Thinking about moving to Providence?

[sillyboy]

Ok,

Well I looked at the peerless bilding at westminster lofts. I like the style, brick, beams and hardwoods. The location was great as well, as Westminster street seems like it has a fair amount going on. My one question is, how is the walk down union to the train station at night?? Say like 10pm...no later for a woman. My fiance will be working in Boston for a year, and I was wondering how safe it is arond the train station at night???

THanks.....

[runawayjim]

Ok,

Well I looked at the peerless bilding at westminster lofts. I like the style, brick, beams and hardwoods. The location was great as well, as Westminster street seems like it has a fair amount going on. My one question is, how is the walk down union to the train station at night?? Say like 10pm...no later for a woman. My fiance will be working in Boston for a year, and I was wondering how safe it is arond the train station at night???

THanks.....

[Recchia]

I'd say walk down Exchange Street the whole way to the train, it's pretty wide open and there's lots of people living at Avalon and there will be lots living at the new Waterplace towers so there should be plenty of eyes around. To get through Kennedy Plaza just walk on the east side of it near the Post Office and you shouldn't have any troubles.

[empressmov]

I'm graduating from med school on 5/27 and am looking for an outdoor garden area in Providence to hold a post-graduation brunch/reception. I want to cater it myself, which basically knocks out all of the hotels in the area, and the rooftop garden at Peerless is booked solid. I also called all of the area Bed & Breakfasts to find out if they would be willing to rent their garden areas for a few hours that day, but no luck!! Got a few replies from an ad I placed on Craigslist but nothing is really suitable. Anyone have any suggestions???

[runawayjim]

I'm graduating from med school on 5/27 and am looking for an outdoor garden area in Providence to hold a post-graduation brunch/reception. I want to cater it myself, which basically knocks out all of the hotels in the area, and the rooftop garden at Peerless is booked solid. I also called all of the area Bed & Breakfasts to find out if they would be willing to rent their garden areas for a few hours that day, but no luck!! Got a few replies from an ad I placed on Craigslist but nothing is really suitable. Anyone have any suggestions???

Edited May 7, 2007 by runawayjim

[empressmov]

contact the park's department, you might be able to do something at roger williams park. the link's for the casino, but you might be able to have something outdoors... you just better hope for a nice day.

EDIT: also try the city's tourism department...

[runawayjim]

Thanks! I contacted Roger Williams Park Botanical Garden today and they want $4000+!!! I'll follow your suggestion to try the tourism dept.

[xine]

Does it have to be in the city limits of Providence?

One of the many well kept secrets of RI is Haines State Park in East Providence just north of Barrington, not all that far away (6 miles). It's difficult to find by car (it is right on the East Bay bike path though, mile 8.5 northbound) and they have beautiful picnic grounds in a heavily treed setting ( very high canopy) and right on the water.

The picnic areas seem to be practically deserted even on sunny weekends in the spring/summer although the boat dock is always in use. I've always found it clean (even the restrooms) and beautiful, especially if you'd be ok with a forest-like setting in place of a proper English Garden. They dont' take reservations but you really don't seem to need them. The pictures don't really do it justice:

http://www.riparks.com/haines.htm

[runawayjim]

Does it have to be in the city limits of Providence?

One of the many well kept secrets of RI is Haines State Park in East Providence just north of Barrington, not all that far away (6 miles). It's difficult to find by car (it is right on the East Bay bike path though, mile 8.5 northbound) and they have beautiful picnic grounds in a heavily treed setting ( very high canopy) and right on the water.

The picnic areas seem to be practically deserted even on sunny weekends in the spring/summer although the boat dock is always in use. I've always found it clean (even the restrooms) and beautiful, especially if you'd be ok with a forest-like setting in place of a proper English Garden. They dont' take reservations but you really don't seem to need them. The pictures don't really do it justice:

http://www.riparks.com/haines.htm

[Jerry2]

Just got to Philly...not officialy moving until the end of the month/1st week of June but I do love it already....There is a certain vibe when you move to any new area. All the initial inhibitions are overcome with a relaxing calm that I imagine early explorers felt....albeit some level of anxiety...there is something exhilirating about it. Philly is a beautiful city with a lot of character and a lot of space.....can't wait to explore more....

[Lone Ranger]

Just got to Philly...not officialy moving until the end of the month/1st week of June but I do love it already....There is a certain vibe when you move to any new area. All the initial inhibitions are overcome with a relaxing calm that I imagine early explorers felt....albeit some level of anxiety...there is something exhilirating about it. Philly is a beautiful city with a lot of character and a lot of space.....can't wait to explore more....

[runawayjim]

Now some might not buy into the comparison, and I expect you might be among those Jerry, but runawayjim has said on several occasions that in his opinion Philadelphia is like a 10X bigger version of Providence.

I would love to hear a little discussion on that topic.

