A puddle surrounded by glass and steel?

[Jenkins]

Has anyone seen today's ProJo and the letter to the editor on what will become of waterplace park after g-tech and the condo's are completed:

http://www.projo.com/opinion/letters/conte...ru.2074636.html

The writer feels basically that waterfire and waterplace park will be ruined by the new buildings. I am not sure what the buildings will do to the waterfire event. I do really love the view of things as it stands now during the event. G-tech and the parcel 2 condo may indeed change the feel, but how and to what extent I have no idea. But other than those handful of days a year (12-14?) waterplace park feels rather barren and kind of ugly with those two empty parcels of dirt surrounding it. And the lack of people using it makes it feel rather lonely at the park, except for during waterfire. I think the influx of people from g-tech, the condo's on parcel 2, and the westminster street highrise, will make waterplace park a much better place in the long run, because it will finally feel like community park, with people around using the park.

[Cotuit]

Oh boo hoo, the writer should move to the woods. She doesn't want people around? It's a city dingbat! "San Antonio's Riverwalk is a contrived man-made adult theme park." And the Woonasquatucket River is a natural wonder of the world? It's just as man-made as San Antonio's riverwalk. People in San Antonio litter the river, and this means that we shouldn't allow any of our city's visitors to enjoy ours. San Antonio also doesn't have the WaterFire volunteers cleaning the river regularly like we do.

Frankly WaterFire at the Basin end has always sucked. It's an art exhibit in a drainage ditch in the middle of a parking lot (the GTECH parcel has been used as parking during WaterFire until now). There's a reason the Market Square end of WaterFire is always so much more crowded and vibrant, it is because it is in a city.

WaterPlace Park is ugly and dangerous. People get harrassed and attacked in the park because there is no one in there and it's below street-level, perfect place to ambush and rob someone. The developments in Waterplace will do nothing to harm WaterFire (except for the short term construction hassles) and will do everything to strengthen and enhance it.

And yes, let's leave the city littered with vacant lots so we can all see the State House. Take a fvcking picture if you like it so much! Neither of these projects will impact the State House views from the Basin.

[KRC]

Has anyone seen today's ProJo and the letter to the editor on what will become of waterplace park after g-tech and the condo's are completed:

http://www.projo.com/opinion/letters/conte...ru.2074636.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The writer, Ms. Unruh, is a typical East Side nimby, where's my view, looser. She lives on John Street and thinks that she is the only one that matters in city affairs. I'm choosing to ignor her.

[pdxstreetcar]

I havent seen San Antonio's River in person but from the pictures I've seen it looks really nice and from what I've heard its one of the nicest urban spaces in the country.

WaterPlace is not yet where it should be but these developments will get it closer.

The state house is beautiful, but its not going anywhere. Just walk until you can see it. Plus the only problem I have with the state house is that it is so removed from the city, it feels like a backdrop. I would actually like to see a street cut through the lawn of the state house at the bottom of the front steps (and built in a way respectful of the buildings prominence and architecture) to connect the city into the state house. Right now the area around the state house is a no-mans land (especially when combined with the large grassy area between the Mall and the Amtrak station).

Newport Harbor it is not and will not be. Newport Harbor is pretty much an old new england themed tourist trap where they sell scented candles and $20 newport shirts. WaterPlace will be a dense urban area well integrated with the river. The river will enhance the development and the development will enhance the river.

This letter was written by a typical BANANA.

[Cotuit]

There is a point to be made that the buildings around the Basin will shine light on the Basin and change the WaterFire experience from it's current purposefully dark environment (they cover the lights in Waterplace to reduce the ambient light). GTECH will especially cast light on the Basin being that it is a wall of glass. I think it should not be problematic for GTECH to mitigate that with blackout blinds. GTECH certainly will not want to be saddled with the reputation of ruining WaterFire (especially seeing as they are a large sponsor).

However I think the interplay of the lights from the fire against the sides of the buildings and especially the glass will enhance the experience much more than the ambient light will degrade it.

As much as it pains me to say anything nice about Texas, I think the San Antonio Riverwalk is something Providence should (and does) take inspiration from, it's certainly not something that should be denigrated.

Where Waterplace's chief inspiration was from is Venice. And of course the canals in Venice have sewage floating in them, perhaps the writer would prefer we emulate that, except without all the pesky buildings around.

You know, when the river was underground and the rail yards were there, the view of the State House was unobstructed.

[ArtInRuins]

We have a nice State House for sure, but maybe the only reason why people are concerned withthe view of it is becuase they aren't sure anything new wil be worth looking at... The mall's bland architecture wasn't enough, maybe some people will be happy with the view of the G-Tech tower. I'm waiting to see what the whole area will be like.

[kinematix]

It's interesting to hear folks talking about the view of the state house being obscured. I can't help but wonder where they are looking from. As I can think of it the only people who will no longer see the state house from downtown are the guests on the North side the Courtyard Marriot and maybe some offices in the old train station. I can't think of a single residence downtown or otherwise that will have its view blocked by any of the proposed development. If you're in waterplace park you can't see it anyway and I'm not certain you can see it from Kennedy Plaza either. My advice to anyone who wants to see it is walk there. It's what you have to do now to see it from downtown and when all the development is done I'd wager that the walk will be just as far.

