Should NY make Times Square Pedestrian Mall permanent?- Page 3

[Marianne2]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 12:04pm

Forget those places. Panera Bread is amazing. There aren't any in Manhattan and the closest one to me is about 20 minutes away.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 12:30pm

Can't you just see it:

Chick-Fil-A, Popeye's, Taco Bell, Arby's, Wendy's, Long John Silver's, White Castle, Nathans, Subway and Chipolte all under one roof. Why would anyone ever leave?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 1:06pm

Well, I never suggested removing those stores!

Oh, I know. I was rambling on about some of the previous thoughts that had been expressed. Today is just one of those days.

I don't think pedestrian zones de-citify NYC. I think it is more along the lines of the evolution of a city that becomes more populated. If done well, the pedestrian zones can be a welcome attraction. The Ramblas of Barcelona and Leicester Square/Trafalgar Square in London are great examples. Expanding these pedestrian areas and removing traffic didn't take anything away from the city. But it does require a period of adjustment.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 1:13pm

I guess, but I'm a very visually oriented person. Aesthetics being the operative word. I'd rather see congested sidewalks and a street full of traffic than an ugly expanse of pavement with people sitting, standing, eating, yelling, loitering, and whatever!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 1:29pm

I think it's what they do with the expanse of pavement. What they created thus far is not attractive. But something akin to La Ramblas, with some attractive foliage, prettier pavement more conducive to walking, and maybe booths for local vendors/artists could put a more positive spin on the idea and turn it into something quite lovely, depending on how it was laid out. I agree that just a big open street with people milling around isn't the best option.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 1:37pm

Since I work here, I hate it. Getting in and out of the subway is so annoying. People hang out at the top of the stairs like they are the monkey bars.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 2:20pm

Mr Matt, I love La Ramblas in Barcelona however it doesn't occur in the middle of a crowded city like NYC. That model works well for the size of a city that Barcelona is. Like it or not Broadway and Seventh Aves are main thoroughfares closing down the area like that just puts more strain on the other Avenues.
There are similar pedestrian areas in Madrid and Valencia and they are congested and they are almost as intolerable at Times Square!

[WestVillage]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 2:38pm

I despise the pedestrian mall. Traffic is much worse, and walking through it when its crowded is a nightmare because of all the people who just plop down where ever they feel like it. There was a report in the Times recently that said the results on traffic congestion were "disappointing" and the future of it is still not certain. Bloomberg wants Times Square to be like the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. That doesn't work in the busiest city and intersections in the world. Float a barge in the middle of the East River and put chairs on it ... the tourists will flock to it. They'll sit anywhere you place chairs. Get them the hell out of Time Square and return Times Square to the crossroads of the world it is supposed to be.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 2:43pm

La Ramblas starts in the middle of the Barrio Gotico an extends to the water, but it is located in the most popular area of the city. Of course NYC is bigger and a lot more populated, but I was just using it as an example of a well-planned pedestrian zone.

I know Puerta del Sol in Madrid gets insanely crowded, but the main streets were not closed off for pedestrians. I've never seen Chueca very crowded. What area in Madrid do you mean?

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 3:07pm

I assumed you were using a fancy name for The Rambles.

[singtopher]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 4:17pm

Tourists will flock to it regardless. There is nothing we can do about it. Times Square belongs to the tourists. I'd rather have more area for tourists to wander aimlessly while I'm trying to get to a show.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 4:25pm

Patti LuPone's thoughts:

"What the hell are they doing to Times Square? This is my question. Is it a theme park? Is it a walking district? Is it a pedicab-carriage district? Is it a strip mall?"

http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/40th-anniversary/61051/patti-lupone-interview-with-time-out-new-york


"I don't know how I'm going to get to work. Excuse me, I've got a show - move over! What am I gonna do?"

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/item_UhJrCVTzE17cVmpKx6MXVM;jsessionid=29BAD37019D1007A5DEDC2FDB51328F3

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 4:53pm

"Times Square belongs to the tourists"

they come to see the big city and all it encompasses, not more of what they have at home.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 6:52pm

" I'd rather see congested sidewalks and a street full of traffic than an ugly expanse of pavement with people sitting, standing, eating, yelling, loitering, and whatever!"

You'd rather see a street full of traffic than people enjoying themselves? Odd, given that your current avatar is a lovely shot of the pedestrian zone with no traffic. Also, don't forget, without all those "ugly crowds" of tourists, you would have to find another job.

Less cars, more pedestrian areas and bike lanes! Give them a chance to prettify it up some. Put in some trees, some artwork. I can't stand Bloomberg, but other than his "million trees" project, this is the only other good one he had. Too many damn cars in this city.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 7:27pm

I like Lupone saying she felt better when her life was in jeopardy ( or words to that effect) in the old Times Square. Another one is she would rather have a sex shop than an Applebees. Priceless.

Lupone for Mayor

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 8:07pm

I LIKED Times Square much better then. When it was funky with Sex Shops and Porn Houses.There was a dirty little magic shop near 42nd street on 7TH Ave that was awesome to browse through. Everything from ice cubes with flies in them to fake vomit, onion gum,to high end tricks. So cool. Everything had a layer of dust on it. Something out of an Alfred Hitchcock presents or a Stephen King novel.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 8:36pm

I remember that shop & have many fond memories browsing thru it.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 10:21pm

they come to see the big city and all it encompasses, not more of what they have at home.

Sure, but they don't have Times Square at home. And Times Square still has its unique quality. It's just safer for pedestrians now. My first visit to NYC was at the end of the sleaze years of Times Square and 42nd Street. I didn't care for it at all. But if people still want sleaze and porn and a more dangerous atmosphere, they can still get it in NYC. It's not gone completely. It's just not as concentrated within the same few blocks of Times Square itself. And it's not as if they can't find porn and sleaze and drugs and hookers in their home towns. You don't have to fly to New York for that. But I guess people prefer that with which they grew up.

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 10:48pm

Snafu, what you described sounds just like a Spencer's, only they've prettied that store up the last few years.

I like the mall. Hope they keep it.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 11:05pm

"you say tomato, I say tomahto...." let's call the whole thing off!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 11:08pm

I second the motion.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 11:10pm

No. the shop I am talking about is long gone. Along with Fascination and the wonderful smoking sign. I believe it is an Eatery now.

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 11:25pm

Oh, I didn't mean that you were talking about a Spencer's. Just that what you described sounded similar to one.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 11:35pm

Snafu, I assume the smoking sign you refer to was the Camel guy who blew smoke rings. If so, it was located on a hotel which was later torn down to make way for an office building. It is the one that has the ABC wrap around sign & on the ground floor the ABC GMA studio.

A bit of trivia is that the hotel in question was the one Jon Voight looks out of in the beginning of Midnight Cowboy. More trivia is that across the street you see a big sort of drop cloth in front of an office building .This was when they were gutting the NY Paramount theater.

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 2/8/10 at 11:38pm

I do think the tacky, nationwide chain restaurants that charge double like Olive Garden and Applebee's should go. At least there are only a few Bubba Gumps. lol