Downcity Living

[bod]

So what your saying is that lower income people who live downcity @ 1 Chestnut St, 100 Broad St and @ the Catherdral Sq apartments shouldn't be allowed to walk throughout the city, only middle/upper income folks? Yes, I know what your saying. For years I've been trying to figure out why people who live in the Regency apartments never seem to venture downtown. I know their alive 'cause I see them walking to/from their cars. The folks who live in the Westminster St lofts make frequent use of the heliports.

[Frankie811]

Why live downcity if you're going to stay inside and use your car to go any and everywhere? I'm not talking about events at PPAC, The Dunk, Convention Center, etc., that bring people into the city. I'm talking about the people that are already here.

[runawayjim]

Since when is 1 Chestnut low income? I know people that live there and it is not low income. I never once stated that lower income people should not be roaming the city. I don't believe my comments above refer to all of any class. The Regency and all of the Westminster Street lofts are NOT the only apartments downtwon. There are a lot of condo's and apartments downcity. You have to be here to know where they are. The only thing I have been stating previously is that I rarely see anyone out and about after 5pm, that actually lives here. What I'm wondering is where are they? They are here, but not making use of their city. Why live downcity if you're going to stay inside and use your car to go any and everywhere? I'm not talking about events at PPAC, The Dunk, Convention Center, etc., that bring people into the city. I'm talking about the people that are already here.

[TheAnk]

1.

People shouldn't live downtown, its the urban core where people go to work, be entertained, eat, and be subjected to aggressive panhandling.. You don't see Boston's Fin'l District "vibrant" at night.. You get what you deserve living there, no offense..

Is it really such a bother to live in a residential hood a 5 minute walk from downtown? I guess so.. But instead of using this space to attract business we decide to make condos.. Silly, silly concept.. Its bad enough we have devolved into a service economy, NOW, we are devolving to a residential economy.. Its a sad sad state of things..

The apartments you downtown people live in and complain about noise and panhandlers should be cubicles.. I do not pity you, I laugh at you.. You are the destruction of the economy, personified.. And then you complain about it.. I would rather you just went about your way in the dark streets with the bums and drunks at night and said nothing.. Or, get out of our economic hub, move to an urban residential hood and contribute.. Otherwise, lie in your Dark City grave.. Sounds harsh, but what did you expect from TheAnk???

2.

Working in Boston, and subjecting myself to cancer sticks while waiting for el tren, I have developed a decent repertoire of Aggresive Panhandling Defense (APD)..

a. The "No Hablo Ingles" Defense.. I suppose this could be difficult if you don't look remotely hispanic, but it can still work.. If they persist, I simply say "no espeaka english" and that usually seals the deal..

b. The Act Like They Dont Exist Defense.. Rarely works, but its very fun to employ.. It usually incenses the panhandler to escalate at which time I usually call their bluff and pull the "throw my bag to the ground and want to kick their ass" routine.. They never want to dust it up, as it will ruin their high, so they trash talk while walking away.. (Note, don't try this unless you are actually ready to throw, and possess the intense hatred I have of panhandlers)

c. The No Cash - Debit/T Pass Defense.. This can only be employed on a Poseur Bum who is only looking for a free hand out, not an Actual Bum, who is legitemately homeless.. They cant relate to cashless society and will give you the "tilt head to side" move that dogs do when they dont understand something..

d. The Make Me Laugh I Pay You Defense.. I laugh, you get a treat.. Simple, Pavlovian.. But about 20% of the time they succeed, so you better have the goods ready to distribute..

e. The Empathy Defense.. I rarely dig back to entry level job skills in life, but any customer service job will teach you to know your customer and match tone.. Then let them down.. This generally leads to waterfall requests like "ok, no cash can I bum a smoke", so be prepared to say "last one" or "these give you cancer" etc..

f. The Headphones On Diggin The Hell Out Of Whatever Tune I'm Listening to Defense.. Self explanatory.. Only the most ambitious bum will get in your face and wave their hand for you to remove your headphones so they can attempt to extrac the needed treasure from you.. A simple head shake "no" generally twarts their efforts..

g. The I'm On The Phone You Interrupt Me It Will Mean Certain Painful Death Defense.. Angry face, furrowed eyebrows, a Snarl/scowl and a deathly stare.. Helps to have a decent dose of 5 o'clock shadow employed to accentuate the effect..

