Downtown Crossing/Financial District | Discussion

Re: Filene's

Most of these "thugs" are just kids. Never had a problem with any of them. You treat them with respect, they treat you with respect. Just like everyone else. Biggest problem with the Corner Mall is the food sucks and is over priced ($9.50 for 2 slices of pepperoni and a Pepsi at Sbarro...right.) Those Filenes renderings of the rosy future were looking mighty white. I swear some of the folks had plaid shorts and Lacoste shirts. Its the city, man, not White Fish Bay, Wisconsin.
 
Re: Filene's

That's bull. Just because it doesn't happen to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I've been harassed on several occasions. I've seen this same stupid response on this topic over and over again. I have friends who have also been harassed by groups of kids in down town crossing.

I've also been harasses by a group of white kids in the common, or perhaps i must be dreaming because that never happened to you either
 
Re: Filene's

DarkFenX said:
^^ And where's your proof of this?
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Sorry, after searching in vain for the "footnote reference" button I remembered that this is a public bulletin board, and I was opining. I don't have proof that this was motivation for saying (to the best of my recollection, I'm not hitting the library for this) that DTX was "tired" and needed "revitalized". "Tired" could describe the absolute best among our public infrastructure. Certainly DTX is a bit dated looking, with furniture and details out of "Entourage" (the 70s design drawing source, not the tv show), but it works brilliantly. How is it more in need of revitalization than the decrepit common and its non-functioning fountain of piss and pigeons? Hizzoner's brick parking lot? The crumbling plaza turned VIP-parking for state services employees heading to the Celtics' game? The bridge that had to literally start falling into the water + a sidewalk to be registered as a public hazard + the red line forced to go 5mph before a city truck would stop to pay attention?

I know Menino will eat whatever Ken Greenberg has in hand (to be honest, so would I) but really a strategy that focuses on revitalizing an area that is bursting with vitality when much of the area surround it lags leaves itself open to conjecture, and my [admittedly rash] suggestion gains resonance as our suburban mayor turns a blind eye (or at least checkbook) towards areas that are disproportionately represented by minorities and have had an upsweep in violence while he plans for 1000 foot towers and waterfront palaces
 
Re: Filene's

Hip Zepi USA isn't an "Urban" store by any means, every kid who listens to hip hop and rap from the boonies, burbs, slums to mum's luxury high-rise wears that stuff. There is absolutely nothing "urban" in the fashion it caters too and I personally detest "urban" being used to label whatever some idiot fashion director for a music video decides to put his cast in.

DTX Doesn't work brilliantly, if you look at photos of the place prior to 1978, you'd understand what far more lively place it was 1890-1978. The area is a run down embarrassment of asphalt sidewalks, filth, vacant storefronts, and vagrants. The place was once a mecca for shopping for everyone from the yankee elite to the poorest of the poor. Now its a low rent dump of pawn shops, t-shirts, and other cheap garbage. DTX needs its middle and upper class component back. Not at the expense of all the low rent business, but as a compliment to it.
 
Re: Filene's

Lurker said:
Hip Zepi USA isn't an "Urban" store by any means, every kid who listens to hip hop and rap from the boonies, burbs, slums to mum's luxury high-rise wears that stuff. There is absolutely nothing "urban" in the fashion it caters too and I personally detest "urban" being used to label whatever some idiot fashion director for a music video decides to put his cast in.
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I understand that, part of my point. Notice I used "urban" in quotes as well.
 
DTX needs (a) retail vacancies filled (hello, Barnes & Noble), and (b) stores, restaurants, bars, theatres, and clubs that stay open late at night. Fix these two things, and everything else will fix itself.
 
I think Ron is on the right track.

BostonObserver, I've never heard of anybody with that problem, my thoughts are if your trying to stick out, your gonna. I've walked through DTX at all times of days dressed in everything from a full suit to a golf shirt and khakis to a backwards black baseball cap, tims and baggy jeans hundreds of times. Its gotta be something your doing.

I would love to see how many people are wishing for up-scale development here and at the same time drone on and on in that bs thread "is Boston built for babies?"
 
Suffolk 83 said:
I would love to see how many people are wishing for up-scale development here and at the same time drone on and on in that bs thread "is Boston built for babies?"
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Gentrification vs grit. The most fascinating yet infuriating debate in all of urban planning.
 
I'm not sure grit is the word I'd use, but I follow.

