just a quick pic
took this photo walking back from lunch today. i'm not sure how long it's been there. it's the remains of a schooner glass that's most likely from one of the bars near or on palmer street. (the doorway pictured is the side door to fortunato's, and i'm guessing fortunato's or village smokehouse was the source because the other bar closest to that spot usually serves in plastic cups and fuze folks are pretty sedate, but who knows).
this sort of thing is not an uncommon sight around this area of downtown, but i've only started to use the camera on my phone so i'll just keep putting things out here so people can see what the aftermath of "downtown disorder" tends to look like. (i'm sorry you missed all the puke from the other weekend, but i'll get you next time). this is the sort of thing business owners downtown have to deal with as a result of lax enforcement of liquor rules. of course, some businesses don't bother to clean up their doorways, so we get to enjoy the scenery for prolonged periods of time...
posted by kad barma at 5:44 PM
3 Comments:
Nightlife is the main reason to be downtown and the college kids are the only demograhic that can sustain it. If we start watching them like criminals, they'll go elsewhere. I've been downtown for years and haven't had one incident. This will send us back to 1990's lowell if the DT business' don't start promoting themselves and squashing this sentiment. A broken glass ? what a joke!
First of all, the college kids aren't down here in nearly the numbers of older people. (Most of the college kids are too young to drink in bars for one thing). Second of all, the vast majority of people do not steal bar glasses and smash them in the street, nor care to be out with or the target of people who do. Third of all, maybe you'd prefer it was a 20 pound rock and the broken glass was a restaurant window? Ask any non-bar business owner downtown if their businesses are helped or hurt by the piss, puke, vandalism and trash that's piled in front of their doors in the mornings. This isn't about watching legitimate patrons like criminals or at all otherwise for that matter. It's about tracking the incidence of vandalism and violence that are connected to things like cops being spit on and assaulted while they try to keep the peace, among other alarming things. People are being stabbed, beat up, robbed and what have you. The crime stats are there for you to read. If you haven't had one incident, good for you. There are others not so fortunate these days. I've been here five years and I've been present for numerous fist fights resulting in hospital trips, and witness to all the widespread piss, puke, vandalism, etc. on the streets in the morning. I've had enough. I want these businesses, including the bars, to be successful so I can continue to enjoy patronizing them. I spend as much money in them as anyone I know, and I'm proud of it. But there won't be more people down here until there's a safer, cleaner and more orderly environment. No, never completely safe, clean or orderly. But more so than it is now.
I would agree that a few more police details can help around 2a.m. but disagree with the idea that people won't move DT unless it's safer & cleaner. To the majority of people moving to Lowell from Boston or Chicago, DT Lowell is more like a quaint New England village than a dangerous city. The city is safer than it has been in 30 years.
Yesterday I spoke with a new resident who said he almost reconsidered moving here from out-of-state as he followed some news about incidents DT. This person of about 40 years has never lived in a city before. He said he was worried that DT would be filthy after some of things he read (followed by a full on belly laugh).
Prospective buyers are listening to us to get a feel for the city. I'm 110% convinced that it's the sentiment of the DT resident's that will keep people away not the broken glass.
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