[Frankie811]

You can always count on TheAnk for a sensible and logical response.

[bod]

1.

People shouldn't live downtown, its the urban core where people go to work, be entertained, eat, and be subjected to aggressive panhandling.. You don't see Boston's Fin'l District "vibrant" at night.. You get what you deserve living there, no offense..

Is it really such a bother to live in a residential hood a 5 minute walk from downtown? I guess so.. But instead of using this space to attract business we decide to make condos.. Silly, silly concept.. Its bad enough we have devolved into a service economy, NOW, we are devolving to a residential economy.. Its a sad sad state of things..

The apartments you downtown people live in and complain about noise and panhandlers should be cubicles.. I do not pity you, I laugh at you.. You are the destruction of the economy, personified.. And then you complain about it.. I would rather you just went about your way in the dark streets with the bums and drunks at night and said nothing.. Or, get out of our economic hub, move to an urban residential hood and contribute.. Otherwise, lie in your Dark City grave.. Sounds harsh, but what did you expect from TheAnk???

2.

Working in Boston, and subjecting myself to cancer sticks while waiting for el tren, I have developed a decent repertoire of Aggresive Panhandling Defense (APD)..

a. The "No Hablo Ingles" Defense.. I suppose this could be difficult if you don't look remotely hispanic, but it can still work.. If they persist, I simply say "no espeaka english" and that usually seals the deal..

b. The Act Like They Dont Exist Defense.. Rarely works, but its very fun to employ.. It usually incenses the panhandler to escalate at which time I usually call their bluff and pull the "throw my bag to the ground and want to kick their ass" routine.. They never want to dust it up, as it will ruin their high, so they trash talk while walking away.. (Note, don't try this unless you are actually ready to throw, and possess the intense hatred I have of panhandlers)

c. The No Cash - Debit/T Pass Defense.. This can only be employed on a Poseur Bum who is only looking for a free hand out, not an Actual Bum, who is legitemately homeless.. They cant relate to cashless society and will give you the "tilt head to side" move that dogs do when they dont understand something..

d. The Make Me Laugh I Pay You Defense.. I laugh, you get a treat.. Simple, Pavlovian.. But about 20% of the time they succeed, so you better have the goods ready to distribute..

e. The Empathy Defense.. I rarely dig back to entry level job skills in life, but any customer service job will teach you to know your customer and match tone.. Then let them down.. This generally leads to waterfall requests like "ok, no cash can I bum a smoke", so be prepared to say "last one" or "these give you cancer" etc..

f. The Headphones On Diggin The Hell Out Of Whatever Tune I'm Listening to Defense.. Self explanatory.. Only the most ambitious bum will get in your face and wave their hand for you to remove your headphones so they can attempt to extrac the needed treasure from you.. A simple head shake "no" generally twarts their efforts..

g. The I'm On The Phone You Interrupt Me It Will Mean Certain Painful Death Defense.. Angry face, furrowed eyebrows, a Snarl/scowl and a deathly stare.. Helps to have a decent dose of 5 o'clock shadow employed to accentuate the effect..

[runawayjim]

I never complained about noise or aggressive panhandlers (I simply said there are more of them then residents, etc.)

While I don't agree with anything you have to say (sounds like a true RI'er at heart), everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Yet, I still haven't had a response from anyone that lives downtown... strange.

[bod]

so i take it you don't value the opinion of people who don't live downtown? the people who live downtown represent a very small minority of all the city's residents.

[TheAnk]

Aside from my healthy dose of sarcasm, I'm serious.. Providence is best served having an urban core for employment surrounded by residential neighborhoods.. This isn't Manhattan, and other than that island/self sufficient nation, I can't think of another city that doesn't operate most efficiently this way..

Sure, there are smatterings of residential in downtowns, but those cities have jobs on the lower floors.. Ours doesn't.. PVD is too small to have people taking up valuable would be office space.. The city can't advance without more jobs for middle class tax paying folk, so that they can support our burgeoning sub-bourgeois and proletariat classes..

