Philtower Happy Hour?

[carltonplace]

I remember a few years back when I would go around downtown and take photos that you could walk around the 5th street and Boston Ave area in the evenings and it would be so quiet that if a cricket were to chirp, the sudden noise echoing off those canyon walls would likely startle you.  Most evenings you would not find a single person on the streets, nor even a single car parked along Boston Ave.  Now, even in the evenings your very lucky if you can find an empty parking spot there. My usual spot to park is the next street over on Cincinnati, but I have noticed lately, that even those are filling up more often.  Can't wait for the day when I will have to walk 5 or 6 blocks to get to the museum.  

Yep, that is a good sign. I hope more bike racks go up on Boston...its even hard to find a space for your bike in the rack outside of Elote.

[cannon_fodder]

Teatown, you need to get out more.  I work and play downtown.  While there are periods of void, generally there is always something going on.  Elote + mods + merriot = boston nearly always has life.  Add the pop up shops and you will circle looking for parking.  It isn't times square, but it is something different than it waqs 5 years ago.

[TheArtist]

Or a parking structure underneath your 12 story museum?

No way.  I need people walking past our building just like many others need that as well.  I don't want a downtown where people drive to some parking garage, get out and go to one place right near by, the get back into the car and drive out.   I want them to walk past a few restaurants and shops, or my museum.  You will never create a competitive pedestrian friendly/transit friendly core if every trip is by car to one place only.  Your costs for infrastructure will be higher than they need to be.  You won't be able to create a true urban environment for those who want it and you will end up alienating the urbanites (or at least not being able to compete with cities that do have superb pedestrian/transit friendly areas), while at the same time alienating the suburbanites (who aren't going to be really happy downtown anyway and the suburbs will out compete us for that demographic).   

Interesting side note.  We all have heard about how some suburbanites complain about how "scary" and nasty downtown is and how the parking is bad... was talking to some the other day about new parking garages going in and they, get this, here it comes folks,,,, think parking garages can be scary and nasty lol.  Some people are not going to like downtown or "urbanity" no matter how much money, time and effort you spend to accommodate their complaints.   Tulsa has plenty of suburb to offer those people.  Lets work on making our core top notch for those who want really good urban; living, working, shopping, and entertainment venues.         

[Red Arrow]

... suburbanites (who aren't going to be really happy downtown anyway and the suburbs will out compete us for that demographic).   

As much as I detest Woodland Hills area traffic, you are right about competing for suburban traffic in one regard.  I won't come downtown to a Sears, JC Penny, etc.  I will come downtown for something that is specialized enough that every shopping mall cannot support one but a downtown business area could.  That's assuming I want the product to begin with.  Even then, I would probably be a one stop shopper even though I had to walk several blocks to parking.  I am generally not an on the spot trinket buyer.  I may look but seldom buy.  Never however, is a long time.

[TheArtist]

As much as I detest Woodland Hills area traffic, you are right about competing for suburban traffic in one regard.  I won't come downtown to a Sears, JC Penny, etc.  I will come downtown for something that is specialized enough that every shopping mall cannot support one but a downtown business area could.  That's assuming I want the product to begin with.  Even then, I would probably be a one stop shopper even though I had to walk several blocks to parking.  I am generally not an on the spot trinket buyer.  I may look but seldom buy.  Never however, is a long time.

Yea but your talking to the guy that can't wait to take off several days of work, pay hundreds of dollars to fly to NYC, spend days doing nothing but walking for miles and miles enjoying the "ambiance" to clothes shop, eat out, and see the sights.      

If our downtown were bursting with busy sidewalks full of people, unique stores with everything from high priced items to super cheap items, dozens and dozens of great restaurants and cafes, multiple museums and entertainment venues, fantastic architecture, great parks and squares alive with free entertainment, festivals and events going on all the time, historic sights (that are open), great clubs and nightlife, theaters, sports venues, etc. etc. etc.  that ran for block after block after block,,,, I bet a LOT more people will go downtown.  People will be making up and finding any excuse they can just so they can be downtown in the mix of it all.   

