belmont square
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- Joined
- Jun 19, 2006
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Ablarc, did Boston beat up your grandmother? Clearly there has been some serious falling out between you and your former home, given that your negative and dismissive posts outnumber your positive ones by at least 20 to 1. In fact, were one to read only your posts to this forum, they might think the topic of discussion was Schenectady or Erie, and not one of the nation?s handful of great cities.
That?s right?one of America?s greatest cities. The scale of New York makes comparisons between it and other US cities a foolish exercise, but I happily accept NYC as the greatest American metropolis. But other than San Francisco, which brings too much to the table, a strong case would have to be made that any other American city is superior to Boston based on the urban assets that those on this forum seem to value most (mixed use development, density, vibrant neighborhoods, diversity, public transportation, human scale, history?even tall buildings!). I will entertain debates with people favoring Chicago, Philadelphia or Washington, but even these great cities have too many obvious faults for me to elevate them to Boston?s level. After that, the drop-off is precipitous and comparisons with Boston become, quite frankly, insulting.
The unending drone of Ablarc?s negative (albeit well-informed, interesting, and often enlightening) posts serves, in my opinion, to lessen their impact over time. Boston, like almost every city, has much that can be improved, and even more that can be learned from other cities. But Ablarc seem to suggest the infallibility of his favored cities. Sure, the pace of development in Boston can be frustrating. But if it is a lack of drive that prevents there being a Green Line connection between Union Square and Porter Square (as has been suggested, and which would optimistically generate a few hundred extra transit trips per day), then what do we call the failure to build the Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, a project that if open today, would serve half a million passengers each day, and has been on the drawing board since the Wilson administration?
And if it is a lack of vision that prevents Ablarc?s Aqua Line along the Greenway from emulating San Francisco?s Embarcadero trolley service, then what can we say about San Francisco?s inability to improve upon its urban rail service that in its entirety is currently less expansive than the MBTA?s Green Line alone (I don?t include BART, which functions more as commuter rail than urban rapid transit).
And as much as I love Boston, what can honestly be accomplished by shaming it with comparisons to Paris, a European capital more than ten times its size that for centuries has been viewed as the pinnacle of western civilization? David Ortiz is no Babe Ruth, but is it really necessary for me to hammer that point home every time he hits a pop up, or worse?when he hits a home run?
In closing, I actually enjoy Ablarc?s perspective and his wealth of knowledge and references in the world of urban design, urban planning and architecture, all of which are an asset to any forum. But knowledge should not be assumed to be a guarantee of fairness. And even legitimate criticisms become tiresome, as they grow increasingly negative in tone, and ignore the obvious successes and strengths of Boston which must serve as a reference point to any discussion of improving our fair city.
That?s right?one of America?s greatest cities. The scale of New York makes comparisons between it and other US cities a foolish exercise, but I happily accept NYC as the greatest American metropolis. But other than San Francisco, which brings too much to the table, a strong case would have to be made that any other American city is superior to Boston based on the urban assets that those on this forum seem to value most (mixed use development, density, vibrant neighborhoods, diversity, public transportation, human scale, history?even tall buildings!). I will entertain debates with people favoring Chicago, Philadelphia or Washington, but even these great cities have too many obvious faults for me to elevate them to Boston?s level. After that, the drop-off is precipitous and comparisons with Boston become, quite frankly, insulting.
The unending drone of Ablarc?s negative (albeit well-informed, interesting, and often enlightening) posts serves, in my opinion, to lessen their impact over time. Boston, like almost every city, has much that can be improved, and even more that can be learned from other cities. But Ablarc seem to suggest the infallibility of his favored cities. Sure, the pace of development in Boston can be frustrating. But if it is a lack of drive that prevents there being a Green Line connection between Union Square and Porter Square (as has been suggested, and which would optimistically generate a few hundred extra transit trips per day), then what do we call the failure to build the Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, a project that if open today, would serve half a million passengers each day, and has been on the drawing board since the Wilson administration?
And if it is a lack of vision that prevents Ablarc?s Aqua Line along the Greenway from emulating San Francisco?s Embarcadero trolley service, then what can we say about San Francisco?s inability to improve upon its urban rail service that in its entirety is currently less expansive than the MBTA?s Green Line alone (I don?t include BART, which functions more as commuter rail than urban rapid transit).
And as much as I love Boston, what can honestly be accomplished by shaming it with comparisons to Paris, a European capital more than ten times its size that for centuries has been viewed as the pinnacle of western civilization? David Ortiz is no Babe Ruth, but is it really necessary for me to hammer that point home every time he hits a pop up, or worse?when he hits a home run?
In closing, I actually enjoy Ablarc?s perspective and his wealth of knowledge and references in the world of urban design, urban planning and architecture, all of which are an asset to any forum. But knowledge should not be assumed to be a guarantee of fairness. And even legitimate criticisms become tiresome, as they grow increasingly negative in tone, and ignore the obvious successes and strengths of Boston which must serve as a reference point to any discussion of improving our fair city.