[TheAnk]

Downtown residents do their piping through the ProJo, no Urban Planet.. Geez, surprised you didn't know this.. I wonder if you went to The Sportsman's Inn and asked those downtown residents how they feel about living in downtown.. I bet you'd mistake them for panhandlers, so they dont count..

I stayed at The Westin for a weekend.. My opinion was the same as yours.. Bums and drunks.. Thats how downtown commercial is at night mostly everywhere.. It just sucks that you live there and if you bought, most certainly paid a premium for it..

Oh well.. Its not a problem, its reality in cities.. You don't see this kind of activity in residential areas where people live..

I don't care if you consider my opinion actual or not.. Its what you asked for, and theres no sugar in my pantry..

[CtownMikey]

if downtown living is such a bad concept then whats up with Westminsterstreetlofts existing?

[TheAnk]

if downtown living is such a bad concept then whats up with Westminsterstreetlofts existing?

[Cotuit]

Yet, I still haven't had a response from anyone that lives downtown... strange.

[bod]

1. Not many people on UP live right Downcity, so it is not at all strange.

2. Ari, just recently moved from Downcity and he responded to you.

3. Why do you feel the need to start these discussions? Are you showing off? Look at me, I live Downcity, ain't I awesome? 'Cos, that's how you come off.

Point 3 confirmed.

[Cotuit]

What exactly am I showing off?

[Frankie811]

3. Why do you feel the need to start these discussions? Are you showing off? Look at me, I live Downcity, ain't I awesome? 'Cos, that's how you come off.

[jencoleslaw]

Thousands? Really?

[Patrick Ward]

The goal shouldn't be "lets take this downtown commercial space and condo-ize it, it should be lets take this space (and the biz climate) and make it attractive to employers.. That way, you basically get two occupancies and tax incomes for the price of one; the employer, and most likely the employees in residential hoods...

[Frankie811]

Thousands? Really?

[jencoleslaw]

3 Regency buildings, Catherdral Sq apartments, 1 Chestnut St, 100 Broad St, Center Place apartments, Westminster St lofts, the jewerly district, the college dorms.............................need I go on further......................college hill, lower Charles St, Smith Hill, Upper South Providence, etc...................

[Frankie811]

I'll give you the three regency buildings, cathedral square, and the lofts, MAYBE jewelry district. But college dorms are not populated with residents, and college hill, lower charles st. Smith St, upper south Providence are most certainly NOT in downcity.

And there is definitely some lower income residents in Cathedral Square. Maybe it is age qualified too.

[Cotuit]

Strictly speaking, "Downcity" is very small, roughly inside 95, 195, Mem. Blvd., and the River. "Downtown" includes Capital Center and the JD, but nothing west of 95 or in Upper South Providence across the iWay, or north of Smith Street.

[TheAnk]

I don't understand the "brag" comment.. Why would anyone brag about living amongst the homeless? It was a mistake to overbuilt residential there and a mistake to buy there expecting some sort of "neighborhood"..

Its my opinion that people who want to live in a downtown condo generally know what they are getting into, incredible ease if you work downtown, and literally no human interaction after 5pm with anyone other than service people like waiters/waitresses (and panhandlers, of course).. Moving to a non-neighborhood and then expecting neighborly people doesn't make sense..

If you want vibrant walkable, its Broadway and even though I'm not a fan of the people that are there, ugh, Thayer/Wickendon, etc... If you want ghetto walkable its Atwells, Broad, Elmwood.. If you want aggressive panhandler walkable, its downtown..

[TheAnk]

It also has, by FAR, the worst crime statistics in the city.. Thats another thing I don't get.. Granted, its distorted by the lack of residents per crime, but its still by far the biggest hot spot for crime.. And "lack of residents".. Case and point..

I remember someone saying why isn't there a grocery store downtown.. Because there is no need.. Its non-residential, and there's Whole Foods and now Price-Rite less than a mile away..

I will concede, however, that the Jewelry District COULD be a quasi-residential success.. Its set apart from the commercial core, has a lot of low slung buildings and has a totally possible residential feel to it.. And since that is considered downtown, I have to say that..

[Cotuit]

It also has, by FAR, the worst crime statistics in the city..