Quote:
Originally Posted by zur
haha!
Look..
Overall I just want stuff to be built in places where nothing is.
I want a better city.
I'm willing to pay for it .. but not at the expense of existing city.
That's all..
So I'm somewhat against adding new neighborhoods when there so many existing blighted ones..
Kinda like..why would anyone help them if given the alternative.
and designers love to fantasize about a mixed use transit heavy love fest..
but fail to see the actual uses..
We end up with Brazillia or the Gallery or dozens of other "build it they will come" debacles.
and my primary issue with the plan is with spending BILLIONS to cap 95 when that money could be used for so many other things.
when our existing caps are so lightly used. (if at all)
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This probably relates more to Penn's Landing than other Delaware River development, but part of the problem with the Cap I-95 Dream is that there's an assumption that capping 95 will automatically create a pedestrian surge to the riverfront. Sure, people will walk over there if there's a nice park leading from Society Hill and the Historic District to the waterfront, but there's nothing over there to pay for it all. It would just be a very expensive bridge to nowhere. People who want to go to the few things that take place there - to the Seaport Museum, or to the Spirit of Philadelphia - they manage get there just fine as it is. We're not missing out on any revenue just becase I-95 is visible.
If I-95 is ever going to be capped, the waterfront is going to have to start generating a lot more cash. And that's not just for those who want I-95 capped, but anyone who wants the waterfront to be more desirable. Ways to do start doing this would be making the waterfront more tourist friendly. Aside from a stark museum and lots of concrete, there is absolutely nothing there.
Set up a souvenir driven shopping center and food court like Baltimore has in it's Inner Harbor. Look at what other cities do on their rivers. In the summertime, lease some of the vast spanses of concrete to carnival vendors, throw a fair on the weekends, craft shows, farmer's markets, flea markets, how about a giant Eye of Philadelphia ferris wheel sponsored by Comcast, whatever - it's low maintenance space that goes completely unused.
Everyone seems to want a lot at once or nothing at all. That attitude doesn't get things built. It's like the city and the developers are holding this chunk of property in such high regard, that no plan for the waterfront is ever good enough, so it just continues to go untouched. However that seems to be the Philadelphia way, where surface parking lots and vast urban bald spots are better than any growth that doesn't appeal to every neighborhood association or save-the-oysters lobby group in town.