Comments on: Bradley Maule Goes To Super-Annoying Community Meetings So You Don’t Have To

By: Grapesoda

Grapesoda — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:02:09 +0000

@number10ox. Wow. Just wow. Having lived off of girard, never at most more than 3 blocks from the places in question for quite a long time – much as I am sad to admit this – you have NO clue about how awful that place is to the area. You’re getting jazzed up about something trivial to what sween said. Are you one of the people who negates a argument because the other person cursed? Surely I hope not.

Oh and Need parking? Tear down the kfc and make THAT parking. Or park all the way up front, lord knows there are 3 people that live off that street for 10 blocks north. Park in front of that drug runner/car shop.

By: number10ox

number10ox — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:17:16 +0000

@tips: yep, and correction made.

By: number10ox

number10ox — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:06:14 +0000

Next door to the proposed venue.

By: tips

tips — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:06:14 +0000

@number10: You do realize we’re talking about two separate places, correct?

By: number10ox

number10ox — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:04:18 +0000

Wow, “skankiest titty bar” what a completely derogatory dehumanization of the women who work there. And you were trying to make a compelling, intelligent argument in support of a live music venue, although you know personally that it’s a skanky titty bar.

By: allthatjazz

allthatjazz — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:15:04 +0000

As someone who lives less than two blocks from this intersection, I personally am not excited about a venue of this size so close at a location that is already crowded with many people, cars, bikes, buses, etc. The number of accidents (car on car, car on bike, car on pedestrian) that I have witnessed in the few block stretch on Girard between 3rd Street and Frankford may be proof enough that the infrastructure currently there is insufficient and that without significant improvements and more police presence, an addition of this size right there may not be a pro-neighborhood/pro-neighborhoodie move. I would be interested in hearing more about how Hornik promises to make improvements in the area before unleashing almost a 1,000 drunk revelers on to this corner. I like good music and I like good times but a 700-person venue? Eh, I could do without. The intersection currently leaves much to be desired but…this? I’m not saying no development would work, I’m saying maybe not THIS development right now. I am also not sure that folks coming to shows would really take SEPTA in large numbers. Wish I could be more optimistic…

By: OntheLam

OntheLam — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:25:38 +0000

In response, as to A) an unknown (understandably subject to debate but when you want your place to have a certain “look and feel,” I’m not confident that prioritizes neighborhood residents as employees), and; B) doesn’t matter, property taxes go into the city budget which then is a big pool of money for the city as a whole. Besides, we’re not talking about that much money in taxes. Further, that money only gets back to the neighborhood through the councilman, who may or may not be able to use the existence of that business to lobby for increased funds. As to “payouts” or tradeoffs, Mr. Hornik’s track record with neighborhood associations has been chronicled by other publications and has been less than stellar to put it kindly. I think Hornik certainly has good intentions and I’d be happy to see him succeed there with an upscale restaurant/venue. However, Drinker’s, Lucy’s, Loie, etc. all speak for themselves and reflect residents’ skepticism and desire for up-front guarantees, e.g. advance payment for additional police, etc. A lack of parking and forced use of public transit would in fact be desirable, simply in that it will keep the place from feeling like an isolated venue (Electric Factory, Tiki Bob’s) and avoid the attendant risks of drunk driving. I think what it comes down to, is residents anticipate public drunkenness, fights, and drunk driving and there’s simply no way to anticipate what’s going to happen, and that’s why he’s seeing some backlash.

C. the Impaler: Way to read between the lines and bring something extra to the table. You should be a commentator for FoxNews.

By: C. The Impaler

C. The Impaler — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:09:11 +0000

While Sweeney’s right, I still like OmtheLam’s notion that any business larger than mom and pop in his book is some sort of money laundering operation. It’d be cool to go through life seeing the world that way. Like a video game or comic book.

By: tips

tips — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:59:47 +0000

@ onthelam: You don’t think a venue this size will A) employ people who live in the neighborhood and B) pay hefty property taxes? And that’s just off the top of my head. At the end of any neighborhood association’s groaning is always some kind of payout or in-kind tradeoff. There’s no way the people of Fishtown don’t win here. And we’re not even talking about the restoration of the property to something that celebrates its history, which is really very important. There are not a lot of historical landmarks in Fishtown, but growing up here, my folks always told me about the Jumbo with fond memories.

By: OntheLam

OntheLam — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:52:53 +0000

I don’t understand how this is going to bring a load of money into the neighborhood. If you mean people with loads of money will come to the neighborhood and give it to people who neither live nor hang out there, who will then take that money and spend it in other neighborhoods, then the statement is accurate. As I understand, it would not result in any increase in city services, budgeting, or other direct gain to the residents of the neighborhood except for the fact that the property is restored.