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Improving Centre Street in JP
By adamg on Mon, 01/09/2006 - 5:37pm
Chris, who lives in Jamaica Plain, agrees with the author of that Globe Magazine piece on JP that its retail core is dysfunctional:
... It simply doesn't function like a proper city neighborhood, which should be a microcosm of basic needs (think of any New York City block). Groceries are thin on the ground, there's no newsstand, and even convenience stores lack items beyond the needs of motorists. In their place you have a preponderance of novelty shops and vanity business. (Five bakeries!) And realtors. ...
But Chris continues that doesn't mean JP's future is in big-box national chains swooping in - he points to Wellesley as an example of a non-shabby, mostly locally owned retail district.
Neighborhoods:
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Comments
I agree
Just added this comment to Chris's blog, but I'll repeat it here:
JP is part of the main streets program. I just moved to the Boston area in August, and I live in JP, and I've been disappointed. I moved to Boston because I remembered it as a very pedestrian city from when I lived in Brookline in 92-93. Since living in JP, I'm forever driving to Coolidge Corner to get basic necessities. I'm amazed that it takes such work to get anywhere other than downtown. I never thought I'd be so carbound.
I agree that Plastic Boy missed the point, and I'm actually a little annoyed that the comment about Starbuck's was even in the Globe article, because that's not really the point. The point is more basic stuff: a deli, a better bookstore, a grocery store that is more central. While there are several restaurants that are good for dinner, there aren't many places to "grab a bit." It's frustrating, and as a newcomer to the area, I don't have the nostalgia in place to not notice what's missing.
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