[CtownMikey]

I think THAT with --gtech, parcel 2, and capital cove-- all finished.. hopefully by 2008..( I dont really know anything about capital cove)(NOT TO MENTION OTW, The Power Block, and all of the other pROV. pROJECTS) that the entire area will be beautiful. nighttime and day. All those critics seem to forget what Providence was 10 years ago. They are like my mom-- she always blamed me for my poor grades in high school, and now in college i am on the deans list. But my mother found other things to beotch at me about. So they will never be happy.. which kinda pisses me off. We'll never have the height of NYC, the hotness of "Hotlanta", the individuality of Venice with their canals, or a copy of the San Antonio riverwalk... We're gonna have a little bit of it ALL... add in the beautiful beaches and mansions about 40 minutes down the road, the 1 hr drive to boston, and 4 hr drive to NYC and the history of this entire state!! That makes Providence pretty damn unique! So Prov..even if you never ever host the Academy Awards or the Olympics, You'll still be my favorite city in the whooolleee world!

[provid]

I must a agree with the last four post or so.

Cotuit is right about the waterfront not being safe at night. A new building would be a nice center point that should have active people at all times.

I dont think the buildings will take anything away from waterfire other than the construction period.

[ArtInRuins]

This is what that area used to look like:

This was taken in 1982-3, from one of the rooms at the Biltmore it seems. The former Gaspee Street bridge is in front of you, with part of the boarded up Union Station to the right. The Normal School is behind that, where the mall is now. Route 6 isn't there yet, only the old railroad bridge. You can make out the tops of the VMA and the Mason building and the Foundry (CIC), so maybe the State House isn't in the shot anyway, but you have to admit, not a very pretty view overall. This is pre Waterplace Park, pre Marriott, pre Westin, pre Mall, and pre route 6/10.

[provid]

wow how things have changed...... ( i havent seen many pictures from the early 80's )

[KRC]

This is what that area used to look like:

HOLY COW! You'd never know it was the same city. No one would ever guess it looked like that by what it looks like today.

[KRC]

This was taken in 1982-3, from one of the rooms at the Biltmore it seems.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You know, if I had to guess I'd say it was the top level of the parking garage behind the Biltmore zoomed in. The picture seems to be to far to the left of the Union Station building.

[ArtInRuins]

You know, if I had to guess I'd say it was the top level of the parking garage behind the Biltmore zoomed in.  The picture seems to be to far to the left of the Union Station building.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd agree with you, except for the zoom part; the black frame of the photo is the frame of the 4 x 5" film. I dont think they have much in the way of zoom lenses for 4 x 5" cameras. Parkign garage, maybe, if it was around in 82.

[Cotuit]

It doesn't quite seem right for a Biltmore shot to me either. Wasn't the Greyhound station there at that time? Could have been taken from the roof of that, where the parking lot behind the parking garage sits today.

[KRC]

It doesn't quite seem right for a Biltmore shot to me either. Wasn't the Greyhound station there at that time? Could have been taken from the roof of that, where the parking lot behind the parking garage sits today.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I asked my boyfriend and he said the Greyhound station was where the Westin is today. He thinks the garage behind the Biltmore was there back then.

[Cotuit]

Was this bus station there in 1982?

It may not have been active at the time, but the photo looks like it was taken from the roof of this building.

[KRC]

Was this bus station there in 1982?

It may not have been active at the time, but the photo looks like it was taken from the roof of this building.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, that one wasn't there in 1982. That picture looks to be 1938 or 1954. The bus station that was were the Westin is today was the one after the one in this picture. Whew.

[Cotuit]

My picture is 1954. Was anything at that location after the bus station there was torn down, or was it torn down for the parking lot that sits there now?

[Garris]

I know I'm late in responding to this particular thread, but has anyone considered the idea of sending a formal reply letter to the Projo representing the UP Providence community? (Cotuit ? )

Regarding the State House and views, I agree with everything said. I can't think of anyone who will be deprived of State House views with any of the proposed developments except, perhaps, the future residents of the Kennedy Plaza condos (will G-Tech block their view?). I guess Capitol Cove might, depending upon the height of the project, but I thought they were supposed to be low lying buildings, so this shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks for all of the photographs of old Providence. It's amazing to consider the changes. What a different city it was!

- Garris

[Cotuit]

(Cotuit ?  )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What points do people think are the most important to make?

[Garris]

What points do people think are the most important to make?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A synthesis of the points in posts 1, 2, 4, and 5 would probably be good. Plus the general point that many of us, including yourself, have made that Providence is a ccity and that urbanism done well is what the silent majority of us in Providence (and majority of us in the UP Prov community) want... For those that want privacy, and quiet, and views and such, there's always Warwick, East Greenwich, Barrington, etc...

- Garris

[KRC]

My picture is 1954. Was anything at that location after the bus station there was torn down, or was it torn down for the parking lot that sits there now?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Okay, he (my boyfriend) says he thinks it was cleared for today's current parking lot.

You know, it's times like these where transplants like us are at a disadvantage.

[Mij]

A synthesis of the points in posts 1, 2, 4, and 5 would probably be good.  Plus the general point that many of us, including yourself, have made that Providence is a ccity and that urbanism done well is what the silent majority of us in Providence (and majority of us in the UP Prov community) want...  For those that want privacy, and quiet, and views and such, there's always Warwick, East Greenwich, Barrington, etc... 

- Garris

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

and further more, the east side is but one part of this city, maybe insted of considering there view point (or lack there of) we should consider benifits and remarkable impact that these buildings will have (even if g-tech is a god-awful-ugly-corparate building) for the city and the state. Some one please respond, Even its a group effort where we start a new topic to collect the feeling from the this group and put together the best possible letter to the editor....

Mij

[Cotuit]

I'll see if I can put something together this weekend to send out.