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It sounds like some mistakes are made along the way...we know that always happens when dealing with a city and monumental bureaucracy. But the point is they are TRYING and they will get it right...as opposed to doing nothing at all.
As for the tree guards, they are an aesthetic preference. You don't have to have one...but if you want one you will pay for it.
well, it also helps so people do not walk in the tree pit, as I would like to plant flowers and make it look pretty, as I did last year only to have them trampeled.
Unfortunetely we live in a very urban busy area and everything has to be people -proof....the tree guards would have been a great help.....
****sigh***** maybe I will plant a ground cover with thorns in them....
we like the trees and they have been many planted in the neighborhood already.
-The million trees initiative is not complete, and there is no doubt there will be dead trees...so what? We will end up with 750,000 trees instead of the ZERO had he done nothing. And that's a problem because?
-The affordable housing initiative was being criticized because it was weighted too heavily on LOWER income people...80% to be exact...where are you getting your information from? Site your source.
-As for bike lanes, there is no fiasco...just the usual complainers (like you).
-He has expanded chain stores...why shouldn't we have them exactly? In NYC, the epicenter of consumerism, we are supposed to not shop at AMERICAN retailers? Really? I want more options, not less...that's why I freaking live in NYC.
-I agree that the Mayor has little to do with crime, HOWEVER as the Mayor the blame falls on him when crime skyrockets, so he should get kudos when it drops..it's only fair.
-The homeownership program for city workers has existed probably since the 80s, however he has expanded it and it now falls under the affordable housing initiative. You can get more info at nyc.gov
-He has kept tax rates in check, however he is nickel and diming us everywhere else...tickets/fees/surcharges etc..which I am extremely unhappy with. He kept his word, but simply chose to raise revenue everywhere else.
He has cut essential services, but tell me what city hasn't in the past 3 years? What other city's are doing is even worse, they are cutting services, raising taxes AND incurring more debt...all the things that will put those cities on worse footing, not better.
Let me first start off by pointing out to you that I am here replying to your posts. You on the other hand ran away with your dick between your legs on the "racist" firefighters thread that was bumped a week or so ago. I even told you to refer to my last couple posts on it in a different thread, and the dicktucking continued.
Anyway:
-Look the tree thing is not a big deal to me. However, since we are talking about it: There are many cases of the city coming in and planting trees on people's sidewalks without any input from the homeowners. When the roots to said trees start breaking apart the sidewalks (because they are planted so poorly and hastily), the city fines these people for not taking care of them. This is the kind of **** I'm talking about. I'd dig up some articles but my phone battery is getting low and you're honestly not worth the effort. The mayor can literally care less about reaching out to people to see what they actually want. He only cares about the words on paper that stated that he planted a million trees.
-As for the housing? MOST projects you ever hear about are something to the affect of "6,500 units with 20-30% set aside for affordable housing". And again, "affordable" is laughable at best to a lot of people. Where do you get your sources from aside from The Tiffany or whatever the hell it was you were getting all hard over? You stated in that thread that anyone complaining about middle class housing needs" to shut up and come on down to the south bronx! (paraphrased)". You do realize that this city is more than the south bronx and not everyone wants to live there right? Look, if you haven't noticed by now, I am not one who feels the need to coddle to the lower SES people. I can almost safely say that I can care less. But I do have a problem when this mayor egotistically prides himself on BS.
-No bike lane fiasco huh? Talk to many store owners who get ticketed for their trucks being parked in the new lanes when making deliveries. Talk to any chauffeur in the fire dept or ambulance driver that can't make efficient turns on streets with newly separated pathways that have taken away a lane. You'd be amazed how these "complainers" are complaining about potentially not being able to save a life. And again, I ride pal. The painted lanes do nothing but give you a false sense of security. The separated lanes (at least in the city) are a detriment to emergency service. That far outweighs the 6% or whatever it is (there was a recent study) of ny'rs that use them on any given day. The Hudson river path is nice, I'll give credit where it is due. But it really does sound like you're drinking the janette sadik-badik-badadik kool-aid like a mother****er.
-As for the cancerous growth of nothing but banks, starbucks, and chain stores that have completely overtaken the entire city? That is the epitome of the suburbanization of the city. If you'll notice, to a large degree in most suburbs, you don't have much choice. Hence the term. So you feel like it gives you more choice? You've got it backwards buddy. It's getting harder and harder to find a real butcher or a real deli these days for example. They continue to drop like flies. For you to say that this makes the city a better place is incomprehensible.
-When it comes to crime: Yeah he gets the blame when things are bad you're right. I can agree that he can take some credit when it comes to words. Sure why not. However like I said, I don't buy into all the amazing stats. His admin. is doing shady crap IMHO.
-I'll look into the city worker homeowner thing later.
