The skeleton is up for the new office building where the Peter Pan bus station used to be. It will mostly house a housing agency, which is okay I guess, but one would prefer to see something not so dependent on taxpayer funds, What downtown needs above all else is private development.
Happily, there are some new small businesses opening at the end of Main Street by the terminal, development which had previously been conspicuous in its absence. A few small businesses ranging from pizza to jewelry shops have opened, which is a hopeful sign.
What really needs to happen is for the Hippodrome/Paramount/Sanderson/Whatever theater to finally reopen. There are rumblings of renewal, but no sign of actual activity yet.
The further you walk down Main, the more evidence of new life is apparent. For the first time in recent memory, all the storefronts along Main are being rented in the block right next to the casino.
But there are still problems. For example, it looks terrible to have a big, ugly, metal-sealed pawn shop just a few doors down from MGM.
This fast-food chicken joint Crown is another misplaced tenant, although it is somewhat improving.
Crown's ugliest features were the posters of food they had in the windows. Exposure to the sun had long since spoiled the colors, turning everything shown into a very unappetizing pinkish mess that just screamed greasy spoon.
Yet, now those sun-faded posters are gone and have been replaced by much more appealing images. It makes the place look more presentable.
Baby steps matter. Meanwhile, the casino itself seems to be doing fine. I returned to the Lobster Shack, this time trying their lobster bisque. It was tasty, but a little thin. I still hold that their clam chowder is the best in the city.
The one year anniversary of the Grand Opening is coming up in August, and of course I'll have to give it a full appraisal at that time. Until then, I'll continue to update you on my occasional forays into the casino scene.
Back in Hamp, I was dismayed to see this bit of bullshit on a mailbox on Conz Street near the pot shop.
It looks like there were earlier versions that were scraped off, but then later replaced. Whoever is spreading this hate is apparently not easily discouraged. Did I try to remove the sticker? No, only leftists try to censor speech that they find offensive.
Finally, while in Springfield waiting for a bus in ol' Pine Point, I made a video of my surroundings.
1 comment:
Can’t help but think that psycho poster on the mailbox is the result of Dana Goldblatt.
Post a Comment