Anybody here hate the mills as much as me? (Pittsburgh: lofts, condos)

[Stagger Lee]

I know it is the latest craze in the Pittsburgh Metro since it opened. However, I despise it. I boycott buying anything from this urban sprawled catastrophe. It speaks nothing of smart growth, or good urban design. It is basically a plan to wipe out 100 acres of forest land to put big box sh%t up and acres and acres of parking lots for the suburbinites to me. I moved back not long ago and am surprised how much my brother and parents love the mills. I keep telling them how much I hate it, and won't go there. They just don't get it. I traveled to Cheswick and see there is a lot of stores closing down because of it. This was suppose to help these areas. I knew it would do the exact opposite. It supports the bland sprawl, and doesn't help anything with the core river towns in this area. The Cheswick theater is about to close down now. It is a nice old theater that is much more classic then a big urban sprawl mega theater. I came back and worked for a firm that designs crap like this. I am putting my pride where it belongs and turning in my two weeks notice. I won't be a part of this crap. I am excepting a job with a firm that does real urban design.

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by Stagger Lee

I know it is the latest craze in the Pittsburgh Metro since it opened. However, I despise it. I boycott buying anything from this urban sprawled catastrophe. It speaks nothing of smart growth, or good urban design. It is basically a plan to wipe out 100 acres of forest land to put big box sh%t up and acres and acres of parking lots for the suburbinites to me. I moved back not long ago and am surprised how much my brother and parents love the mills. I keep telling them how much I hate it, and won't go there. They just don't get it. I traveled to Cheswick and see there is a lot of stores closing down because of it. This was suppose to help these areas. I knew it would do the exact opposite. It supports the bland sprawl, and doesn't help anything with the core river towns in this area. The Cheswick theater is about to close down now. It is a nice old theater that is much more classic then a big urban sprawl mega theater. I came back and worked for a firm that designs crap like this. I am putting my pride where it belongs and turning in my two weeks notice. I won't be a part of this crap. I am excepting a job with a firm that does real urban design.

First of all, I don't hate it, I enjoy going out there.

Second of all, I get tired of hearing people whinning about smaller stores closing down. They close down only because people stop supporting them. If people are so distraught over this, then don't stop supporting these storers.

[Stagger Lee]

No, they close down because our urban planners and designers support bad urban plans and design. If you go out to Portland or San fran do you think these areas are closed down. No, because people out there don't support bad urban planning. I understand the average person going to the mills for cheaper items, better parking, etc. However, it is the planners that are going to make more old towns decay, more people drive, a less town feel, etc.

[guylocke]

I like the Mills, too. The Galleria at the Mills isn't that great, but I love having Best Buy and all the restaurants there. My parents home in Lower Burrell is not even 10 minutes from there.

I'm sure it'll be like Robinson someday.

Although, that Sonics is really pathetic... it is so tiny, more like a gas station. I am used to LARGE Sonics in Florida. Guess they only had so much room.

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by Stagger Lee

No, they close down because our urban planners and designers support bad urban plans and design. If you go out to Portland or San fran do you think these areas are closed down. No, because people out there don't support bad urban planning. I understand the average person going to the mills for cheaper items, better parking, etc. However, it is the planners that are going to make more old towns decay, more people drive, a less town feel, etc.

I get tired of people like you; if people continued to support their local stores and not the big box stores they woudln't exist.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by Stagger Lee

I know it is the latest craze in the Pittsburgh Metro since it opened. However, I despise it. I boycott buying anything from this urban sprawled catastrophe. It speaks nothing of smart growth, or good urban design. It is basically a plan to wipe out 100 acres of forest land to put big box sh%t up and acres and acres of parking lots for the suburbinites to me. I moved back not long ago and am surprised how much my brother and parents love the mills. I keep telling them how much I hate it, and won't go there. They just don't get it. I traveled to Cheswick and see there is a lot of stores closing down because of it. This was suppose to help these areas. I knew it would do the exact opposite. It supports the bland sprawl, and doesn't help anything with the core river towns in this area. The Cheswick theater is about to close down now. It is a nice old theater that is much more classic then a big urban sprawl mega theater. I came back and worked for a firm that designs crap like this. I am putting my pride where it belongs and turning in my two weeks notice. I won't be a part of this crap. I am excepting a job with a firm that does real urban design.

The problem is the masses have spoken.

And this is what they want.

I do support smaller stores as much as possible. The money I give to Home Depot doesn't stay local, the money I give to Susan at my local hardware store does. So to me it's worth a dollar or two more to keep it local. But most people don't think that way, and small business has to find away to smash that mind set. Either they have to beat the price, or beat the convenience, or more likely -- be the place to go for the odd things.

Back to Home Depot. We learned quickly, if your house is old like ours -- Home Depot isn't much a help. Standards change -- like our 60 year old toilet -- all the fittings were much bigger. Not standard anymore. Depot doesn't carry that. The idea of Depot is to keep prices down by doing volume business to get their stuff cheap.

So I got well acquainted with my local hardware store.

When we bought a new toilet -- we went to Depot. Susan doesn't sell toilets.

But if Home Depot drives out all the local hardware stores(which is happening even here) the next time you need a new ballcock, float and flapper assembly which runs about 15 bucks tops, you'll end up buying a new toilet that'll run you over 100 bucks -- IF you can put it in yourself -- because your toilet is too old and they don't sell that stuff for older toilets.

This is part and parcel of people not knowing how to do anything anymore. How many people here would know or even learn how to fix a toilet? And toilets are EASY.

[claremarie]

Smart growth and good urban design are great for some people -- those who can afford to live in trendy lofts or condos, for example, and who have the time and disposable income to pop in and out of the trendy boutiques that tend to sprout up in such areas.
But families who are pressed for time or cash, or both, are going to continue shopping at Target, and Costco, and Wal-mart, and Best Buy, because these stores and their acres of ugly parking happen to meet very real needs. If you don't like it, then design a small urban grocery store with ample and convenient parking, a wide selection of items that meet the everyday needs of real people, and competitive prices. If you build it, they will come, but until then, they're going to Wal-mart.

[Geeo]

Went to "the mills" once, and never again. That place is gross. Lots of ugly cinder block buildings, fake architecture, crappy restaurants with bad pre-made food that you can find in all the suburbs, and people that circle around looking for the absolute closest space to park because they can't walk more than fifty feet at a time. Yes, it's true that when one of these disasters opens, it kills the small independent stores because the masses like to go to places where there's free parking, and they love the allure of loading up their carts with gallon vats of pickle chips at blister packs of Doritos at Costco.

[gameguy56]

Originally Posted by Geeo

Went to "the mills" once, and never again. That place is gross. Lots of ugly cinder block buildings, fake architecture, crappy restaurants with bad pre-made food that you can find in all the suburbs, and people that circle around looking for the absolute closest space to park because they can't walk more than fifty feet at a time. Yes, it's true that when one of these disasters opens, it kills the small independent stores because the masses like to go to places where there's free parking, and they love the allure of loading up their carts with gallon vats of pickle chips at blister packs of Doritos at Costco.

Pittsburgh Mills is pretty far away from the city. Most people who'd drive to a Sam's Club/Walmart will go there, but I think people who currently shop in Sq Hill or Shadyside and other local stores in the city probably won't bother.

[guylocke]

Pittsburgh Mills is pretty far away from the city. Most people who'd drive to a Sam's Club/Walmart will go there, but I think people who currently shop in Sq Hill or Shadyside and other local stores in the city probably won't bother.

That's true. It's not like Fraser Township was swimming with mom and pop stores to put of business. It is all farm land.