I'm not sure I entirely agree. One thing you (well, I anyway) can't get in Providence but could in Philly: the really big cities always give me a feeling of finding myself by losing myself. I love that. I have something of a penchant (or even a talent) for observation, which big cities allow me to indulge: I find the general busy-ness of a really big city to be ... I dunno, intoxicating. In this case, I think, the size matters. I never really get that feeling with Providence. And for me, that's a big difference between the two. But there might be a lot of other similarities that have some substance behind them.

Anyway, good luck to you in Philly.

[Garris]

One thing you (well, I anyway) can't get in Providence but could in Philly: the really big cities always give me a feeling of finding myself by losing myself. I love that... I never really get that feeling with Providence.

[runawayjim]

- Like Providence, Philly has a national reputation as a white-hot city that doesn't always feel quite that way when you're walking or driving the town. While it's certainly improved enormously in the last 5-15 years (especially Center City, which was dead, dead, dead in the early to mid-90's), even the best areas of downtown look a bit under-loved and it's not hard to find empty storefronts and streets that progress has left behind...

[Lone Ranger]

philly is a big city, just under 10x the population of providence, but the difference between philly and say a big city like new york is that the land area is HUGE.

[runawayjim]

I assume, by "New York," you mean Manhattan here. Philly is half the size of New York City, at 135 sq. miles, while NYC (all 5 boroughs) is over 300 sq. miles. Manhattan itself, however, is just under 34 sq. miles -- or about twice the size of Providence, with a mere 10X the population (1.5m, as of 2000)!

Not at all. In fact, I was hoping you'd chime in.

Now I'll admit that I don't really know Philly at all. And since I've never lived in a Boston or SF or Chicago or NYC ... well, y'know, I find it funny that probably 95% of Americans would consider me to be city folk, yet I myself find, much to my own amusement, that I feel (to put it bluntly) like a rube when in parts of Boston or NYC -- both of which I know but not intimately.

In New York, obviously, I'm talking about the feeling I get on the Avenues. Now, I have a relative who lives on 19th St, and of course I've visited many times. Hell, her street is downright sleepy and could accurately be described as quaint.

I guess it all depends. I suppose some people could walk down Thames St. in Newport in the summer and get the feeling I'm talking about, with all the hustle & crowding & crazy car traffic there, whereas Thames St. feels like home to me.

Maybe the real point here is that Providence needs to develop more foot traffic downtown.

[sillyboy]

OK,

So I decided on the Peerless building over the Promenade. Perhaps I'll buy in a year or so, but just don't know the area too well...I move in July 1. I'm new to Providence, from Boston and lived in Manhattan for the last 6 years....Just want to know some must see/do in that area in terms of places to grab a drink, a bite and perhaps some good tunes....Oh, a good coffee shop is a must!!! THanks a ton......

[runawayjim]

OK,

So I decided on the Peerless building over the Promenade. Perhaps I'll buy in a year or so, but just don't know the area too well...I move in July 1. I'm new to Providence, from Boston and lived in Manhattan for the last 6 years....Just want to know some must see/do in that area in terms of places to grab a drink, a bite and perhaps some good tunes....Oh, a good coffee shop is a must!!! THanks a ton......

[sillyboy]

how about gyms/fitness centers in downtown providence???

I have been travelling between NYC and CT the last two years, living in NYC for 4 years prior to that. I currently have a membership at the LA sportsclub in manhattan, an 8 story rather posh place, and a meathead gym in CT(only thing available where i work there). it's not too important to me the atmosphere, as I go there on a strictly fitness business only approach...headphones on and talk to almost noone, and get the hell out....I'm interested in a place with free weights, ample cardio and perhaps some machines...the classes are not too important to me.....

what are the options in downtown like???

[runawayjim]

how about gyms/fitness centers in downtown providence???

I have been travelling between NYC and CT the last two years, living in NYC for 4 years prior to that. I currently have a membership at the LA sportsclub in manhattan, an 8 story rather posh place, and a meathead gym in CT(only thing available where i work there). it's not too important to me the atmosphere, as I go there on a strictly fitness business only approach...headphones on and talk to almost noone, and get the hell out....I'm interested in a place with free weights, ample cardio and perhaps some machines...the classes are not too important to me.....

what are the options in downtown like???

[LMWW]

davol fitness has been recommended here before. i've never been there, so i can't say much.

check this thread for some other recommendations.

[runawayjim]

We belong to the gym at the Westin - they have good hours, and would be convenient to you at the Peerless. It's not the most bustling gym, but they have a good selection of machines and free weights.

[LMWW]

you can join the gym at the westin? do they have a website? and if you don't mind, about how much does it cost (feel free to PM that to me if you don't want to post it). the westin is just a short walk from me on federal hill.

[runawayjim]

No website that I'm aware of, but it's called the Capital Club Fitness Center. I actually don't know how much it costs, as my husband is the one who pays that bill (but I do know that we get a slight discount for being Brown-affiliated). They're pretty casual over there, and I'm sure that they would let you walk around and take a look if you stopped by on your own.

The phone number is: 598-8277

[crossroad]

Is there a website where the police department publishes crime statistics by zip or street intersection in Rhode Island?