Elements of Urbanism: Pittsburgh

[Lucasjj]

Boston does a good job of this around Fenway. They even have a sports bar built into the outfield wall. The area is fenced in and coverd by a door during games, but allows you to sit at high tops right at the edge of the field on off days and before games. They also have several other places to eat and drink on the outside of the stadium. Even on an off day in the early afternoon, many of the places were being patronized.

[ralpho37]

Add another city to the list whose convention center dwarfs Jacksonville's...

[heights unknown]

Yeah, and Pittsburgh's population doesn't really justify having that large of a convention center.  There are cities with population of 400K or more that don't have Convention Centers that large, but the fact that Pittsburgh has "got it together" relative to its image, popularity, and long standing history as a business city probably justifies it having a convention center that large and people from outside the area will still hold events and conventions there.

Heights Unknown

[Ocklawaha]

Those two Transit station photos:

BRT = BUS RAPID TRANSIT -vs- LRT LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT

Before someone else goes off on the subject of how we need 100 more buses and exclusive bus lanes before we finish the Skyway or Streetcars are introduced, let me flash some number at you.
This is the ridership chart for PITTSBURGHS admitedly wonderful transit system. (I was there when the last Commuter Train ran into the beautiful Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Station, working for the railroad and almost getting arrested for "working on the railroad"... ah... another story sometime.)

Look at the track record of two of the most advanced applications in our time:

Sir Elton John:
So where to now St. Peter
If it's true I'm in your hands
I may not be a Christian
But I've done all one man can
I understand I'm on the road
Where all that was is gone
So where to now St. Peter
Show me which road I'm on
Which road I'm on

So you think more Freeway lanes are the answer?

Joni Mitchell:
They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got till it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot

OCKLAWAHA

[stjr]

This sidewalk, connecting the Northshore with Downtown, is attached to an I-279 bridge.  Should the same be considered for Jacksonville's Fuller Warren, Hart or Matthews Bridges?

I made exactly this point in the face of naysayers at the MJ thread on the Fuller Warren Bridge.  This picture proves my point explicitly - IT CAN BE DONE!

P.S.  I just cross posted it on the Fuller Warren thread at http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,4347.msg89418.html#msg89418 for more comment if desired.

[ralpho37]

Yeah, and Pittsburgh's population doesn't really justify having that large of a convention center.  There are cities with population of 400K or more that don't have Convention Centers that large, but the fact that Pittsburgh has "got it together" relative to its image, popularity, and long standing history as a business city probably justifies it having a convention center that large and people from outside the area will still hold events and conventions there.

Heights Unknown

Well said, Heights...  Kind of makes you wonder why a new convention center isn't the #1 priority for Jacksonville doesn't it?

[heights unknown]

Stupid, stinking, bald headed and ugly leaders...that's why we can't build a good size convention center and lure good conventions and convention type events to Jacksonville.

Heights Unknown

[coredumped]

Did I miss something? Winn-Dixie isn't on the fortune 500 list?

[Jason]

Its not "Downtown".

[coredumped]

Oh, I missed that "Downtown" part, thanks Jason!

[tufsu1]

Well said, Heights...  Kind of makes you wonder why a new convention center isn't the #1 priority for Jacksonville doesn't it?

I'll give you one really BIG reason....because virtually no convention center makes money....they almost all bleed red ink.

Now, I clearly understand that they often spur nearby development, with increased revenues and thereby taxes.....but care to wager on how many of the "conservative" folk in Jax. will see it that way.

[Keith-N-Jax]

They will not, I guess the best and most feasible situation is have new convention center(doesnt have to be a grand one)but located near the old courthouse near the Hyatt. Money will always be an issue.

[Ocklawaha]

Well said, Heights...  Kind of makes you wonder why a new convention center isn't the #1 priority for Jacksonville doesn't it?

I'll give you one really BIG reason....because virtually no convention center makes money....they almost all bleed red ink.

Now, I clearly understand that they often spur nearby development, with increased revenues and thereby taxes.....but care to wager on how many of the "conservative" folk in Jax. will see it that way.

Just imagine boyz and girlz, what a city economic engine we would have here if we could just:

Build the New Courthouse (Hey, we already are!)

Start planning, core drilling etc, for a new Convention Center by the Hyatt (Hyatt already has some Convention space)

Get our Transportation Center up and running as-is with the addition of platforms, tracks and tunnel rehab (With the Convention folks down at the Hyatt, drawing up plans and hosting events, a more compact JTC could be rising)

Tie it all together with streetcar and/or Skyway. (We have the cash for streetcar IF the City Council would let it go)

OCKLAWAHA

[Lunican]

Pittsburgh: From grime to glam

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Just 10 years ago, you couldn't mention the words "posh" and "Pittsburgh" in the same sentence without a collective laugh. Not anymore.

The Pennsylvanian city is not the soot-filled place that many people think it is. Closed mills and clear skies have yielded beautiful neighborhoods that feature great shopping and even better dining.

Once the security details from this week's G-20 Summit clear out of the city, visit Pittsburgh and make sure to stop in some of these trendy neighborhoods.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/09/24/pittsburgh.neighborhoods.travel/index.html