Too many people still DON'T want things like this.
Still too much crime/poverty/ignorance in bloomingdale. Combined with the downturn in real estate, we are many years away from a flourishing commercial environment.
To me, the interesting notion is what is potential and how to achieve a vision. we all know the realities of our hood. but to focus on that is missing the point of my posts.
you can't shape the future without hope and vision. i'd hope that more neighbors might be interested in engaging in a dialog about potential, rather than our negatives. negativity is all too common.
EC-12 is how far from being completed? And it has the lead in the race to breathe life back into North Capitol.
"Many years away" could be as little as three, or as many as fifteen years. In the grand scheme, a decade isn't all that long. Especially when you consider the long, deep decline the neighborhood took over forty years.
my $.02: i understand your point, though in the context of my initial post your response was unconstructive and negative. You are definitely right in saying that 10 years isn't all that long.
sofia wallace- uhh? who's waiting? buildings may sit empty, but life goes on.
SA: Do you know people who are in the hood and just waiting for change without getting to know their neighbors, and without contributing anything to the 'hood? I do. They are actually a detriment to the neighborhood. They don't see it as a home... they see it as a place that needs to conform to their desires.
And how do you spot someone like that? When they say: "I wish this {hip/cool/retro/whatever} pizza place were near my home." A favorite way for oldtimers to mock newcomers is to suggest that newcomers are hankerin' for a Starbucks on their block. Those old time folks are onto something there. I'd rather have an old-timer neighbor who wants littering, loitering, and drug-dealing to decrease than a newcomer who wants pizza and lattes.
There is at least one vacant, boarded up rowhouse on your block. Several breaking-and-entering crimes occurred on your block within the last month. Will the pizza place help with those issues? Or do those issues keep the pizza place out? I suggest it is the latter, and that by adhering to the notion that the pizza place will improve the neighborhood you may actually be delaying the very gentrification you seek. Quality of life issues must be addressed before gastronomic bliss may be obtained.
An article about gentrification in Chicago: http://tinyurl.com/22qmry
I think your points are valid; though this debate reminds me a little of the chicken-and-egg analogy. We could probably find anecdotal examples of both - neighborhoods where business came first, and neighborhoods where safety came first.
I lived down the street from the Paradiso pizza place a few years back, and can attest that a few businesses on that very block have been robbed, too. Also, nobody I knew on that street cared about getting to know anyone in the neighborhood. There were a lot of renters, students, interns, and visitors at the hotels who also didn't care about making teh area bettter.
I think the main obstacle to businesses thriving in bloomingdale is we're not really walking distance from any major attractions and residents tend to eat in or go out to other neighbhorhoods, where there are more things to do.
What are the quality of life issues in the neighborhood that you would like to see addressed?
-that people feel safer walking around during the day and at night. That there be more foot traffic during the day and in the evening. and that people leave their porch lights on (front and back) at night.
How would you address them? well my porch lights are on. Ive found it hard to ask others to do the same since people are trying to keep electric costs down. as for generating more foot traffic and feeling safer walkign around, i'm not sure what I could do. I think more people would use public transportation if they felt safer walking to/from the metro and bus stops
12 comments:
it's an awesome place, and it's just amazing to take a wine snob in there and show them that beer snobs can be just as snobby! :)
Enjoy your wait because it might take 20 years if we're lucky!
Too many people still DON'T want things like this.
Still too much crime/poverty/ignorance in bloomingdale. Combined with the downturn in real estate, we are many years away from a flourishing commercial environment.
i don't share your pessimism or viewpoint.
To me, the interesting notion is what is potential and how to achieve a vision. we all know the realities of our hood. but to focus on that is missing the point of my posts.
you can't shape the future without hope and vision.
i'd hope that more neighbors might be interested in engaging in a dialog about potential, rather than our negatives. negativity is all too common.
EC-12 is how far from being completed? And it has the lead in the race to breathe life back into North Capitol.
"Many years away" could be as little as three, or as many as fifteen years. In the grand scheme, a decade isn't all that long. Especially when you consider the long, deep decline the neighborhood took over forty years.
Pessimistic? Or realistic?
How about first a decent pizza place in the neighborhood. (It doesn't have to be so frou frou.)
liz: that'd work for me.
my $.02: i understand your point, though in the context of my initial post your response was unconstructive and negative. You are definitely right in saying that 10 years isn't all that long.
sofia wallace- uhh? who's waiting? buildings may sit empty, but life goes on.
SA: Do you know people who are in the hood and just waiting for change without getting to know their neighbors, and without contributing anything to the 'hood? I do. They are actually a detriment to the neighborhood. They don't see it as a home... they see it as a place that needs to conform to their desires.
And how do you spot someone like that? When they say: "I wish this {hip/cool/retro/whatever} pizza place were near my home." A favorite way for oldtimers to mock newcomers is to suggest that newcomers are hankerin' for a Starbucks on their block. Those old time folks are onto something there. I'd rather have an old-timer neighbor who wants littering, loitering, and drug-dealing to decrease than a newcomer who wants pizza and lattes.
There is at least one vacant, boarded up rowhouse on your block. Several breaking-and-entering crimes occurred on your block within the last month. Will the pizza place help with those issues? Or do those issues keep the pizza place out? I suggest it is the latter, and that by adhering to the notion that the pizza place will improve the neighborhood you may actually be delaying the very gentrification you seek. Quality of life issues must be addressed before gastronomic bliss may be obtained.
An article about gentrification in Chicago: http://tinyurl.com/22qmry
my $.02-
I think your points are valid; though this debate reminds me a little of the chicken-and-egg analogy. We could probably find anecdotal examples of both - neighborhoods where business came first, and neighborhoods where safety came first.
I lived down the street from the Paradiso pizza place a few years back, and can attest that a few businesses on that very block have been robbed, too. Also, nobody I knew on that street cared about getting to know anyone in the neighborhood. There were a lot of renters, students, interns, and visitors at the hotels who also didn't care about making teh area bettter.
I think the main obstacle to businesses thriving in bloomingdale is we're not really walking distance from any major attractions and residents tend to eat in or go out to other neighbhorhoods, where there are more things to do.
my $.02
I certainly have never stated that a pizzeria is more preferable than a safe neighborhood. or that any establishment will solve anything.
I think it an extremely unfair litmus test to accertain someones character by their desire for a pizzeria.
if you see me as a detriment to the neighborhood for wanting one, so be it. i still want one.
but lets move forward...
What are the quality of life issues in the neighborhood that you would like to see addressed?
How would you address them?
Liz: i hope you have found, as i have, this neighborhood to be full of very community minded and caring people. more than most places.
What are the quality of life issues in the neighborhood that you would like to see addressed?
-that people feel safer walking around during the day and at night. That there be more foot traffic during the day and in the evening. and that people leave their porch lights on (front and back) at night.
How would you address them?
well my porch lights are on. Ive found it hard to ask others to do the same since people are trying to keep electric costs down. as for generating more foot traffic and feeling safer walkign around, i'm not sure what I could do. I think more people would use public transportation if they felt safer walking to/from the metro and bus stops
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