Bartlett Square Fountain

[lowdbrent]

I have a sincere question.  Who cares?

I have never understood why people are expected to come back downtown?  What possibly could you do there, that cannot be done in a nicer, healthier, safer place?  Nothing.  Let DT be the business district and the burbs be where we live after 5pm.

Maybe someone has some insight into this.

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by lowdbrent

I have a sincere question.  Who cares?

I have never understood why people are expected to come back downtown?  What possibly could you do there, that cannot be done in a nicer, healthier, safer place?  Nothing.  Let DT be the business district and the burbs be where we live after 5pm.

Maybe someone has some insight into this.

If you don't like a city environment and prefer a suburban one... nobody would expect you to "come back downtown".

But there are a lot of people who like living in an urban environment.  Especially a lot of the young "creative class" types who now leave Tulsa, and the suburbs, to get that city/urban lifestyle they want, but in other cities.  So why not make Tulsa's downtown and mid-town more liveable and diverse so that those people and businesses will choose to move to Tulsa or stay in Tulsa and not move to other cities that do have great urban environments. A thriving downtown will create more jobs. Downtown has been slowly dying and its not just people that have been moving away, but jobs as well aka the 26%vacancy rate. Jobs can just as easily be in the suburbs, or other more liveable cities, as well as Tulsa's downtown. Tulsa can't keep losing people and jobs and the suburbs will fall flat on their faces if Tulsa's core and image goes to ruin.

Not to mention why waste time, fuel, money for roads and just the hassle of a commute everyday? A lot of people don't like doing that and would like to live, work, play, shop in the same area. (don't forget environmental concerns of ever expanding suburbs, pollution from commuting, cost of expanding infrastructure and services)

If you like the suburbs, have at it and make them the best suburbs you can.  But those of us who like living in walkable urban districts will try to make Tulsa's core into the best,  competitive, walkable, urban district we can.  

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by patric

quote:Originally posted by MichaelC

Make it to where it explodes on contact.

Feeling a little bloody today, arent we?
Maybe not a deterrent, but at least no repeat offenders:



Light fixture kills motorist
http://www.starnews.com/article.php?lightpm0103.html
The Indianapolis Star

A 24-year-old woman died this morning when her car struck a light pole and the lamp crashed through the sunroof striking her, Marion County sheriff's deputies said.

The victim, Shawna Perry, 8100 block of Ehlerbrook Road, was the only occupant in the car.

Her car left the roadway in the 7800 block of Shelbyville Road on the Southeastside. The car struck a light pole marking a neighborhood entrance.

The decorative, cast iron fixture and glass globe, fell through the car's sunroof and struck Perry in the head, said Sgt. Jan Kistler. Perry, a waitress, died at the scene.

sweet, that sounds like something out of Final Destination 2

[patric]

It survived Saint Paddy's OK...


Tulsa fountain to receive a makeover
http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=b5d218c5-8010-4e15-8f6a-6e51176fd369
         
City officials say that they hope that after the makeover, the Bartlett Square fountain will be more aesthetically pleasing -- and less vulnerable -- to passing motorists.

[sgrizzle]

Well maybe it will be more reliable too.

I think a well-lighted moving fountain will be a lot better than the glorified birdbath we had.

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

Well maybe it will be more reliable too.

I think a well-lighted moving fountain will be a lot better than the glorified birdbath we had.

where will the bums take a bath now?  look out, DT is fixing to get more stinky!

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

I think a well-lighted moving fountain will be a lot better than the glorified birdbath we had.

Rather than the "great, big floodlight" the Whirled jokingly opined, some underwater lighting would add sparkle and emphasis to the planned waterworks if it were done in moderation.  The important thing is that they wouldnt be putting something bright in a driver's field of vision that defeats the purpose of the illumination.

Glad they are also talking about using reflectors.  "Passive Illumination" like retro-reflective markings, RPM's or "cat's eyes" come into play when someone's headlights are bearing down on the target, but otherwise can be made to blend in.

[booWorld]

My theory:

The two women from Owasso might have been a bit tipsy, but perhaps they weren't expecting a fountain in the middle of the intersection of 5th and Main.  Perhaps they were expecting a fountain on the southwest corner of that intersection, as was heavily promoted by DTU with drawings on "Pardon Our Progress" construction signs and banners for months and months and months and months and months and months.

And perhaps the third driver wasn't drunk at all.  Perhaps it was Lawrence Halprin.  Perhaps he was stone cold sober, and perhaps he deliberately smashed into the fountain.  Perhaps he sprinkled alcohol all over the upholstery of the car he abandoned in an effort to complicate the investigation and to confuse the issue.

But the issue is incredibly simple, really.  We had a fountain in the middle of that intersection for about 30 years.  In the 1970s, taxpayers were told that it was a great idea.  Then taxpayers were told that a fountain in the middle of that intersection was an awful idea and that it had to be removed!  Then taxpayers footed the bill to do what?  They paid to build another fountain right in the smack dab middle of the very same intersection, but with vehicular traffic roaring toward it from four directions this time!

It's about awful urban design.

It's about bait and switch.

