for funds. Finally, a Capital Center Improvement District can and should be created to act in the same way as the Downcity Improvement District does, with some funds from the CCID set aside for the parks (Station Park [Capital Common], Waterplace from the mall to Steeple Street, the Mossashuck River from Steeple Street to Smith Street, and the plaza in front of the train station).

[Bobk64]

For twenty years, Station Park has been neglected by AMTRAK, the State, and the City. Events such as the X Games have caused major damage to the membrane above the AMTRAK tunnel. Putting stages for concerts above the tunnel have not helped the situation.

Suddenly, a private group wants to lease the park, improve it and maintain it, and people are outraged. Has anyone posting here contacted Providence Polo? They had a booth at the plant show this weekend.

Adding any buildings to the area will definitely not happen as the land cannot be built on.

[Garris]

Cotuit, man, you rock. Another great diagram. Definitely forward it to the powers that be...

I'm not sure how well the restaurant/retail blue block would fit, though. I've have to go look at that area to get another sense.

Also, while I'm usually on the pro-development side of things here, I too am of the feeling that until Providence Parks gets its act together and can maintain what (relatively little) it has in downtown already, it shouldn't be extending itself further. That's why, for now, I believe we turn the land over to the polo people for X number of years (like 15 or 20). Let them do something with it. And maybe, by then, Providence parks will be ready to take it over and transform it.

Also, on the scale of priorities, I think it's more important to reclaim Kennedy Plaza as a park/playground space and move the transit hub than it is to transform the Capitol greenery. I'm thinking back to Ari's editorial here...

- Garris

[CtownMikey]

I'm still curious which major companies we failed in luring here and which ones we may lose due to Kennedy Plaza.

[Mij]

I'm still curious which major companies we failed in luring here and which ones we may lose due to Kennedy Plaza.

This may have to be moved to another thread, but I've failed to find Discussion about were or what should happen should the main hub be moved out of kennedy plaza. I remember the Mayor suggesting that it should be placed outside the down city area, but i dont recall any suuitable plans. Could some one point me in that direction, or could some one throw out thier ideas for discusion.

Thanks

Mij

[DaveRPI]

one of the things that bums me out about providence and makes me look towards boston is the use of the city's downtown parks. People eat lunch there, get a little fresh air and sun during the work day, there are little cushions for sitting on the grass, and tables and benches and music...

I am not sure what it takes to get providence worker bees out of the buildings to enjoy a city park at lunch. Well, i suppose it would be a city park, downtown. One that is clean and not full of drug dealers and punks...

two words will allow people to do this: Disposable Income

there just isnt nearly as close to as much as downtown boston, i see it everyday

This may have to be moved to another thread, but I've failed to find Discussion about were or what should happen should the main hub be moved out of kennedy plaza. I remember the Mayor suggesting that it should be placed outside the down city area, but i dont recall any suuitable plans. Could some one point me in that direction, or could some one throw out thier ideas for discusion.

Thanks

Mij

jewelry district or promenade district instead

make kennedy plaza look more like post office plaza or the western side of boston common

[Cotuit]

This may have to be moved to another thread, but I've failed to find Discussion about were or what should happen should the main hub be moved out of kennedy plaza. I remember the Mayor suggesting that it should be placed outside the down city area, but i dont recall any suuitable plans. Could some one point me in that direction, or could some one throw out thier ideas for discusion.

jewelry district or promenade district instead

make kennedy plaza look more like post office plaza or the western side of boston common

Another option is to have buses loop around Downcity in a tight circle with bus stops along the loop. The stops could be better then a simply pole in the ground, but not quite as eleborate as the current Kennedy Plaza hub. Riders would be able to transfer at various points on the loop.

[anthonypolitelli]

any updates here?

[runawayjim]

so until i read this thread, i had no freaking idea that station "park" was a park at all... isn't this the same piece of land that becomes a parking lot on waterfire nights?

unless the city actually decides to use this park as a park and turn it into a real park, maybe with some trees, flowers, benches, sidewalks, i think any use is better than the mudpit that it actually is...

[jencoleslaw]

so until i read this thread, i had no freaking idea that station "park" was a park at all... isn't this the same piece of land that becomes a parking lot on waterfire nights?

unless the city actually decides to use this park as a park and turn it into a real park, maybe with some trees, flowers, benches, sidewalks, i think any use is better than the mudpit that it actually is...

except that i don't think the city owns it. It is owned somehow by the state, and amtrak, i think...?

