Sharing is Caring: Bike Edition

          Public transportation allows for quick and easy access to predetermined locations. Once you arrive at your stop, you generally have to take one step further to get to your final destination. This can be spent walking, or, in some cities, biking. For those who do not have a bike, but want to do some easy physical activity, a bike share is the best choice. With its relative ease, and affordability, it can become an afternoon adventure.
          Recently, when I was in Washington DC, I decided I wanted to explore my surrounding area. Rather than walk, which would have forced me to stay relatively close to my place of stay, I walked a block to a bike share stand. A collection of bikes awaited me, along with a map of the city marking where different stands were available. Within two minutes I was on the road. As I biked around the city I never went five minutes without seeing a stand where I could drop my bike off and be on my way. The people I saw taking advantage of this bike share system were not only tourists, but residents of the DC metro area, and friends out for a weekend adventure. The bike share program in DC made access to the city readily available.
          Similar Bike Share initiatives have sprouted up in Boston, New York, Denver, and Tampa. All of these bike share programs have faced their fair share of problems, whether it be technical, or monetary, but all have seen success. Providence, and the surrounding communities would be an ideal place to add to the list of cities with bike shares. Bike share stands could be downtown, college hill, the east side, Blackstone Boulevard, India Point park, Hope Street, Smith Hill, Federal Hill, and throughout the rest of Providence. A fixed destination point could draw new businesses to cater to those who take advantage of the system, invigorating the economy and small business growth.

          Starting a Bike Share program takes the public's support, months of preparation, and considerable sums of money. While the startup of such a program would be difficult, the possible benefits to come would support, and provide growth for surrounding communities. 

And The Roads Came Tumbling Down

Minneapolis Bridge Collapse, 2007

          The infrastructure in America has been steadily falling apart since its birth. The road, bridge, and train systems are the veins of America, where each destination is another heart. They lead the traveler to their point of arrival, hopefully with ease and speed. The quality of a country's infrastructure is a good indicator of its wealth, and economic health. Having money to spend on improvements of highways, and streets directly parallels the well-being of a country. It is no surprise then, our infrastructure is in need of repair, just like our economy.
          Following the War of 1812, Henry Clay introduced his economic plan, the "American System." The main principle behind this plan was it's call for expanding the country's road, and canal systems. At a time where Nationalism was high, the United States did not want to turn to Britain's laissez-faire economic policy, but instead provide subsidies for internal improvements which would cultivate agricultural advancements. Our country needs a new "American System."

The ASCE Report Card for Rhode Island

         On March 29th, 2013, President Obama discussed our country's need for infrastructure improvements. Across the nation, our roads and railways are lacking, but first lets look at the small scale, the smallest scale there is for a State, Rhode Island. According to the ASCE's (American Society of Civil Engineers) 2013 Infrastructure Report Card, 70% of roads are "poor or mediocre quality", this in turn takes $467 from the pocket of a Rhode Island driver. Let's turn the bridges of Rhode Island, 20.6% are "structurally deficient", and 33.7% are "functionally obsolete."The shape of Rhode Island's infrastructure also mirrors the fiscal standing of the state, meek. This year the US received an astounding D+ from the ASCE's Report Card, which is quite a step up from the 2009 ranking of a D. These grades are a clear indicator of the lack of initiative there has been to improve the infrastructure throughout America.
          Rebuilding our infrastructure would provide for thousands of jobs, jumpstarting our economy and improving our means of travel.

For more information on the infrastructure throughout the Country visit the following:
http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/a/#p/home
http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/
http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/a/#p/state-facts/rhode-island 

Tactical Urbanism

     The thought that significant change takes time, piles of paperwork, and bureaucracy, is proved false in the practice of tactical urbanism. The premise being tactical urbanism is this, "Short-term Action, Long Term Change."The belief that public, temporary, and generally cheap urban activities and events can draw a large crowd that will improve urban life. The first step to urban amelioration is drawing a crowd, and this is exactly what tactical urbanism does, in a cheap and effective manner. Examples can be seen across the Country, ranging from signs displaying how to get to a landmark, and how long it will take by foot, to small parks placed in the middle of a roadway. Every instance of tactical urbanism hopes to have the same affect, to make people think, look at their surroundings, and explore what is right right in front of them.
     Tactical urbanism really is a genius and fascinating way to force pedestrians to look at the city around them critically, and with more awareness than previously held. While many instances of tactical urbanism have schedules, and have opening dates available to the public, they can also be spontaneous, giving an air of adventure to a dreary afternoon. Tactical urbanism can make people appreciate their city for what it is, an interesting place filled with innovation, and not simply a place to live and meet friends for coffee.

