Can Boston do anything right?

[czsz]

Bad laws (mostly enacted to make cities more "clean" or "orderly") are a lot more restrictive for entrepreneurs than evil capitalists. Obtuse license requirements space them out unnecessarily or require them to raise way more startup capital to begin with in order to afford actual commercial space as opposed to a pushcart or blanket. I imagine if you designated one open lot in downtown Boston for a flea market and imposed virtually no fee on vendors other than the cost of a card table to sell things on, you could fill the space rapidly.

Of course, that's not to say that the evil capitalists aren't to blame at all. The requirements for loans are way too high for entrepreneurs even with established business plans and track records. Notice that major financial institutions can propose wildly reckless shit and get loan approvals instantly, but try going through the motions of opening a sandwich shop even after a decade of experience working in one and an MBA.

[Lurker]

Originally Posted by czsz

The requirements for loans are way too high for entrepreneurs even with established business plans and track records. Notice that major financial institutions can propose wildly reckless shit and get loan approvals instantly, but try going through the motions of opening a sandwich shop even after a decade of experience working in one and an MBA.

Meanwhile:

Dear XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, AIA:

By the end of this week, the House of Representatives will vote on crucial legislation that would provide assistance to millions of small businesses, including small design firms, who are struggling through the ongoing recession. We need your help to send the message to Congress that they should pass H.R. 3854, The Small Business Financing and Investment Act, to help firms survive and thrive in these trying economic times.

The Small Business Financing and Investment Act of 2009 extends through 2011 the federal government's primary small business lending and investment programs. In doing so, the legislation makes key reforms to these programs to improve the flow of capital to small firms. The legislation also establishes two new programs to fill the gaps in the SBA's existing array of capital access programs, particularly to provide capital to early-stage small businesses and for small firms whose access to capital is limited by the cost of financing. It comes on the heels of the AIA?s testimony before the House Small Business Committee earlier this month on the need to improve access to capital for architecture firms and their clients.

HR 3854 is comprehensive legislation that will significantly improve access to credit and capital for businesses at each stage of growth and in any economic climate. By filling the gaps in the SBA's capital access mission and addressing deficiencies in the SBA's lending and investment programs, the agency will become much more adept at meeting the needs of small firms. Taken together, the provisions in the HR 3854 will address the widespread difficulties that small firms have encountered in accessing credit and capital during the recent recession and will ensure that the small business community has ample credit and investment capital to create jobs and expand operations as the economy recovers.

Congress will debate this bill in the coming days. Please ask your member of Congress to vote YES on HR 3854 today. Click here to connect with the AIA Advocacy Center, where you will be able to send a message to your representative, review a bill summary, and link to the bill language.

Thank you,

Christine McEntee
Executive Vice-President & CEO
AIA National

I won't be surprised if we get a business bubble a few years down the road which will make the CRA housing mess look like chump change.

[odurandina]

Originally Posted by armpitsOFmight

I noticed there are a lot of complainers.

A likely scenario few Bostonians will never own up to: Being angry and snarky about everything just makes us feel good?

Who else spends 11 years arguing about if we should build a shiny skyscraper over a hideous, condemned garage in the center of Downtown 1/4 of a mile away from our beloved Park?

Additionally, it seems there will never be enough brick/reddish/brownish/terra-cotta colored buildings (regardless of height) to please all.....

http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/201...mNJ/story.html

[Sprngh2o]

Amen Brother

[datadyne007]

10-28-2009, 05:22 PM

Wtf.

[jl326]

Originally Posted by odurandina

A likely scenario few Bostonians will never own up to: Being angry and snarky about everything just makes us feel good?

Who else spends 11 years arguing about if we should build a shiny skyscraper over a hideous, condemned garage in the center of Downtown 1/4 of a mile away from our beloved Park?

Additionally, it seems there will never be enough brick/reddish/brownish/terra-cotta colored buildings (regardless of height) to please all.....

http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/201...mNJ/story.html

Ha.. I literally just read that crap article.. while enjoying my views from my floor to ceiling glass windows.

[KentXie]

Obviously this fucker never heard of 30 St Mary Axe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_St_Mary_Axe

[Hubman]

I wouldn't mind a few more non-glass buildings on the skyline, from an aesthetic point of view.

[shmessy]

Originally Posted by Hubman

I wouldn't mind a few more non-glass buildings on the skyline, from an aesthetic point of view.

As I've said before, all ISIS needs to do is hire a few sopranos to hit some high notes and that Seaport will look like the morning after Kristallnacht.

.

[chrisbrat]

Originally Posted by Hubman

I wouldn't mind a few more non-glass buildings on the skyline, from an aesthetic point of view.

hmmm...

of the 10 tallest in boston, 7 are of the "non-glass" variety (if by that you mean cladding that -- while featuring glass windows, of course -- is not predominately glass: the pru, federal reserve, one boston, one international place, 100 federal, one financial ctr, and two international place). that would seem to me to be a pretty healthy percentage.