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Originally Posted by Private Dick
Of course. Those are the usual suspects (and I'd put Boston solidly in that camp, Baltimore not so much). And in a large part why they have persisted to remain our urban centers with that "vibrant" and "major" classification. These are our places that have that "big city feel" when in their central cores.
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In recent history, Beacon Hill was the only Boston neighborhood which was a quick/easy walk to Downtown. With the completion of the Big Dig, the North End was added. But IMHO areas like Back Bay and Bay Village are just a bit too far away from Downtown to count. South End is blocked off by 90, the West End was obliterated, and Downtown is surrounded by water on its other sides.
Not to say two historic residential districts right next to Downtown isn't a great thing for Boston, but it's not a fully intact fabric like Philadelphia.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evergrey
So... the Penguins development will at least be an improvement... as underwhelming as it may be. The cap over Crosstown should do a lot to physically and psychologically integrate it with Downtown.
Buncher developing its parking lot empire will bridge that gap between Downtown and the Strip District.
Incremental development has been occurring throughout Uptown.
Unfortunately, the bridges leading from Downtown often lead to wastelands across the rivers... further isolating Downtown from surrounding populations.
Three sisters bridges lead to the North Shore stadium parking district, the menacing and lifeless Allegheny Center monolith, and the post-apocalyptic wastelands of the former Schweitzer Loch.
Smithfield Bridge leads to the dull tourist trap Station Square with its long underutilized parking lots... this thin strip of land abruptly bounded by Mt. Washington's steep slope. To the west is a lonely highway leading to depressed areas... but the section of Carson between Station Square and 10th St. is a huge missed opportunity. Obviously, the flats get very narrow west of 10th... and E. Carson becomes one-sided... but those streets should be the focus of high-density residential development... you're right in between Downtown and one of the most exciting commercial districts in the city! There's so much residential development being built on the FAR side of Carson out around 30th... why not the 1st-10th area?
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If you look at the old maps. the lower strip was already turning into a wasteland of warehouses by the 1920s. I think even with a lighter touch of urban renewal it would have been trashed by the present. The same is likely true for "The Ward" (e.g., modern North Shore), which was already seeing a lot of demolitions and conversion to low-use industrial. And of course there was never a neighborhood where Station Square was.
Uptown was far more trashed by Duquense than people realize though. As late as the 1957 map almost the entire area of the Duquense campus was still a dense residential neighborhood.
These houses are the only remnants left. It borders a pretty dead part of Downtown, and of course there is a highway in the way, but I can't help but think it would be a very desirable area if still there today.
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