Comments on: Meatpacking District Will Get a Makeover http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/meat-packing-makeover/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:59:35 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: tps12 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/meat-packing-makeover/comment-page-1/#comment-33517 tps12 Fri, 06 Jul 2007 17:24:44 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/major-public-space-improvements-planned-for-meat-packing-district/#comment-33517 I think Jane Jacobs would have been the first to point out that even a nice statue of her would do little to create any kind of vibrant public usage in the new plaza. It will get plenty of transient foot traffic from people crossing 9th Ave, which is all it really needs to do to be considered a success IMHO, but without something to actually <b>do</b> there (what are the cartoon people in the rendering looking at, exactly? The planters?), any chairs and benches are unlikely to get any kind of use. I think Jane Jacobs would have been the first to point out that even a nice statue of her would do little to create any kind of vibrant public usage in the new plaza. It will get plenty of transient foot traffic from people crossing 9th Ave, which is all it really needs to do to be considered a success IMHO, but without something to actually do there (what are the cartoon people in the rendering looking at, exactly? The planters?), any chairs and benches are unlikely to get any kind of use.

]]> By: Dave http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/meat-packing-makeover/comment-page-1/#comment-33005 Dave Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:30:00 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/major-public-space-improvements-planned-for-meat-packing-district/#comment-33005 George: organize the communities along the length of your proposal to push for such a change. Why do you think DOT would have the vision and go out on a limb with such a risky proposal? Vision comes from the community and from the administration, not from mayoral agencies. Angus: I've heard that the FDNY has minimum widths due to concerns about being able to get around double-parked vehicles in an emergency, so that may explain the width. The FDNY may need some convincing in order to get narrower roadbeds. George: organize the communities along the length of your proposal to push for such a change. Why do you think DOT would have the vision and go out on a limb with such a risky proposal? Vision comes from the community and from the administration, not from mayoral agencies.

Angus: I've heard that the FDNY has minimum widths due to concerns about being able to get around double-parked vehicles in an emergency, so that may explain the width. The FDNY may need some convincing in order to get narrower roadbeds.

]]> By: Tim Dietrich http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/meat-packing-makeover/comment-page-1/#comment-32997 Tim Dietrich Sun, 24 Jun 2007 19:43:46 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/major-public-space-improvements-planned-for-meat-packing-district/#comment-32997 I get so tired of people using "Jane Jacobs" name now. She'd be horrified by the type people living in the West Village, and the stores and such, I would think. A 20-something who lives in my building, whose father bought her an apartment here, is always posting Jane Jacobs quotes on our bulletin board -- how I want to tell her she is living in an apartment that was made available by the illegal conversion of a co-op building that destroyed an affordable housing unit -- which I think is what Jane Jacobs stood for. Do I sound bitter? Probably. I do think the street plaza looks pretty good. That has become a dangerous run trying to cross 14th street Hudson to 9th Avenue on the north side. I get so tired of people using "Jane Jacobs" name now. She'd be horrified by the type people living in the West Village, and the stores and such, I would think. A 20-something who lives in my building, whose father bought her an apartment here, is always posting Jane Jacobs quotes on our bulletin board -- how I want to tell her she is living in an apartment that was made available by the illegal conversion of a co-op building that destroyed an affordable housing unit -- which I think is what Jane Jacobs stood for. Do I sound bitter? Probably.

I do think the street plaza looks pretty good. That has become a dangerous run trying to cross 14th street Hudson to 9th Avenue on the north side.

]]> By: Angus Grieve-Smith http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/meat-packing-makeover/comment-page-1/#comment-32986 Angus Grieve-Smith Sat, 23 Jun 2007 13:15:02 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/major-public-space-improvements-planned-for-meat-packing-district/#comment-32986 Good point, George. Also, why is that right turn lane 23 feet wide? Couldn't some of that width be used to expand the plaza or extend the sidewalk? Good point, George. Also, why is that right turn lane 23 feet wide? Couldn't some of that width be used to expand the plaza or extend the sidewalk?

]]> By: George Haikalis http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/meat-packing-makeover/comment-page-1/#comment-32981 George Haikalis Sat, 23 Jun 2007 03:49:14 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/major-public-space-improvements-planned-for-meat-packing-district/#comment-32981 Wonderful, but timid first step. Why preserve the southbound right turn lane on 9th Avenue for about 200 vehicles per hour ( a very modest level of flow). Better yet, why not make Columbus Avenue/9th Avenue/Hudson Street an auto-free light rail boulevard, modeled after the vision42 proposal? Tinkering is fine, but where's the vision! Wonderful, but timid first step. Why preserve the southbound right turn lane on 9th Avenue for about 200 vehicles per hour ( a very modest level of flow).

Better yet, why not make Columbus Avenue/9th Avenue/Hudson Street an auto-free light rail boulevard, modeled after the vision42 proposal?

Tinkering is fine, but where's the vision!

]]> By: Clarence http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/meat-packing-makeover/comment-page-1/#comment-32978 Clarence Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:37:12 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/major-public-space-improvements-planned-for-meat-packing-district/#comment-32978 Charles, Not a bad idea. Charles,

Not a bad idea.

]]> By: Charles Siegel http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/meat-packing-makeover/comment-page-1/#comment-32976 Charles Siegel Fri, 22 Jun 2007 23:38:17 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/major-public-space-improvements-planned-for-meat-packing-district/#comment-32976 Since it's on Hudson St., why not include a statue of Jane Jacobs? It would be great without the statue but even better with. Since it's on Hudson St., why not include a statue of Jane Jacobs?

It would be great without the statue but even better with.

]]> By: David http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/meat-packing-makeover/comment-page-1/#comment-32973 David Fri, 22 Jun 2007 22:22:57 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/major-public-space-improvements-planned-for-meat-packing-district/#comment-32973 Just in time for the new Apple store: http://crunchgear.com/2007/04/29/apple-store-to-take-up-full-ny-block/ Just in time for the new Apple store: http://crunchgear.com/2007/04/29/apple-store-to-take-up-full-ny-block/

]]> By: Mike http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/meat-packing-makeover/comment-page-1/#comment-32971 Mike Fri, 22 Jun 2007 21:35:32 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/06/22/major-public-space-improvements-planned-for-meat-packing-district/#comment-32971 Wow, this looks like a terrific plan. Any idea where the 9th Avenue bike lane will begin? Will it stretch up to Hell's Kitchen, say, to parallel the 8th Avenue one? Wow, this looks like a terrific plan. Any idea where the 9th Avenue bike lane will begin? Will it stretch up to Hell's Kitchen, say, to parallel the 8th Avenue one?

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