A small example of Tactical Urbanism

     The "Long Term Change" is also a key aspect of tactical urbanism. In the case of the man who posted signs pointing to local sites with travel times, the government officially picked up the idea because of the exceptional reaction from pedestrians. Another common use of tactical urbanism is closing off a street, making it walking-friendly, and packing the area with small food stands, temporary coffee shops, and small performances. This day-long experience can leave a lasting impact on the community, making it more desirable to potential business owners, leading to a long and prosperous future for the community.

     What can tactical urbanism do for Providence, though? It can change it. Downtown Providence is generally a walker-friendly environment, with large sidewalks and small streets. This is the perfect location for tactical urbanism. In the past there have been arts and culture events that have drawn large crowds, but all with a schedule. Spontaneity is an integral part of tactical urbanism, which drives a  prolonged interest, and a diverse crowd. With a carefully calculated attack on Downtown with tactical urbanism, there would be extreme benefits to the community, and the amount of activity Downtown has to offer. 

     The appeal to tactical urbanism is it's cheap, short, and spontaneous action, with serious long-term prosperity

Streetcars in the City

     In Providence, there is one public transportation option, the RIPTA buses (Rhode Island Public Transit Authority). With RIPTA I can't help but feel an air of uncertainty while waiting next to a pole with a small square on the top saying RIPTA. The schedule is confusing, and routes can change on a whim, leaving you standing with questions. RIPTA is quick, and easy (if you have experience with it) but with new users, it can seem confusing and overwhelming. In the past there have been major overhauls of RIPTA, with new schedules, new plans for Kennedy Plaza, and new routes.

     But, what if we went back to Providence's roots, and introduced a new public transportation system, streetcars. There has been some chatter about introducing streetcars into Providence, with routes bringing you to Thayer St. on the East Side, throughout Downtown, as well as Upper South Providence. With the presence of a track, the route cannot be changed, only the times, but without the risks involved with busses, times would change infrequently. Because of the small amount of stops, there would be a shelter for users of the system, making it more comfortable, and more expected to see a streetcar arriving in a short amount of time.

     Streetcars would also connect downtown in a way that hasn't been seen. With the fixed route, the storefronts directly around the route would see an influx of people. Examples of this working can be seen Portland, Oregon, with a 40% rise in density, and $3.5 billion in new development. The initiation of streetcars in Providence would immediately create many new jobs, and cause a surge in business in the downtown area, as well as anywhere the street cars go. With the revenue created through taxes, and the revitalization of businesses along the route Providence could have a chance at getting it's financial troubles under control.

With the ease an accessibility streetcars bring, it would be foolish to not pursue their presence throughout Providence and neighboring cities. 

Coming Soon!

The Arcade

        As I have discussed in my post on the Providence Place Mall, downtown is lacking in stores to go to, things to do, and general reasons to go there. But soon - hopefully very soon - this will all change. Downtown is going through some very big changes in the near future. New storefronts are being brought to Washington, Weybosset, as well as Westminster. As a potential customer these new areas for shopping would definitely make me want to make a trip to Downtown to shop and get lunch. These storefronts have some great potential and hopefully the spaces will be filled with creative and exciting businesses.

Proposed look for the Biltmore Garage (Washington St.)

     One of these new business ventures is the renovation to the Biltmore Garage. The renovation includes creating six commercial spaces on the ground floor of the Biltmore Garage facing Washington. The changes are already visible in the signage, changing weathered signs out for new and attractive signs with a new color scheme. One of these units will be sizably bigger than the others which could possibly become a restaurant or cafe. The rest of the units all have their own bathrooms and are the same size. If interesting stores move into these spaces this could be a great boost for revitalization of Downtown. With more stores spread around Downtown it could attract more customers, in turn attracting more businesses, creating a stronger Downtown than ever seen before.