-Yes all cities are having to make cuts. I get that. However I'm not concerned with other cities at the moment. I'm speaking about ours. There should not be one cent cut from any emergency service budget while he continues to fund pedestrian plazas, bike lanes, art installations, bridge re-namings, ect... The man is essentially risking people's lives in order to continue this yuppie utopia that he has wet dreams about.
pedestrian-only zones? i can live without them. as for any plaza on 34th street,well i can't imagine anyone defending those. they're unnecessay in my humble opinion. .. now the times sqare one, sure, that one i can see kinda-sorta being justified (because of all the tourists)
Well along Shore road at the water near the Verazzano Bridge, there were a few oak trees that are big, but look sick. so they re did the path, new ashphalt and about 100 new trees. most of the trees are oak trees, this is the third summer, and most of the trees are dying already, and why is that?? because oak trees are not native to the land by the water. If you look across the parkway the trees there, natural and lush...but some idiot decided to plant oak trees all along the parkway, only to have them all get sick and die....The trick with the trees is to find out what is native to the land, then plant it....not just put something just to put something.
At best it's the work of an unchecked intern. At worst it's pure lack of professional attention. You should consider horticultural work, nightcrawler. Common sense a must...private landscapers or Parks Department could use you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SobroGuy
Tony the simple question is this: Would you rather Bloomberg had done nothing and left the city in a time warp circa 2000, or that he instituted these initiatives to move the city forward although not have a 100% success rate?
Either/or is not a correct assessment of my position or the points I raised. I’m not looking to be combative. We have expansion and progress presumably because of the whole city government and not because of any one group or individual within it. The tree installations (species and placement and health maintenance) are concrete discernible factors of science as to whether or not a job is being done properly. Some of it is getting screwed up and it doesn’t have to be. This is not a question of what we wind up with but how much more could be had, more properly handled.
City financing is another area where 'unpredictability' should not be easily acceptable as this is not lotto. Final costs larger than estimated for city projects (30, 40, 60% are common averages for most big items over the years) shouldn't be a constant or permanent feature of tax based financing yet they are. Municipal executives are professionals and employees with constituent obligations, not friends trying their best. Timetables and costs are a virtual science of estimates and contracts in every other profession. I expect city government to treat financed projects like a contract business using the boss’s money, though I know what a stellar long shot that can be. Maybe this needs a little more attention from you, me and others together.
When any random commercial trips through Times Square and Herald Square are continually 10 to 15 minutes longer than prior to the changes, that's enough "source" for me, my colleagues and others I’ve discussed this with. Again, agents directing traffic have increased in each of these areas and then some around town, hardly a sign that vehicles are diminishing in numbers, or that route changes have been well worked out for efficiency. These specific mall areas (TS, HS) are also not a year round affair for use, in fact just about all are not. I’ve never seen them more than a fraction occupied (if at all) in the cold winter months.
Madison Square is a well thought out change and so are Tribeca and Canal, where they simply enhanced or put to use what was there to begin with. There is no noticeable congestion or major alterations created as a result, regardless of full or empty capacity, thus a ‘bigger bang’ for the buck. Considering these particular spaces one could actually see this would be the result going in.
The High Line is also a brilliant piece of urban planning that adds to the city and doesn’t alter or diminish a thing about pedestrian or vehicular dynamics anywhere in its locations. (Perhaps unfair since it’s not street level like the others, but nonetheless) Developing parks and piers are far more sensible projects with a higher guarantee of return than some malls.
Quite honestly, firehouses and hospital facilities are a bit more important too, I believe. That bit about “we all have to sacrifice” is somewhat disingenuous in the face of essential priorities versus leisure amenities in a bad economy. Since we can’t have everything (especially now) let’s opt for the more sensible things here and reallocate limited funds away from seasonal leisure use in the middle of otherwise usable space. It’s not like folks will die without more mall areas.
I don’t think I’ve posed anything unreasonable here, just a slightly more thought out approach to what needs doing and how best to do it. In this case a commercial and civic environment built to a standard more considerate of the natural complexities of it. Isn't that what we hire and pay these guys for? You took umbrage to my previous post SobroGuy, it was not a direct personal attack, simply an offer to consider some essential details. I hope this post clarifies my thoughts.
Available be careful, that language will get your account suspended or possibly banned. Don't take this so seriously. As for your specific comments:
-We will just agree to disagree about the trees.
-The housing you are referring to is not affordable housing, it is market rate housing (private developers) with some affordable units which the city requires if you want certain tax breaks. As opposed to the affordable housing initiative which has all, or almost all units affordable.
-As for the business getting annoyed, a reasonable person should understand that if you block a bike lane and/or a traffic lane, you will get ticketed. So you have to work around it and figure it out..the end. I don't believe for a second that ambulances now take longer to arrive on the scene..that is a usual straw man argument for everything. You may also believe it gives a false sense of security..but so do sidewalks and crosswalks, yet we have those and we are glad to have them. The bike lanes are no different.
