WizardMarks wrote: > Essentially, they want to turn a big shoulders, working street, haven > for start up businesses for umpteen years, into a yuppie paradise with > strings of coffee shops with outdoor tables. (Of course, this scenario > leaves coffee drinkers sucking up fumes and dirt with their coffee. Ah, > the feel of grit in your teeth! Ambrosia--not!)
I think this argument is missing the mark. As a hopeful future planner, I believe strongly in the power of design, but I think Wizard is giving it a little too much credit in this analysis. Does "big shoulders, working street" necessarily have anything to do with the amount of car traffic that goes down Lake? I don't see that as making sense. Lake Street indeed has been a haven for start up businesses in the past--I wonder if that will continue if there's no parking on the street. People driving by may see stores they would like to patronize. If there is no parking nearby, will they? Alternatively, businesses could all provide parking lots, which would severaly diminish the pedestrian environment--but more importantly, they would take up space that could be used for even more start-up businesses. As far as turning the street into a "yuppie paradise with strings of coffee shops with outdoor tables," I used to worry about this factor of design myself. But lately, I've realized that good design doesn't do that. Rather, a pedestrian-oriented design with wide sidewalks, a continuous street wall, and a balance between auto and pedestrian needs really just allows the character of the neighborhood to come through more clearly. Two neighborhoods that accomplish this design, to some degree at least, are Uptown and Cedar-Riverside. Does Cedar-Riverside strike you as a yuppie paradise? --Jeff Rosenberg Cedar-Riverside Where we have pedestrian-oriented design, performing arts, and yes, lots and lots of alcohol. REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