It's about wasting precious tax dollars.

It's about circular (il)logic.

It's about false pride and smashed dreams.

It's about expensive street clutter destined for drunken destruction.

[RecycleMichael]

Hey boo world...long time no hear...welcome back.

I totally agree with your bait and switch comments. We were told something way different.

[sgrizzle]

Nice to see you booworld.

I don't like the oscillation on what the main mail should be either. However, if you build a pedestrian infrastructure and do nothing about having pedestrian facilities as well, what did they expect?

Where are the chains shutting off the main mall at lunch time?
Why are the "short term parking spots" on 2 hour meters?
If there are cars, why are their no crosswalks or even a "danger, pedestrians" sign?
Who has right of way?

The only things I do like is that it got rid of the old broken-down bricks, the homeless/skateboarder island, and they didn't put the obelisk in the middle of the road.

[TheArtist]

quote:Originally posted by booWorld

My theory:

The two women from Owasso might have been a bit tipsy, but perhaps they weren't expecting a fountain in the middle of the intersection of 5th and Main.  Perhaps they were expecting a fountain on the southwest corner of that intersection, as was heavily promoted by DTU with drawings on "Pardon Our Progress" construction signs and banners for months and months and months and months and months and months.

And perhaps the third driver wasn't drunk at all.  Perhaps it was Lawrence Halprin.  Perhaps he was stone cold sober, and perhaps he deliberately smashed into the fountain.  Perhaps he sprinkled alcohol all over the upholstery of the car he abandoned in an effort to complicate the investigation and to confuse the issue.

But the issue is incredibly simple, really.  We had a fountain in the middle of that intersection for about 30 years.  In the 1970s, taxpayers were told that it was a great idea.  Then taxpayers were told that a fountain in the middle of that intersection was an awful idea and that it had to be removed!  Then taxpayers footed the bill to do what?  They paid to build another fountain right in the smack dab middle of the very same intersection, but with vehicular traffic roaring toward it from four directions this time!

It's about awful urban design.

It's about bait and switch.

It's about wasting precious tax dollars.

It's about circular (il)logic.

It's about false pride and smashed dreams.

It's about expensive street clutter destined for drunken destruction.

I think they were "tipsy" too tipsy to realize there was a fountain in the middle of the intersection.  And thats that.

Its not as though we are the first city in the world to  put a fountain in the middle of a main street intersection or roundabout.

I think we are lucky that they only ran into the fountain and not another car, a motorcycle, or a child. Perhaps we are lucky downtown isn't very busy at those times because they could have killed someone.  If your not able to notice a fountain, expected or not, your not likely to notice a child darting into your path and a lot of other things for that matter.

[si_uk_lon_ok]

quote:Originally posted by booWorld

My theory:

The two women from Owasso might have been a bit tipsy, but perhaps they weren't expecting a fountain in the middle of the intersection of 5th and Main.  Perhaps they were expecting a fountain on the southwest corner of that intersection, as was heavily promoted by DTU with drawings on "Pardon Our Progress" construction signs and banners for months and months and months and months and months and months.

And perhaps the third driver wasn't drunk at all.  Perhaps it was Lawrence Halprin.  Perhaps he was stone cold sober, and perhaps he deliberately smashed into the fountain.  Perhaps he sprinkled alcohol all over the upholstery of the car he abandoned in an effort to complicate the investigation and to confuse the issue.

But the issue is incredibly simple, really.  We had a fountain in the middle of that intersection for about 30 years.  In the 1970s, taxpayers were told that it was a great idea.  Then taxpayers were told that a fountain in the middle of that intersection was an awful idea and that it had to be removed!  Then taxpayers footed the bill to do what?  They paid to build another fountain right in the smack dab middle of the very same intersection, but with vehicular traffic roaring toward it from four directions this time!

It's about awful urban design.

It's about bait and switch.

It's about wasting precious tax dollars.

It's about circular (il)logic.

It's about false pride and smashed dreams.

It's about expensive street clutter destined for drunken destruction.

booWorld, great to see you back!!  Has the Dick Cheney barricade subsided yet?

I think its sad that Tulsa hasn't taken me up on my suggestion of replacing the fountain with a Las Vegas style volcano erupting on the hour.  A one strike and you're out rule for drunk drivers.  Tough love.  I'm sure you'll understand.  Rumor has is you like it that way.  

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by si_uk_lon_ok


booWorld, great to see you back!!  Has the Dick Cheney barricade subsided yet?

I think its sad that Tulsa hasn't taken me up on my suggestion of replacing the fountain with a Las Vegas style volcano erupting on the hour.  A one strike and you're out rule for drunk drivers.  Tough love.  I'm sure you'll understand.  Rumor has is you like it that way.  

The geyser fountain at centennial green is supposed to do something like that.

[TheArtist]

OMG a geyser fountain.  Can you imagine that going off when one of those drunk Owasso girls drives by?  That may startle them, no telling what they will run over then. []

[PonderInc]

Has anyone noticed that the Bartlett Square Fountain has lost it's oomph?  It's starting to resemble a Portland "Bubbler" drinking fountain!