Parklets

[JH1234]

I'm relatively new to the neighborhood. Has there ever been any effort to get one of these parklets for Brewerytown's slice of Girard Avenue? Seems like the space in front of Mugshots and Rita's would be about as perfect as any location could be.

It'd certainly help people view Girard as a valuable community asset rather than a place to throw trash and generally ignore.

Parklet in Logan: Logan CDC launches the first parklet outside of University City District

[McAdams]

I'm relatively new to the neighborhood. Has there ever been any effort to get one of these parklets for Brewerytown's slice of Girard Avenue? Seems like the space in front of Mugshots and Rita's would be about as perfect as any location could be.

It'd certainly help people view Girard as a valuable community asset rather than a place to throw trash and generally ignore.

Parklet in Logan: Logan CDC launches the first parklet outside of University City District

It's a very interesting concept, but if it works by displacing parking spaces I'm not sure it would work on Girard Avenue. On street parking spaces, especially on weekends and when there are acitivies on the Parkway, at North Star Bar or here in Brewerytown, are at a premium, and to remove multiple parking spaces, in order to create a pedestrian space, may actually hurt the businesses, not help. Keep in mind, Mugshots has a very nice, outdoor space in the back, and both Mugshots and Rita's can and do take advantage of the extra wide sidewalks we have in Brewerytown.

That being said, I would be very interested in seeing an artist's rendering of what might work here in Brewerytown.

[gideon]

I have a hard time understanding this concept. We have park land within short walking distance and many, many vacant lots something like this could be used for.

Tim is right about parking too.

[dcss1205]

Looking at the last photo in that article, it appears that they placed it next to an existing park, which looks neglected. Since the park let is all hardware, I don't expect any community involvement after cutting the check. Where does local ownership kick in?

[JakeL]

The parklets, while having a 'park-ish' sounding name, I believe are a misnomer and exist for a different purpose. I would deem them 'place makers' or something different. The parklets purpose, in my mind, is to encourage more eyes on the street, more 'third place' interaction, and liveability to a neighborhood. I think it would be a great addition to Girard Ave and be used in ways different than the park.

[annie]

Looking at the last photo in that article, it appears that they placed it next to an existing park, which looks neglected. Since the park let is all hardware, I don't expect any community involvement after cutting the check. Where does local ownership kick in?

That's not a park, that's the lawn of the Logan branch library which actually makes it a pretty cool for a non-commercial location.

[JH1234]

I'm surprised that parking ranks among the concerns of the citizenry. Not that I discount the benefits of ample parking, but I've rarely found it difficult to pull right up in front of whatever business I happened to be heading to on Girard. Although July 4th is obviously another story.

I'm with Jake in that it's really about placemaking. The parklet creates a space where people want to be, right on Girard. It certainly doesn't compete with, compare with, or in any way duplicate the spaces in Fairmount Park.

As for the business owners, we'd have to ask them. They'd really know how much of a premium their customers place on parking (or how many of them even drive to Mugshots). I'd bet that statistic about Green Line Cafe experiencing a 20% revenue boost from their parklet might convince any small business owner to give it a try.