The Arcade- Early Days

          The other business venture is the renovation of The Arcade, a beautiful and historic indoor shopping center built in 1828. The Arcade has entrances on both Weybosset, and Westminster, creating easy access from almost all angles. Throughout the years this building has changed hands and it's rumored that it has never actually produced money for any owner. This may soon change. The new Arcade is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2012. The building will have one floor for shopping and two floors with small lofts.. I love this idea frankly. Theses smaller lofts also add a level of living option diversity, instead of just having the luxury Waterplace Apartments this provides a cheaper option. This adds a centralized place for shopping in the heart of Downtown, near other shopping areas, such as the Biltmore Garage. With the economy slowly getting better, this is exactly what Providence might need. Some stores to produce jobs, even if a small amount, and a place that people will want to go to, eventually exploring the rest of Downtown and stimulating the economy. I think The Arcade will especially appeal to teenagers. Right now there are really two areas to shop in Providence: Thayer Street, and the Mall. This will allow teens to become familiar with their capital city with an easy to get to shopping center. This could also attract new RIPTA customers and make Weybosset and Westminster prime real estate for businesses.
       

To learn more about these updates check out the links below!

The Arcade

The Biltmore Garage

Feel free to tweet at @hodgepodgeprov, comment, and email hodgepodgeprov@gmail.com with any questions you may have!

The Parking Problem

Quite a lot of Parking 

          There is a Parking Problem in Downtown, Providence. Contrary to what some believe, there is too much parking. Far more than what is necessary. I believe Providence has a lot going for it, some of which I touched upon in my last post. But, I don't think people will make a trip Downtown to check out all the cars parked in lots, or should I say lack of cars. Even if Downtown was hustling and bustling there would be no need for all of the parking. All it is doing is taking away land that could be used to revitalize Downtown and make it a more attractive destination.
          Downtown is an area too small to be taken over by large, un-attractive parking lots that do not cater to many people. Also, with Kennedy Plaza right in the heart of Downtown one would think this would remove need for parking. Even if business was booming one weekend, with restaurants filled to the brim and PPAC and Trinity Rep with full attendance not all the parking lots would be filled. There could probably be lots completely empty, taking up useful land. Land for restaurants, stores, anything.

5 Blocks = 6 Parking Lots

          The Biltmore Parking Garage located on Washington Street is taking a step forward. With a leg up already with it being multi-story, supply much more parking per foot than other lots it is also doing something a little more. There will soon be six ground-floor shopfronts on Washington Street attached to the Parking Garage. This initiative is led by Cornish Group who has time and time again supported Downtown Providence in its path to success. When these shops get finished and, hopefully, good stores move in, it will add a breath of fresh air to that area of Downtown. Creating a new area to shop besides Westminster Street and the Mall.
          Hopefully, an excess of parking lots in Downtown will become a thing of the past, with business booming, and restaurants filled, maybe there will seem to be a shortage of parking. But for now, the ratio of business to parking is way out of line.

          Feel free to comment below or email me at hodgepodgeprov@gmail.com or tweet at @hodgepodgeprov !

          For more info on the Biltmore Garage check out http://biltmoregarage.com/ !

"Not Dead Yet"

              As I’m sure you have read seen in the newspaper Providence is on a path to bankruptcy. Bankruptcy has affected cities from Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. Harrisburg is an interesting case, being a state capital that has barely anything going for it. Providence, on the other hand, is a state capital that has quite a lot going for it.

Restaurant Row - Harrisburg, PA

 I visited Harrisburg a couple of years ago and its condition really struck me, not believing for a second it was the capital. My family and I stayed at a hotel right on “Restaurant Row”, a street filled with scary looking bars and Cash 4 Gold stores. Being the main street in the capital of the state, one would expect a little more than this. Remember, this was before the city declared bankruptcy. With Providence facing potential bankruptcy in early summer, we don't see anything nearly as bad. Providence continues to have great streets, neighborhoods, and great food as well as other attractions.

Wickenden Street - Providence, RI

          I'm not trying to trash Harrisburg, but instead to instill a little hope for Providence. Providence has restaurants, businesses, and attractions that can help make itself a stronger city, getting Providence back on its feet. While Providence has a little going for it, Harrisburg is lacking. With little reason to visit and many destructive decisions, Harrisburg is not doing so well. The weekend I was in Harrisburg there was a beer festival going on, drawing in people just long enough to get drunk. Not the sign of a flourishing city. On the other hand Providence doesn’t need cheap alcohol to get attention. Drawing people to Federal Hill, Wickenden St., Thayer St., and Downtown for great food and great nightlife. 

