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FunLife64 t1_iwfb775 wrote

Reply to comment by laterbacon in View of I-95 North Viaduct demolition from mall garage. by tads73

If Providence had rapid development occurring sure. We have empty buildings downtown and empty plots of land (adjacent to waterfront parks) that have been sitting for sale for years.

Spending the money to cover an interstate is not going to solve that.

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Toast119 t1_iwqkyhm wrote

Did you ever ask yourself "why?" instead of ascribing an effect as the cause?

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FunLife64 t1_iwr2860 wrote

The reason Providence hasn’t had rapid development is not because there’s an open interstate running along one side of downtown.. Most major cities have this

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Toast119 t1_iwrj61a wrote

I mean more about post-white flight and the conversion to car culture. Cities became something you drive into and not something that is livable and workable.

The area by the pedestrian bridge is already revitalized and has been built up a lot since even the pandemic! You have to make the city exciting and livable to attract people to live and work here!

The current design of the city chops half of it off creating a physical segregation boundary between different neighborhoods. The amount of parking lots downtown creates expensive living conditions and fewer green spaces. The lack of city pressure on greedy real estate companies drives up COL and creates an obvious economic barrier for people to move here. Not to mention the ugly and untenable nature of the areas surrounding 95!

None of these things individually make a city boom, but all of them are especially attractive to young adults and new businesses. All of which aid in revitalizing and making a walkable (and more importantly LIVABLE) city atmosphere.

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FunLife64 t1_iwryc52 wrote

But again, none of this is unique to Providence. There have been empty lots sitting around the pedestrian bridge area for years. That’s as pedestrian friendly area as you can get in PVD.

So yeah these things would be great but we are way past that point unfortunately! Gotta work with what exists now.

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