Berry to take another look at downtown arena

[CornDaddy]

ABQNM69 wrote:

<quoted text>
NYCNYC4EVER, where the hell do you propose we're going to get $350 million?!?!?!?! The answer is us. WE'RE going to be paying for all of this! We need to wait for the economy to get better first and then we need to wait until we actually need an arena..

Last figures that were bandied about were between $400mil & $450mil for the hotel and arena on the 1st Baptist church lot (cost to buy the property wasn't included as i recall). FWIW, light rail was claimed at last discussion to be in the $28mil-$30mil per mile range. That's what Chavez wanted to spend between the Bio-Park and Snob Hill, with an additional spur along Yale to the Airport. What nobody addressed is where a maintenance facility for them would be and the costs involved with that too. Obviously tracks need to run between the main line(s) and the maint garage.

There was more chit chat only about running LR between Winrock & Coronado, which then would require another maint facility and/or an extension between Snob Hill & Louisiana, then N to Winrock. Prior to that there was more talk of running LR between the Bio-Park and San Mateo too.

LR is a grossly expensive project, and IMO way too costly for the tax base here, nor would usage be up to expectations for such expense. Note that I am NOT addressing self supporting which will never happen, and that in and of itself is OK IMO!

[soft landing]

CornDaddy wrote:

<quoted text>
Where did I say it should remain as is? All I said was a hotel and arena are not worthwhile projects, nor will they improve DT.
If you want to change it for the better IMO, add a grocery store for local residents since there is not one there, especially since housing in the area is present, both new and old! Close the portion of Central between say 1st & 10th (or longer) to regular vehicular traffic (excluding cross traffic) and attract eating and shopping venues. The basic model to follow would be the 16th Street Mall in DT Denver. They have FREE CNG buses on 16th St (Central here) and bicycle cops within that zone. The street has seats for people to congregate at, water fountains, coffee shops, tourist trap shops, restaurants (a few serve alcohol), a used book store, flower shop and all manner of other attractions incl a hotel (Hyatt here). The cops keep the riff raff, gangs and homeless element from harassing people. Its a great place to visit and it connects to other forms of transportation (bus & LR there, bus, FailRunner & Amtrak here). It encourages people to walk and enjoy the area with the free rides along 16th St (Central). Most of the important elements are already in place here. As success comes about, the length can be expanded. By the time such is completed, PERHAPS we can look at an arena.

This is a good post. And the most important thing downtown needs is a grocery store. No, two. A really good deli and/or specialty foods place near 4th and Central, possibly in the old Wallgreen's and a good basic grocery, possibly at 6th and Central over underground parking, and perhaps with several levels of parking above.

[CornDaddy]

Until the DT area is cleaned up, and I'm not talking about Chavez's little $5,000 gum removal machine he purchased to clean the sidewalks, it'll never amount to a hill of beans. Move out the riff raff, the druggies, gangs and homeless element. THAN look at revitalizing it. You have to give people a reason to go there, and until that element is removed, most people will not.

How nice would it be to once again see an Xmas parade in DT w/o having to worry about getting mugged or your car vandalized or stolen?

[ABQNM69]

Bluntly Spoken wrote:

<quoted text>
That I know of there is one underground parking lot, not been in it but have seen it, what they do need is a couple of big parking structures and one for police and other city vehicles, they take up all the parking spots forcing others to park blocks away and walk.
The few times I have had to go DT all I see are cop cars parked in spaces that should be for us. Perhaps if the city used just one of their lots and let the cops walk so we can park closer to city hall it would be nice.
Oh well I can dream, hey wait, maybe incoming mayor Berry will do something about it.

Lets certainly hope so!!! We could rid of some of those run down dirt parking lots and turn them into something useful..

[ABQNM69]

CornDaddy wrote:

Until the DT area is cleaned up, and I'm not talking about Chavez's little $5,000 gum removal machine he purchased to clean the sidewalks, it'll never amount to a hill of beans. Move out the riff raff, the druggies, gangs and homeless element. THAN look at revitalizing it. You have to give people a reason to go there, and until that element is removed, most people will not.
How nice would it be to once again see an Xmas parade in DT w/o having to worry about getting mugged or your car vandalized or stolen?

Yeah!! It would be nice too if we could have a nice clean up afterwards Hahaha. Other parades can last up to hours and they miraculously clean it up. We let the wind aide us in the clean up from our little fifteen minute to half hour parades..:))))

[ABQNM69]

CornDaddy wrote:

<quoted text>
Last figures that were bandied about were between $400mil & $450mil for the hotel and arena on the 1st Baptist church lot (cost to buy the property wasn't included as i recall). FWIW, light rail was claimed at last discussion to be in the $28mil-$30mil per mile range. That's what Chavez wanted to spend between the Bio-Park and Snob Hill, with an additional spur along Yale to the Airport. What nobody addressed is where a maintenance facility for them would be and the costs involved with that too. Obviously tracks need to run between the main line(s) and the maint garage.
There was more chit chat only about running LR between Winrock & Coronado, which then would require another maint facility and/or an extension between Snob Hill & Louisiana, then N to Winrock. Prior to that there was more talk of running LR between the Bio-Park and San Mateo too.
LR is a grossly expensive project, and IMO way too costly for the tax base here, nor would usage be up to expectations for such expense. Note that I am NOT addressing self supporting which will never happen, and that in and of itself is OK IMO!

They just expect everyone to pull money out of their butts !!!!!!!!!

[ABQNM69]

CornDaddy wrote:

<quoted text>
Where did I say it should remain as is? All I said was a hotel and arena are not worthwhile projects, nor will they improve DT.
If you want to change it for the better IMO, add a grocery store for local residents since there is not one there, especially since housing in the area is present, both new and old! Close the portion of Central between say 1st & 10th (or longer) to regular vehicular traffic (excluding cross traffic) and attract eating and shopping venues. The basic model to follow would be the 16th Street Mall in DT Denver. They have FREE CNG buses on 16th St (Central here) and bicycle cops within that zone. The street has seats for people to congregate at, water fountains, coffee shops, tourist trap shops, restaurants (a few serve alcohol), a used book store, flower shop and all manner of other attractions incl a hotel (Hyatt here). The cops keep the riff raff, gangs and homeless element from harassing people. Its a great place to visit and it connects to other forms of transportation (bus & LR there, bus, FailRunner & Amtrak here). It encourages people to walk and enjoy the area with the free rides along 16th St (Central). Most of the important elements are already in place here. As success comes about, the length can be expanded. By the time such is completed, PERHAPS we can look at an arena.

That would be the smart thing to do... Plus, crime IMO tends to decrease as the number of people increases. Who honestly would want to commit a crime in a large crowd?