[runawayjim]

except that i don't think the city owns it. It is owned somehow by the state, and amtrak, i think...?

well, whoever owns it should do something with it... preferrably in the form of a park, but the current usage is assinine.

[dexter]

I think the ill conceived polo is not happening this year. I liked the sketch that extends Exchange St up to Station Park and would i would advocate strongly to relocate the bus station to Station Park and create a truly intermodal hub. Maybe even some streetcars. It is an excellent location vis-a-vis access. There is a graduate student at RISD looking at this idea as her degree project. I would also consider a market place type use on the site across from the mall.

[AriPVD]

Yeaaa...so....I just walked through Station "Park" and I think ANYTHING (including giant horses chasing balls) would serve our city better than the grass that has not been cut there since April 1. And the litter! It kind of looks like a mini-Central Landfill too at the moment.

[provid]

I second that

[runawayjim]

how much would it cost to put in a few park benches and a fence around the whole place so that people can't park on the grass during waterfire? then when they get more money, actually turn it into a nice park.

i like the idea of it becoming the transportation hub right next to the train station... but it's not very close to the heart of the city (although it is right across the street from the mall and state house, which would get a lot of traffic).

[yossarian]

Looks like we won't have polo in Providence (somehow I think we will all survive).

No Polo Article

[basachs]

I love how the article quotes the guy who came up with the idea as saying "Providence is not ready for Polo"

When you read the article though, you see that it was not that at all, but rather the fact that they did not have the money to do it in the first place. Amtrak required the movement of the ventilation shafts which would cost millions that that Polo club did not have, then required the right to rip up the field whenever they needed to to repair the tunnel underneath. Also something they could not afford.

That was what killed this. Annoys me when the city is blamed as being "not ready".

Personally, the space is too small and should be turned into a nice park with landscap[ing, benches and paths. That would serve all the workers and soon to be residents much better than Polo Grounds. Blaming the city is a cop out. Just admit that it was poorly thought out and poorly financed.

[runawayjim]

station park would better serve providence as a nice park... that requires benches, paths (especially where there's already work paths from people), landscaping, and an opening in the chain fence directly across from bella vista.

[Cotuit]

"With their proposal off the table, I believe it is time for Capital Center interests to do something" to assure the long-term stewardship of Station Park, Waterplace, and all the public spaces and improvements in Capital Center, Gates said.

Those interests, he said, include state government and private property owners and lessees.

Station Park, which most recently has been a staging area for the filming of the Underdog movie, and also serves as the site of concerts and civic events, has large swaths of yellowed grass and is worn bare in spots.

Gates suggested the creation of a special entity like the Downcity Improvement District to make modest improvements to the park and to act as a caretaker.

He could have at least thanked me for my idea.

[mental757]

part of this area really needs to be saved for future transit use as well - whether a small expansion of Providence Station or a RIPTA canopy or even light rail much further down the line...

[runawayjim]

part of this area really needs to be saved for future transit use as well - whether a small expansion of Providence Station or a RIPTA canopy or even light rail much further down the line...

it's much easier to do that if it's just a park than if there something built there. but the park as it is today sucks. it needs to be improved, and i'm surprised the city didn't require underdog to rehab the grass they killed.

[Liamlunchtray]

Looks like we won't have polo in Providence (somehow I think we will all survive).

No Polo Article

Yay! Man am I glad this nonsense has been put to bed. Now if we can just get some money to turn it into a nice park that people of all walks of life can enjoy.

[chaz200]

[Cotuit]

No polo for Providence [ProJo Editorial]

[KBagley]

One thing that came out of this Polo proposal that hasn't been given much press... The ownership issues that came to light essentially caused a lot of headaches in restructuring the process for how the park can be used by different grups, what areas are off limits, etc. Because RI Pride was the first group to use the park this summer, we got the brunt of the headache in getting everything worked out and our Co-Chair was literally sleeping at City Hall and the Statehouse to make it happen. Our insurance to use the park went through the roof because of it and I wonder if some other groups that traditionally used the park for events will even be able to afford it now.

Sorta makes me mad that these guys can propose this polo field, completely shake-up everything and then just walk away having cost everyone else more headaches and money.