Free parking

[cneal]

Downtown Portland's parking lots (solid red) and parking structures (shaded):



Some facts about Portland's subsidies for free parking on my blog:

http://vigorousnorth.blogspot.com

[statler]

Wow..That's an absolute sin! :shock:

[grittys457]

You redded out my car on the bottom! I'll never get it off.

One city center looks like an urban pyramid in that pic. It does give you a good idea of how much space is needed for a civic center. You can see the three huge parking lots below right of the current arena where they could fit a new one.

On a side note, especially for Pat and other Portlanders, go into the Starbucks on Exchange Street. They have huuuuge aerial pictures of Portland on the back wall. I mean big and crystal clear. Really amazing. Don't know how long they will be up there. Probably for a few weeks. You can buy them too. Don't even wanna know how much.

[Patrick]

oh cool, thanks for the tip on the starbucks thing...I love stuff like that. I was registering to vote in city hall a few months back and they too have a gigantic aerial of portland on the second floor.

On the parking issue: it really is not that bad on the street level experience...walking around the heart of downtown leaves one feeling as if they are in a much larger city. who cares if there are parking lots in bayside or on the fringes of the old port, really? Especially when this fact is balanced by the fact that the west end, small as it may be, is more densely settled than any neighborhood in providence, RI. We have our strengths, and our weaknesses, but I would say our strengths propel us to a better status than nearly any city in america in terms of livability. Its almost scary how good it is to live here. And with all the anticipated growth, it will only get better. we have a pretty good starting point, I'd say.

Also, some of those parking lots are not big enough to build anything on...like the ones on the streets jutting north off of congress street, let alone big enough to build a parking garage along with them, which would be needed for any new human traffic. We have three large parking lots that need to be developed, and they are earmarked for exactly that: large scale development, we just need to see things through to assure it happens.

Portland is by far one of the nicest cities in the northeast, parking lots or not.

[Patrick]

and speaking of one city center, I had a job interview there with New York Life, on the tenth floor, and they have some of the best views of the peninsula. outstanding panoramas. The building itself is quite nice, too, I might add. all the portland high kids are so lucky they get to go there during lunch and eat, while us deering kids had to suffer through a cold and frigid walk to and from quality every morning and lunch time! can ya feel me, bra? (that is directed at you, dom...)

[grittys457]

Did you at least put your Kani hat on straight at the interview? If you get a job at one city center, then you can go to Henry VIII's everyday for lunch. You win!

Spent the weekend in Boston. Stayed at the Park Plaza hotel. $122.00 including tax! Great price and the best location. Stayed there a few times. Saw the construction of the Mandarin and the building where the Apple building is going. Got my new Charlie card. Much much easier now.

Such a walkable city. Went to Nutcracker at the Opera House and ate at Upper crust pizza, Rustic Kitchen, Finale, and Eastern Standard. Going back Sunday. I'd be broke as a joke if I lived there, but I wouldn't have a car payment.

[Patrick]

nah I went with a beanie.