And Tulsa could pull it off.

[TheTed]

Haven't made it in yet, but from the photos it looks like they have one tap (atlas from marshall?).

I guess I can't really blame them, as Tulsa and Oklahoma are still well behind the craft beer renaissance curve.

But you wouldn't see a new downtown bar with one tap opening up in any halfway decent beer city. It's tiring to read about new bars with 30 taps (all local) opening up in downtown St. Louis. But we get bars with one tap.

[TheArtist]

Haven't made it in yet, but from the photos it looks like they have one tap (atlas from marshall?).

I guess I can't really blame them, as Tulsa and Oklahoma are still well behind the craft beer renaissance curve.

But you wouldn't see a new downtown bar with one tap opening up in any halfway decent beer city. It's tiring to read about new bars with 30 taps (all local) opening up in downtown St. Louis. But we get bars with one tap.

I thought this was supposed to be an entrepreneurial city. 

Need/good idea=opportunity to make money...   not "reason to complain". 

Why are you giving away the secret of your next successful business venture?   


Seems like every time I have an idea and blab about it on here, its not long before someone else actually starts working on it.  I have several new ideas I am working on, and this time am keeping my mouth shut lol.

[Townsend]

No way.  I need people walking past our building just like many others need that as well.  I don't want a downtown where people drive to some parking garage, get out and go to one place right near by, the get back into the car and drive out.   I want them to walk past a few restaurants and shops, or my museum.  You will never create a competitive pedestrian friendly/transit friendly core if every trip is by car to one place only. 

Guess I should've pointed out it was underground since I was making it up anyway.  Maybe we'll be tethering hovercars by then.

[DTowner]

I had to go back to my office last night and drove by this place at 9:30.  There were 5 or 6 folks sitting at the bar that I could see.  Not bad for a cold rainy Monday night the week before Chrismas when it's been open only a few days.

Also, a walk up this stretch of Boston is dramatically changed by the pop up stores and new establishments.  Signs and lights in windows are a huge improvement over dark lobbies to office buildings. 

[Townsend]

I had to go back to my office last night and drove by this place at 9:30.  There were 5 or 6 folks sitting at the bar that I could see.  Not bad for a cold rainy Monday night the week before Chrismas when it's been open only a few days.

Also, a walk up this stretch of Boston is dramatically changed by the pop up stores and new establishments.  Signs and lights in windows are a huge improvement over dark lobbies to office buildings. 

On an Elote HH night I was walking East on 5th about to hit Main when a group of women dressed in workout gear startled me coming around the corner of the Mayo building.  It is very cool to see people walking around at night.  The Y seems to be helping.

[Conan71]

On an Elote HH night I was walking East on 5th about to hit Main when a group of women dressed in workout gear startled me coming around the corner of the Mayo building.  It is very cool to see people walking around at night.  The Y seems to be helping.

I love to eat at the Y.  Oh wait, did I....

[dbacks fan]

I love to eat at the Y.  Oh wait, did I....

Yes, yes you did.

[hello]

Tried Delk's today. Great space, if it was crowded I bet it would be a great atmosphere.

I fully realize that it just opened and there will be kinks however----went for lunch today, hardly any one in the space and it took FOREVER to get drinks. Like, 20 minutes for one drink. The servers were too busy wandering around doing I'm not sure what but they weren't too worried about serving the few customers they had. 

Food was just ok. I was surprised that we got it so soon after ordering (after the whole drink situation) but I guess they don't actually cook onsite? They get stuff sent over from Local Table and just assemble it there? I'm pretty sure that's what the bartender said as he was busy standing around talking to his coworkers and not making drinks. Anyways, I hope they get better service but I will only be going there for a drink to soak in the atmosphere and only if I have time to spare.