Toby, the Asian place in the CornerMall on the far left against the back wall isnt bad and its 4.50 a plate? double the chicken for 50cents extra! Cheaper than McD's or Wendy's
 
Re: Filene's

Pierce said:
which indicated that DTX was somehow failing as an urban space--which is obviously just plain wrong
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Have you seen all the empty storefronts in and around Downtown Crossing? Some days when I walk through it appears as though there are more vacant storefronts than occupied ones. The area is a success in that it offers tons of fast food establishments and a place for kids and young adults to congregate. As much else, I personally think it is a failure.
 
Re: Filene's

BosDevelop said:
Have you seen all the empty storefronts in and around Downtown Crossing? Some days when I walk through it appears as though there are more vacant storefronts than occupied ones. The area is a success in that it offers tons of fast food establishments and a place for kids and young adults to congregate. As much else, I personally think it is a failure.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd love to see how many of those were vacant before/after the Filene's project (part of the "revitalization") was announced. Maybe my memory is cloudy, but I don't remember many empty storefronts there in 2005
 
Suffolk 83 said:
I'm not sure grit is the word I'd use, but I follow.

Toby, the Asian place in the CornerMall on the far left against the back wall isnt bad and its 4.50 a plate? double the chicken for 50cents extra! Cheaper than McD's or Wendy's
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That entire food court is disgusting, except for the place that makes gyros. (And McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts)
 
Eh, its no worse than anyother food court. Maybe it looks disgusting, especially if you've ever eaten downstairs.
 
I've been harassed while wearing a shirt and tie and while wearing jerseys and jeans. Just because it hasn't happen to you does not make me a lyer or mean that there is no problem. Why do you think they put in a mini police station right there. Apparently if I was trying to 'stick out' then I deserve to get shoved around and have a lit cigarette thrown at me.
 
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There's been a police kiosk at 100% Corner since the 1910s if you look through old photos. The number of shoppers, vehicles, and pedestrians in the area has made it necessary for reasons of public safety since then.

The storefront vacancies have been getting progressively worse since the early 80s. Bromfield used to be a camera lovers dream in addition to many framing and luggage stores. West, Avon, & Temple, used to have a variety of small stores from fruits, cutlery, wigs, buttons, books, real army navy surplus, tobacco, toys, etc. The area once had life all the way down to the Combat Zone with stores on all the streets branching off Washington and it has withered away to 100% corner.

More cafes, clubs, or restaurants which stay open later, and a few middle to upper class stores would add enough activity and socioeconomic mix to fix the problems of the area.

Cleanliness of the streets, actually having non asphalt sidewalks, and storefronts that didn't look look like a bad part of Beruit would probably help too. If the sidewalks and pedestrian streets (Winter Street only please) were redone in modular stone block like what is used in many cities in Italy, which is easily cleaned and removed/replaced for utility work, that would do wonders. If Washington was reopened to all traffic but paved with a modular cobblestone system along the lines of euro-cobble (to naturally slow down traffic) but flush crosswalks for all the carts, wheelchairs, and divas in high heels, it would add more activity at all hours.

Perception of an area is often defined by its upkeep, if it looks well kept people will be more apt to want to be there.
 
I believe they made a big deal about put it in in the 80's or early 90's. I don't think it's been there the whole time.
 
Perhaps some of what the city does for outlying retail districts (e.g. Roslindale Village Main Streets) needs to be directed to this downtown area as well. Get the existing retailers and commercial landlords together and find ways to lease all that empty space. Vacant stores don't pay rent.
 
You said, "Perception of an area is often defined by its upkeep."

Guess we can call it the "Dirty Windows" theory, similar to "Broken Windows", right?
 
That is one of the things that a Main Streets program addresses -- the exterior appearance of storefronts.
 
Yeah I guess Jimbo... to be honest I think the biggest improvements to 100% Corner in recent years was So Good Jewelers' storefronts and Macy's implementation of street level windows.

If all the storefronts were maintained, some effort was put into graphic design, and thin vertical or horizontal facade signs were stressed instead of the typical square block signs, it would make a big difference. Tellos and Barnes & Nobel really need to have their 2nd floor windows exposed, even if they are blacked out or contain advertising. The recently uncovered buildings on Winter Street look hundreds of times better as a result of this.

The better the street looks, the more people are wiling to walk down it, and it becomes more enticing it is to retailers to lease there.

In the USSR, and from the photos I've seen of poor areas here in the US, poor neighborhoods always looked the same and there was one easy way to tell if was a bad area instead of just a poor one. If there was litter, no one cared about the neighborhood and it would be a place to expect trouble. If it was clean, no matter how in ill repair the buildings were and how poor the people were, people had enough pride in their neighborhood to not be committing crime.
 
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