          Even though Providence is on the brink of bankruptcy, it is not the only city. With restaurants filling up, and no tumbleweed in sight, Providence is still fighting. Considering Rhode Island is one of the smallest states one would expect Providence to be doing a little worse than the capital of Pennsylvania. I don't mean to offend anyone from PA and I certainly hope HodgePodgeHarrisburg doesn't come after me, but Providence still has a change to get back on its feet. 

 And if you haven’t seen already, HodgePodgeProv is now on twitter! Follow @hodgepodgeprov to get more updates!

 

What I Like in a City

In this post I'm going to get my opinion out about what I like to see in a City. Not in any particular order except for Number 1.

1)Fountains

Ever since I was a little kid I always liked fountains, at such a young age I had no clue why, but now I think I have figured it out. Wherever fountains are, people follow. Fountains add a breath of life to a bleak corner, or under appreciated open space. Of course I realize Providence cannot quickly introduce a fountain the size of the Trevi Downtown, but just a small fountain I feel could make a big impact. There are a couple fountains in the Kennedy Plaza area but I feel like if just a couple more were put in farther away, it could make Downtown Providence a much more walkable city, drawing people Downtown, and keeping them there for a days activities.

2) Open Spaces

Open spaces are a key part to a great city. New York has Central Park, Chicago has Millennium Park, and Washington "The Mall", and many other cities have large open spaces. City Hall Park is a good try at an open space. The only thing lacking is want, the want to be there. Surrounded by busy streets and really no reason to go through the park if only to get to a bus, there isn't much happening. If stores, truck vendors, and more publicized small events happened here it could liven up Downtown as well as make it a resting place and place to grab some lemonade.

3) Quick and Easy Public Transportation
The great thing about New York City's MTA is that it is extremely easy to navigate. After looking at the maps for just a minute you have a very good idea for how to arrive at your destination, even if this is your first time using the Subway. RIPTA is great, don't get me wrong, but adding more signage and showing map routes a little more could make people feel more comfortable using RIPTA, creating more traffic flow through Downtown.


Other Things I like to see in Cities:
-Clean
-Busy Storefronts
-Pedestrianized Streets

Providence Place Mall

          The Providence Place Mall in Downtown Providence thrives every weekend as a place to purchase anything you need, or just a place to spend a rainy Sunday. While PPM is filled on the weekends, Downtown Providence is pretty barren. People wander the streets waiting for a matinee at PPAC or get something to eat at some of the places that I have talked about before, but, overall, Downtown isn't very thriving. Although it may pick up for nightlife, it's nothing like it could be. One feature that takes away from Downtown is the mall.

The Providence Place Mall 

          One problem with Downtown Providence is the shortage of stores. All of the stores teens and college students are attracted to are in the mall. Imagine if all those stores were scattered Downtown. If even one floor of what was on the mall was to be relocated just a few blocks away, Downtown Providence would become a destination for many. Filling up storefronts on Westminster, Weybosset, and Washington, would greatly impact the amount of traffic coming through downtown. Although people may think that having all the stores outside would make a rainy Sunday a day where you could do nothing, what do people in NYC do? They still go out and shop, packing the streets with shopping bags and umbrellas.

