Rose Kennedy Greenway

Sometimes anecdotal evidence does not indicate the true pattern.
 
There can't be much of an argument against fixing broken windows, irregardless of crime rate stats.

As for stats showing a failure of the Broken Windows theory, I have noticed in Fort Point that crime has increased over the past years, as warehouses were rehabilitated and more affluent tenants moved in (and more broken windows were repaired). Certainly affluence is a target of crimes like robbery and mugging. So crime stats may not be the only reliable indicator if the "Broken Windows" theory has a positive impact.

I'll continue to suggest that Broken Windows theory may be worthwhile while the Scrubbed Park theory is detrimental and perhaps a threat to a functioning society.
 
HenryAlan said:
Sometimes anecdotal evidence does not indicate the true pattern.
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If enough people witness the same event doesn't that merit acknowledgement as a pattern? Yes their is the causation argument, but there are sociological factors which for individuals are influenced by the environment. A run down industrial environment is going to solicit a different set of emotions and behavior by an individual compared to a gleaming palace. Not that everyone will have the same set of reactions based on their own sociology and psychology, however there are trends for macro vs. micro. groups no? This isn't to say that a perfect environment can ever exist to completely influence individual or group behavior, but environments can be engineered to some degree to affect behavior.
 
Rifleman, your posts here are similar to OWS. They are gritty, sometimes unseemly, and they are tolerated.

There is a certain decency about the admins that they tolerate some level of gritty posts. You might agree. And in that, you might see why people want a certain level of gritty and unseemly behavior tolerated on the RKG.

As for camping on the RKG, it's hard to suggest that a political movement operate during business hours determined by the institution(s) it is rallying to change.
 
Anyways, moving on...

So, what are some ideas to improve the Greenway?

Does anyone think that splitting southbound and northbound traffic was a good idea? Or should the road be on one side or the other? And which side? Or should it be primarily in the middle? Granted, some of the changes some of us may desire will be impossible due to the [sarcasm]excellent[/sarcasm] design of highway ramps. Regardless, lets discuss what a better design would be which would satisfy both our criteria for a park, and the local government cronies' desires for this area.
 
Doing more to connect it to other parkland (e.g., the Esplanade) and other walking areas such as the Harborwalk would be a nice touch (and not difficult to do) in my estimation. Also in terms of connection, having some overpasses so you don't have to confront traffic would be good. I think we are seeing that as people get used to it it is starting to take on some life in an organic way.
 
I remain convinced that the RKG is fine as is, just A) incentivize residential development at all edges as best possible and B) get the Conservancy to lighten up on allowable uses on some spaces to encourage impromptu recreation and performance. No more tax dollars need be spent on reconfiguring the layout or paying $$$$ for programming.
 
Sicilian said:
I remain convinced that the RKG is fine as is, just A) incentivize residential development at all edges as best possible and B) get the Conservancy to lighten up on allowable uses on some spaces to encourage impromptu recreation and performance. No more tax dollars need be spent on reconfiguring the layout or paying $$$$ for programming.
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I'd rather keep the park parcels which seem to naturally work the best and sell off the others to private developers. A series of intimate public squares acting as gateways to the parallel Harbor-walk and way-stations along the direct route from North to South Station is really the best I think we could hope for. The new series of public parks/square along this route could also help mitigate all the ones which once existed downtown, but were obliterated by roadway reconfigurations, urban renewal, and encroachment of super-block development. If anything this option would be better for the urban fabric and provide more tax revenue to the city. Not to mention the ease of focusing funding on specific landmark parks and squares versus dealing with an uneven linear corridor.
 
Construction above the ramp parcels is the key improvement. Those sections are absolutely awful from a pedestrian or visual standpoint. The rest is actually pretty nice, some of it even very nice.
 
This may have been asked and answered, but...

Is there any current plan or RFP's for development of the ramp parcels?
Are the ramp parcels those upon which the glass museum, etc. were being planned?
 
What were the plans for the North End ramp parcel and how would they do it? The parcel is ENTIRELY ramps, so I don't understand how they would build on it, or if they do, where would you even put an entry...
 
BostonUrbEx said:
What were the plans for the North End ramp parcel and how would they do it? The parcel is ENTIRELY ramps, so I don't understand how they would build on it, or if they do, where would you even put an entry...
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It might be worthwhile to build a garage on that parcel and eliminate a lot of metered and on street parking in the North End for pedestrian improvements. Trade near useless real estate over highway ramps for valuable street-scape real estate in one of the city's most urban neighborhoods.
 
Sicilian said:
Rifleman, your posts here are similar to OWS. They are gritty, sometimes unseemly, and they are tolerated.

There is a certain decency about the admins that they tolerate some level of gritty posts. You might agree. And in that, you might see why people want a certain level of gritty and unseemly behavior tolerated on the RKG.

As for camping on the RKG, it's hard to suggest that a political movement operate during business hours determined by the institution(s) it is rallying to change.
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Sicil -- In point of fact that is precisely what this movement is doing -- its a faux occupy

This Occupy is of the same nature as General Pattons First Army Group in Southern England in 1944 / early 1945 -- a lot of empty tents and fake tanks and planes made of plywood and rubber to fool the Germans

The UK Telegraph reported that Scotland Yard performed aerial surveilance with Thermal IR cameras of Occupy London -- less than 20% of the tents were in fact inhabited during cooler nights

In the Dewey Sq. occupying -- in a Herald story -- most of the occupyers left for Thanksgiving -- only the homeless bums were still there (e.g. a German who rather thumbing / bumbing his way accross the US / Canada who benefitted from free food and tent raher than paying for a youth hostel).

These occupyers are the classic "Sunshine Patriots" refered to by Tom Paine in Common Sense -- " These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country ......"

If they were sincere about improving the lot of the X% -- they would donate the tents to Pine St. Inn and help feeding those whose occupying of city streets is by necessity not whim!
 
Whether a garage or the intended YMCA, where would they put the vehicle ramp or YMCA entrance?

The block honestly looks like it was designed to be difficult and discourage any development: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=42.363586,-71.057923&spn=0.001346,0.00284&t=k&z=19&vpsrc=6

The whole parcel is a complete failure of planning and land use. It is a direct barrier between the North End and the rapid transit station with the best coverage of the North End (Haymarket). It's the king of all pedestrian barriers.
 
Lurker said:
It might be worthwhile to build a garage on that parcel and eliminate a lot of metered and on street parking in the North End for pedestrian improvements. Trade near useless real estate over highway ramps for valuable street-scape real estate in one of the city's most urban neighborhoods.
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It was much easier to park in the North End when there were lots under the artery. It might indeed be useful to restore that, but I'd still prefer something less garage-like in appearance.
 
HenryAlan said:
It was much easier to park in the North End when there were lots under the artery. It might indeed be useful to restore that, but I'd still prefer something less garage-like in appearance.
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A modern day Motor Mart garage. It could even be linked into the abutting Congress Street garage redevelopment. Kill two birds with one stone.
 
The original idea was to build a platform above the ramp block, and put the YMCA on top of that. That kind of building could work, but a parking garage could not, because I don't think there's any good way to add the necessary entrance and exit ramps.

Pedestrian access to the Y would probably have been from the south side, facing the North End parks.
 
^whighlander... Let's move past OWS.

^Ron

I remember Mass Hort Garden under Glass financial problems at a different parcel. Same thing with YMCA proposal? Were development rights awarded to another entity for something in the future?
 
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