-The chain stores is a matter of opinion, and I don't believe there is anything inherently evil about having a Best Buy in NYC, especially since Kmart, Sears, JC Penny, etc have been here for decades and the world didn't end. I prefer more choices, and the idea that American companies, because they are successful chain stores, should be banned/restricted from NYC is the most UNAMERICAN thing I have ever heard. While we are at it, let's ban AMERICANS from NYC too!
-As for his budget, there are no sacred cows, and the idea that firefighters and police should get a free pass and never cut/adjusted or their costs reigned in is ridiculous. They don't have free reign to do and spend as they please, nor are they exempt from the near collapse of our economy. The union will always allege the end of the world should you cut a nickel, but the fact is they care not for the residents, just to fatten their wallets. Life ain't fair, trust me I know...but the idea that we have to spare the LI and Westchester residents who have hijacked our Firedept from a nickel in cuts is preposterous. Maybe if they were city residents I would care more...but they aren't and care never to be.
It’s not like folks will die without more mall areas.
Nor will they die if half the 13,000 cabs disappear, or all of them. Nor will they die if Fifth Avenue is converted from Washington Square to Central Park for biking, walking and sitting...NO CARS OR TRUCKS!
Quote:
The High Line is also a brilliant piece of urban planning that adds to the city and doesn’t alter or diminish a thing about pedestrian or vehicular dynamics anywhere in its locations.
If pedestrian and vehicular dynamics remained forever unaltered we'd still be in a city where transportaion was by horse and carriage. Vehicular dynamics MUST constantly change. New York did fine for the first couple centuries of its dynamic life without a SINGLE gasoline powered vehicle.
Because every inch of the City is choked with traffic that is no reason to assume the condition was god-ordained and sacredly unchangeable. There is nothing sacred about the status quo.
People watching is much more fun at the pedestrian malls then most parks; more people. Its enjoyable to relax in a busy area all around you. Bloomberg is great for the city
You can also put a plastic tree guard and see if that helps..maybe people will be more cognizant.
while a good idea for a quiet neighborhood ours is busy and plastic with the teens around here would last all but 2 days, we need stone, bricks and cast freaking iron... LOL
Nor will they die if half the 13,000 cabs disappear, or all of them. Nor will they die if Fifth Avenue is converted from Washington Square to Central Park for biking, walking and sitting...NO CARS OR TRUCKS!
I'm assuming you include emergency services in this opinion. I made mention of them as to their importance in connection with the idea that absolutely everything seems to be fair game without the apparent need of individual consideration. I don't think analogies apply to the specific things I stated. Leisure space, pedestrians and bike lanes are all given as positive, I mean come on. Commercial vehicles (cars and trucks) happen to serve a very important and indisputable function in the city's commercial trade and economy. Seriously, I can't believe that's debatable or actually needs qualifying.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kefir King
If pedestrian and vehicular dynamics remained forever unaltered we'd still be in a city where transportaion was by horse and carriage. Vehicular dynamics MUST constantly change. New York did fine for the first couple centuries of its dynamic life without a SINGLE gasoline powered vehicle.
I made it a point to raise the idea of actually thinking about the details that determine net benefits for considered areas. There are real distinctions to be drawn between some aspects and others. Not every street or intersection is exactly the same as every other. Urban planning has never been about one size fits all for every aspect. There have been some advocates of this kind of thinking throughout the city's history. Thankfully theirs is not the city we live in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kefir King
Because every inch of the City is choked with traffic that is no reason to assume the condition was god-ordained and sacredly unchangeable. There is nothing sacred about the status quo.
Nowhere in my expressed ideas have I advocated or intimated 'no change ever,' nor that yours, mine, or anyone's God ordained it. There are differences between areas in any urban or other environment. Some work fairly smoothly on a regular basis. Others have changed in negative ways. All of them require thought and planning. (Including the ones I specifically sited) Again, this is not about either/or for the entire island or city. Debate is fine, but broad swipes and indirect analogies define nothing. I was careful not to draw conclusions or state opinions based on any generalized "status quo." I speak for myself. I sited what I have observed with examples of support.
When municipal decisions are poorly made (wrong trees in the wrong environment, economic decisions that completely disregard the differences between essential services and leisure amenities) these are not a question of 'let's see what happens.' One either knows what they're doing or not. Parks Department has failed in many areas of installing the million trees initiative. These are not mistakes, 'unexpected' results or any other unforeseen issues. Badly executed work is badly executed work. I also sited several positives which have conveniently been kept out of your estimation of my statements. Some folks just wanna see good in all of it, others just wanna see bad everywhere. Neither of these views even remotely approach the issues being discussed here. This isn't personal, Kefir King. My observations are not without merit or unreasonable.
Last edited by Tony Of New York; 05-17-2011 at 08:55 PM..
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