Providence Place Mall relative to Downtown

          Having more shops downtown would also greatly increase the amount of use for RIPTA. More parking spots would be filled Downtown, and people wouldn't want to deal with parking in a traffic filled area. Therefore, RIPTA is the perfect option: quick, easy, and it brings you directly to Kennedy Plaza, the heart of Downtown. Also, if there was still a mall, but also shops downtown, people could easily travel from one place to the other. PPM and Downtown are not that far away. Walk down a set of stairs in PPM and you are just a few small blocks from Kennedy Plaza.
          However, another problem with the connection from the Providence Place Mall to Downtown is the threatening Francis St., Memorial Blvd. intersection. Crossing this intersection is equivalent to crossing a highway. Anyone who might think of going Downtown from the Mall would quickly change their mind after encountering Memorial Blvd. With only a Fidelity Bank in sight when about to cross the street,the few are tempted to cross a road as wide as a highway.
          Once a consumer enters the mall, they generally do not leave, walking only from the parking garage to the inside. I mean, why would you? There aren't any stores or anything of interest in sight. All that is across the street is Station Park, a large green area where, most of the time, nothing happens. Although heavy buildings cannot be constructed on most of this space because the Amtrak trains run underneath, this should not rule out the idea of just something  happening. Maybe a skinny building running along the sidewalk, with a few stores. Or even simpler, making some paths and creating some shade, drawing in people, which in turn could draw lemonade carts and other food trucks.
          What some people don't know is that the mall was first created to revitalize Downtown Providence. We can talk about how the economy has stalled the revitalization of Downtown, but when it comes to it, the mall has collected all the action that Downtown could have had, and packed it under one convenient, warm, roof. If changes are made to the Memorial, Francis intersection, and something happens to Station Park, maybe, just maybe, Downtown can be on the comeback trail.

Green Home Initiative

Mayor Angel Taveras launched the Green & Health Homes Initiative Providence Neighborhood Innovation Pilot (GHHIPNIP). This initiative is dedicated to providing houses in the Olneyville and Valley areas with free weatherization. The GHHIPNIP will train minority contractors how to handle health hazards including, poor ventilation, lead paint, and much more. Unlike many other initiatives the GHHIPNIP tries to fix all problems pertaining to the house instead of fixing one aspect and leaving the other problems to another person or company. GHHIPNIP will also train the owners of these homes how to save money through saving energy, and how to live healthier.

With this program in play it will dramatically lower their heating and medical bills. With the weatherization of the homes families will not have to use the heat as much, saving money. Because GHHIPNIP doesn't focus solely on one problem all safety hazards will be covered, providing a healthier and safer environment for living. 

The funding for this great project is coming from the U.S. Department of Energy State Energy Partrnership Funds, as well as the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Lead Hazard Control Program. Funding is also coming from the Open Society Foundations made available by the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning. The total amount of funding for this project is 1.8 million for training, and home retrofits.

Learn more about the GHHI at http://www.greenandhealthyhomes.org/index.cfm  

Worth waiting

Providence is a city full of hustle and bustle, even if some people don’t realize it. There are many stores and restaurants that people would wait in a line for. From Bagels at Bagel Gourmet to events at The Steelyard, Providence has a lot to offer.

I recently asked many people what they would wait in line for and I got a variety of responses. Some people responded simply with “red lights” or “lines in banks,” while others mention the Farmers Market or Mr. Lemon. I have to say, I wait in line for an iced tea with lemon at L’Artisan, a local cafe.One response in particular was very interesting, from a local dance teacher.

I think that this is a good question because something

about our life here makes us hate waiting in line.

Like we'd wait in line in Boston or NY but not in Providence.

I had a friend in retail when we first moved here and she

said it is a constant struggle in high end retail.  The refrain

was, "I'll spend a lot for a clothing item in

Boston and NY but not here in RI".

Is it our small size, our position between two

urban powers, our general inferiority complex

that makes us think nothing here is worth

too long a wait?  I am not sure but waiting

for anything in RI seems like a burden and yet

I'll wait in the half-price tickets line for a Broadway

show in NY for a couple of hours!

Some people noted that by living in Providence long lines are hard to come by. Other responses included the hot dog truck from Chez Pascal, Movies at the Avon, Nick’s on Broadway and Mama Kims. One very popular response was Julian’s, a restaurant on the West Side of Providence. People also mentioned waiting in line for Waterfire (even though it is pretty much just one long line), and great pizza at Nice Slice on Thayer Street.

So, If you’re having trouble coming up with a place for lunch, or wondering what to do on a Friday night , check these out, they won’t disappoint. After all, your neighbors think these are all worth waiting in line for.

For more information check out the links below:

Bagel Gourmet

The Steel Yard

The Farmers Market

L’Artisan

Mr. Lemon

Chez Pascal-Hot Dog Truck

The Avon Cinema

Nick’s on Broadway

Mama Kims

Julian'sWaterfire

Nice Slice

Feel free to leave a comment saying what you have waited in line for!