2024 Olympics plans = Large-scale ethnic cleansing (Boston, Cambridge: leasing, living, restaurants)

[495neighbor]

I have a love/hate relationship with all the new development. I see it as a plus in areas like Kendall and the far end of the Seaport district where it has brought vibrancy to these areas that were once sterile wastelands of laboratories and warehouses. Too many artists displaced from the Seaport District though. (Pox on the developers for that.)

I'm displeased that so many of our town centers are becoming everytown USA. The developers come in and promise the good townspeople a beautiful vibrant town center where small businesses thrive on Main Street USA. Then the bulldozers knock down existing buildings. New shopping areas come in, but the independent business owner can't afford the rent. Then comes more bank branches, phone stores and chain restaurants. The green spaces, café tables and benches never materialize and what the people get is a really big parking lot instead.

Too bad we can't have the Mom and Pops and ethnic stores and new trendy independent businesses side-by-side in more of our towns. Sigh!

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

I have a love/hate relationship with all the new development. I see it as a plus in areas like Kendall and the far end of the Seaport district where it has brought vibrancy to these areas that were once sterile wastelands of laboratories and warehouses. Too many artists displaced from the Seaport District though. (Pox on the developers for that.)

I'm displeased that so many of our town centers are becoming everytown USA. The developers come in and promise the good townspeople a beautiful vibrant town center where small businesses thrive on Main Street USA. Then the bulldozers knock down existing buildings. New shopping areas come in, but the independent business owner can't afford the rent. Then comes more bank branches, phone stores and chain restaurants. The green spaces, café tables and benches never materialize and what the people get is a really big parking lot instead.

Too bad we can't have the Mom and Pops and ethnic stores and new trendy independent businesses side-by-side in more of our towns. Sigh!

I like when they build new massive apartment buildings, because there is a huge housing shortage. Every little bit helps. But yeah, unfortunately, a lot of Boston does seem like it could be anywhere. The Seaport is the most sterile, unwelcoming place I've been recently. Also, places like Fenway too are starting to feel pretty much exactly the same as other neighborhoods I've been to in New York, DC, Philly, etc. Hardly discernible anymore.

[mdovell]

Boston has a great bar scene, probably the best sports scene in the country if not the world and of course a large amount of universities. But at the end of the day you can watch sports at any bar on the planet (HDTV helped alot), there's bars all over the place and if you already graduated why stick around?

We're already seeing businesses moving out of Boston due to the costs alone

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by bigfatdude

It's socio-economic cleansing, not ethnic cleansing, and unfortunately it's just a part of everyday life in any capitalist society - those with money will always get what they want.

I agree! Ethnic cleansing is what Slobodan Milosevic did in Bosnia or what the Hutus did to the Tutsi in Rwanda. If anything the 2024 Olympics will bring accelerated gentrification to Boston's last inexpensive neighborhoods. To liken this gentrification to ethnic cleansing (where some people were murdered) is rather insensitive.

[xS☺B☺s]

Geez, what's wrong w all U people? Can't you see Goyguy is just melodramatizing by using the term "ethnic cleansing"?

And why is he doing it? I pose that Q to you all. Bet most of you won't get the right answer. Here's a giveaway clue -

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by mdovell

Boston has a great bar scene, probably the best sports scene in the country if not the world and of course a large amount of universities. But at the end of the day you can watch sports at any bar on the planet (HDTV helped alot), there's bars all over the place and if you already graduated why stick around?

We're already seeing businesses moving out of Boston due to the costs alone

If you've been to one bar in this city, you've been to basically all of them.

[xS☺B☺s]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

If you've been to one bar in this city, you've been to basically all of them.

Can't say I agree. That's not even true on Landsdowne St alone. Or at least it wasn't.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by xS☺B☺s

Can't say I agree. That's not even true on Landsdowne St alone. Or at least it wasn't.

Lansdowne??? There is no difference between Cask n Flagon, Game on, Bill's Bar, Lansdowne Pub, etc. Sports bar, sports bar, sports bar, tvs tvs tvs tvs.... 90% of all Boston bars are just so similar, it's hardly worth going anywhere far from where you live, since they are more or less the same. Other cities have a much larger variety of different kinds of bars is all I'm saying. Boston's cost of renting a space prohibits people with different concepts from taking a risk, thus, the tried and true and proven way usually triumphs here. Granted, things are a bit better in Cambridge and Somerville.

[xS☺B☺s]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Lansdowne??? There is no difference between Cask n Flagon, Game on, Bill's Bar, Lansdowne Pub, etc. Sports bar, sports bar, sports bar, tvs tvs tvs tvs.... 90% of all Boston bars are just so similar, it's hardly worth going anywhere far from where you live, since they are more or less the same. Other cities have a much larger variety of different kinds of bars is all I'm saying. Boston's cost of renting a space prohibits people with different concepts from taking a risk, thus, the tried and true and proven way usually triumphs here. Granted, things are a bit better in Cambridge and Somerville.

Well I guess my reference is a bit dated. I was thinking Avalon is quite different from Axis or Bill's or Cask - at one time there was even a bar owned by Aerosmith. Then the Rat was around the corner.

But still - Green Dragon, Town Crier - pieces of history.
Southie: World of its own.
How bout Slades or Wally's - Not exactly a typical Cheers scene

But I do agree a lot of gentrification is kinda sterilizing the whole town. Believe me, it could be worse. We literally have chain bars here in Dallas. At least there is SOME originality in BOS.

[Cliff Clavin]

Originally Posted by xS☺B☺s

Well I guess my reference is a bit dated. I was thinking Avalon is quite different from Axis or Bill's or Cask - at one time there was even a bar owned by Aerosmith. Then the Rat was around the corner.

But still - Green Dragon, Town Crier - pieces of history.
Southie: World of its own.
How bout Slades or Wally's - Not exactly a typical Cheers scene

But I do agree a lot of gentrification is kinda sterilizing the whole town. Believe me, it could be worse. We literally have chain bars here in Dallas. At least there is SOME originality in BOS.

Sadly, bjimmy24 has a point. Although it could be worse.

Kenmore Sq/Lansdowne is nothing like it was 20 years ago. I used to live over there (figuratively speaking) and now I never set foot on Lansdowne. Southie hasn't faired much better. Seems like every year we loose another neighborhood watering hole. Only to be replaced by corporate owned clone.

Part of the reason I believe is liquor licenses are so expensive and so hard to come by, you need serious $ and political ties to get your hands on one.