The District Weekly - Latest Comments in WHAT TO DO ABOUT PINE AVENUE

Re: WHAT TO DO ABOUT PINE AVENUE

What's_in_a _name? — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:24:22 -0000

You'll get no argument that "o-Pine" is hilarious. And so is the GPS scenario you describe.

Perhaps the suggestion that the city isn't allowing the street to define itself is the most poignant one I've seen among these comments. Your example of 7-11 is perfect. 7-11 is one of the places I frequent, because it is practical-- it's a place I can walk to quick for a cheap coffee or fast snack, a nail file for a broken nail. The city may not like the aura 7-11 gives off, but this is a good store because it is what people NEED.

Re: WHAT TO DO ABOUT PINE AVENUE

skye — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:03:36 -0000

The poor people who live downtown were here before all you fancy pants people with your big plans that never seem to amount to anything. I've been here for more than 30 years and I'm not going to be leaving anytime soon. And if you don't like Walmart then don't shop there, but please stop whining and bitching about it because it's not going anywhere either.

Re: WHAT TO DO ABOUT PINE AVENUE

DWR — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:23:39 -0000

Thank you for the correction Mr. B. I regret my error.

Re: WHAT TO DO ABOUT PINE AVENUE

DWR — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:43:01 -0000

If that's precisely the sort of out-of-the-box "Imagineering" downtown-waterfront Long Beach needed, then Disney's early-1990s water amusement park proposal would've been a reality by now.

But the-then city council had to go and screw it up.

Re: WHAT TO DO ABOUT PINE AVENUE

LBdreamer — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:59:37 -0000

John,
I think your ideas to close pine to traffic and add cable cars are perfect. We just need to involve major retailers in the planning process before spinning our wheels any further. If only we had a time machine and could go back and vote NO on that Walmart downtown. Businesses like this only repel the vision of what could be.

Re: WHAT TO DO ABOUT PINE AVENUE

Dave in Alamitos Beach — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:24:53 -0000

Okay, here's my "Million Dollar Idea" and I don't care who runs with it as long as someone does (by the way, I voted for Brian U. Sorry Suja, though we love you too. ;-).

Okay, how about we turn Pine Avenue into a "Fun Transportation Only" zone, or at least fun transportation occasionally. If we really wanted to make it a big event, it could be a year long "competition" to find the signature fun transpo idea for Pine Avenue. I'm sure other people will have some better ideas on this, but didn't the Pike & Pine use to be "fun?"

So, one month, for some period of time. Weekends? Nights? We have horse drawn carts to carry people from Ocean to 6th. If it's interesting enough, maybe people will just ride them for fun? If it's a hit and you want to limit the thug element, then make it something like "children ride for free."

The next month, its free Segway rides for anyone willing to show up. How about you can ride for free if you show a receipt from a Pine Avenue restaurant or store (what store? I know).

The next month it's imported Cambodian tuk-tuks up and down the street. Make it part of a Cambodian craft fair or something.

The next month, you install a zip line from the highest safe building on the street and people ride down the zip line to the street. It would be even better if it went for several streets. Aren't there a couple of buildings that are at least ten stories high?

The month after that you install some sort of rope bridge that goes from tall building to tall building. Or maybe a street level "fun bouncy" bridge thing like Disneyland.

The month after that, how about a portable roller coaster for the weekends. I'm not sure if it's possible, but if it's low tech enough you could have it go down the middle of the street with a "stop" at 6th and another one at Ocean. Like a glorified kiddie ride.

Is there some sort of "skateboard for beginers" or for families? I'm thinking of some sort of human propelled big board? Or even those things that you see in the movies that "hobos" rode on the train tracks?

How about a big blow up slide? or even a slip and slide in the summer? Could you build a big long lap pool? And if you can do that, then how about a "river" that you float down? I mean we are near the ocean after all right?

Okay, these are crazy ideas off the top of my head. I'm sure other people could think of FAR better things. I mean, isn't the city supposed to be doing stuff like this? And isn't "retail" supposed to rise organically from the old laws of supply and demand?

Re: WHAT TO DO ABOUT PINE AVENUE

What's_in_a _name? — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:11:43 -0000

John,
I don't agree on closing Pine permanently, but I do like when the city has closed it on Friday/Saturday nights and had performers, etc. That is a lot of fun. As a person who works one block off Pine, I use that stretch of Pine several times a day. With all the one way streets and Tranist Mall in the mix, closing Pine would be a nightmare for traffic flow.

And I love the George's Trolley, but I rarely ever see any passengers on it. Man oh Man , goes George's ever make some awesome falafel!

I suspect one of the main problems on Pine is that the rents are too high for the kinds of shops that would be successful there.

Re: WHAT TO DO ABOUT PINE AVENUE

What's_in_a _name? — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:50:40 -0000

You know what? I NEVER have any problem parking within a block or two of where I want to go downtown. EVER. But then I am also willing to WALK a bit.

People need to realize that walking a block or two or three is actually good for them, and takes practically no time at all! And, if you spend time frequenting downtown, learning how and where to park cheaply becomes second nature pretty quickly. The parking garages are always half empty and most businesses downtown validate for up to two hours free parking.
Also, any city dweller should know to keep a handful of quarters handy to take advantage of the meters.

excuses, excuses, excuses.

Re: WHAT TO DO ABOUT PINE AVENUE

Joseph — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:47:35 -0000

South Coast Plaza, last time I checked, wasn't surrounded by HUD housing, Section 8 renter's, or a train that pulled right in from Compton, a Wal Mart anchor store, and all those factor's bring to the downtown shopping experience.
Try finding someone who overcame those obstacles, and went on to produce a middle to upscale retail environment. That would make much more sense than bringing in someone with a lot of abstracts that conflict with reality, as is usually done by our big brains in Long Beach.