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I think a point here needs some correction. The median home price is currently $143,200. However, this figure is quite misleading since you'd have a hard time finding a house worth buying in a decent area under 300. You'd also be very hard pressed to buy a condo that's at least 1000 sq ft under 200k downtown.
Interesting kudos. Downtown seems to get tons of good press from afar. That should suggest to the naysayers here they take a closer look at what is under their noses. The potential of Downtown as place to live is enormous. However, as sited by Holly, its is expensive, and getting more so. Waterplace is almost sold out with condo fees alone running from $600 per month up. That indicates there is tremendous demand by people - with money - who could live almost anywhere else in RI, but choose Downtown. It's certainly the current fashion.
I think a point here needs some correction. The median home price is currently $143,200. However, this figure is quite misleading since you'd have a hard time finding a house worth buying in a decent area under 300. You'd also be very hard pressed to buy a condo that's at least 1000 sq ft under 200k downtown.
I guess the East side is the only decent area then. Throughout the rest of Providence, the majority of houses are WELL under 299k. In fact, it would probably be harder to find houses for sale above 300k. Even Elmhurst only has a few. I suspect the only reason $143 is listed as the median is because they rolled in the East Side into their figure, which the MLS doesn't do - in 2012, the median in the rest of Providence was to 90k (per RI Housing).
I think there have been movements to improve parts of the city worth improving like Broadway, Federal Hill,
and areas around Edgewood proper but it's been really slow. Even Mt Hope on the east side has not improved as fast as many thought back in the 80s. You'd think these small sections would have come up by now, but the pace of change can be very slow here, which is sometimes good but often bad! True that downtown has been the major focus lately. We have a whole waterfront that should be reclaimed- looks like the only movement on that will be Kettle Pt in EP slated to start late 2014.
Interesting kudos. Downtown seems to get tons of good press from afar. That should suggest to the naysayers here they take a closer look at what is under their noses. The potential of Downtown as place to live is enormous. However, as sited by Holly, its is expensive, and getting more so. Waterplace is almost sold out with condo fees alone running from $600 per month up. That indicates there is tremendous demand by people - with money - who could live almost anywhere else in RI, but choose Downtown. It's certainly the current fashion.
The ultimate manifestation of the viability of downtown as a booming place to live is the investment in new residential construction in the heart of downtown.
I beg to differ -- I don't consider the new construction at Waterplace as being truly downtown. It is barricaded from the city proper by major arterials and a river, and is wedged next to the Amtrak station, the PP mall and the State House. There is no retail commerce there, the only commercial enterprise is a dry cleaner. And Ruth Chris. It doesn't share the fabric to true downtown.
And I suspect one reason for its popularity is it has underground parking, something most grand buildings downtown do not have.
Assuming that what you mean by true downtown is closer to the Arcade, many of the upper floors of those buildings are residential living spaces already. The PPS has good tours of these periodically. Like the article said over 4000 people live downtown and I presume by now it's more than that.
I am not in favor of tearing down any historic buildings in favor of new residential construction if that's what you are suggesting. The existing buildings are the fabric of this historic city.
The jewelery district is also downtown and is well occupied.
Waterplace park is certainly downtown as far as the vast majority are concerned.
Assuming that what you mean by true downtown is closer to the Arcade, many of the upper floors of those buildings are residential living spaces already. The PPS has good tours of these periodically. Like the article said over 4000 people live downtown and I presume by now it's more than that.
I am not in favor of tearing down any historic buildings in favor of new residential construction if that's what you are suggesting. The existing buildings are the fabric of this historic city.
The jewelery district is also downtown and is well occupied.
Waterplace park is certainly downtown as far as the vast majority are concerned.
No, don't touch a single building! There are plenty of parking lots begging for a building, so certainly there'd be no need to tear down anything.
I don't consider Waterplace as being downtown because there is no social vibrancy, or even people on the street. It is an island community. But, that all depends on how one defines the function of a downtown area.
Plenty of parking lots?? Would love to know exactly where the unneeded parking lots are!
Looking from the sky, it seems half of downtown is open air parking.
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