Pantagraph.com | Letters | Area south of Coliseum not bleak as portrayed

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Been There wrote on Feb 11, 2008 9:25 AM:

" I just wanted to say that the area around Blue Jay Computers and the warehouse district itself is an extremely dangerous area. I know, I was mugged and beat up right in front of Blue Jay Computers under the bridge about 3 months ago. I have observed a lot of drug activity, both sales and use. There is also a lot of drinking that goes on there. I have personally seen both needles and crack pipes littering the grounds just feet from the entrance to Blue Jay Computers. I wont ever been on that area again and I cant think of a worse place to have a business. "

To: Speaking of the Coliseum wrote on Sep 4, 2007 12:49 PM:

" I agree, what was the loss for July and Aug. Just a thought, has the City put the stop on this type of news or told the Pantagraph hands off articles concerning the City. If so, will the City put this information on their web site for the tax payers to see?? "

Jay Myers says wrote on Sep 4, 2007 12:20 PM:

" No one is asking the City or the taxpayers for a free ride and bazillions of cash to rennovate the Old Warehouse District. All we want is a little help from the City in terms of code enforcements and some minor improvements like an additional street light or two, and a little work on sidewalks and Water Alley, plus designation as a special zone in Downtown. We'll take it from there in terms of building a Community between the residents who live here (and people do live here South of the Coliseum), the retail stores that do business here, and the rest of BN. Just to show you how powerful y'all are, the City started cutting weeds on a neglected lot down here an hour ago! Thanks bloggers for helping me get some action! "

It's time wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:56 AM:

" To stop trying to hold up the dead horse of downtown Blm. It's time has past. Let it die and sink into oblivion and move to the east side where people actually want to go and shop. When the cops close down the dealers and the rampant crime then and only then will downtown be worth anything. The best thing that could be done to the downtown region is bulldoze it. Stop wasting all our tax money on a dead area. "

Taxpayer wrote on Sep 4, 2007 4:42 AM:

" I agree that the warehouse district has great potential. Unique and sturdy buildings, a maze of roads and alleys, etc. Eventually, developers and city subsidies can get in there and begin to bring it back. But, for now, I think it would be trying to do too much at once. Contrary to some reports in the Pantagraph, much of downtown Bloomington has been renovated, more into an entertainment and residential district than what was once the major retail district of the city. There is still some work to be done downtown before development should start in the warehouse district as an extension of downtown. "

hmmh wrote on Sep 4, 2007 3:11 AM:

" Need lazy owners to clean up their property? Doesn't sound like a country club to me. Most people do not realize that to pay your money to go to watch an event most of all you want to feel safe and be safe. If it looks like a dumpy area and you can hear gun shots occasionally which is the case a few blocks from the coliseum you are not going to feel or be safe. What is is and the coliseum was put in the wrong place for safety. Now if someone wants to buy up the property and bulldoze it for blocks either direction it may begin to feel more safe. And you don't have to be snobby to want to be safe. "

My two cents wrote on Sep 3, 2007 9:36 PM:

" I have always liked the warehouse district. I'm from CU, which has nothing like that. A town looks all alike from one end to another. A city has neighborhoods with different character to each one. Bloomington is a city. "

Blue Jay Customer wrote on Sep 3, 2007 8:25 PM:

" I'm a frequent customer or visitor of Blue Jay Computers and the Bazaar antiques store in the Old Warehouse District and I agree, I have never felt the area was a ghetto, nor have I ever felt in danger or anything like that. This Dalton guy is just nuts. Jay's done an outstanding job cleaning the area up, making it look pleasant. I've been on one of her tours of the area and it's fascinating. The city should be helping her preserve and show off this neighborhood. And some people shouldn't be so fussy about things like a little litter once in awhile and some weeds here and there. If the city did it's job the litter and weeds wouldn't be there. Calling this great old place of Jay's a ghetto is really wrong and you're just hurting yourself if you believe it! "

Caved in Building? wrote on Sep 3, 2007 8:13 PM:

" The City should help these people in the Old Warehouse District! If there are ratty sidewalks they should be fixed so they are at least safe. If there are buildings owners have let go, they need to be fixed or taken down. They need more street lights down there. They need the City to come in and make the lazy owners clean up their properties or take them away like they did the Coachman. Most of the buildings down there are very, very well built and in excellent condition. I know the owners. There is one building near the bridge that is a total wreck. You can see the roof has fallen in. That should come down. it's too visible from the bridge and makes the City look bad. The Old Warehouse District is too close to the Coliseum for the City not to get busy and help these businesses clean it up even more! "

Jay Myers wrote on Sep 3, 2007 8:08 PM:

" Having lived in big cities, I'd define "urban flavor" as a combination of older/vintage versus recent/modern (and souless) architechture, a more "industrial" and "lived in" feel with yes, less than picture perfect sidewalks or views. The Old Warehouse district has some wonderful odd features like store fronts UNDER the bridge, sidewalks to nowhere, street car rails coming up through the asphalt, and yes, some weeds stubbornly trying to look like wildflowers. There are broken beer bottles along the railroad tracks and sometimes the Trail. You're so right when you suggest that broken beer bottles overly offend some picky/snobby Natives. It's not the Shoppes at College Hills, no. But when you're down here you feel like you're in a CITY and you can feel the HISTORY. "

Perfect Kathy wrote on Sep 3, 2007 5:29 PM:

" Bloomington has greater potential for a stunning downtown than did many of the Chicago suburbs. Mall shopping has seen its day, and some shopping centers are now even trying to make the surrounding mall areas look like downtown Bloomington. It's just a matter of getting Bloomingtonians on board as free thinkers of what could be. Trader Joe's is perfect. "

to: fs wrote on Sep 3, 2007 3:19 PM:

" An "urban flavor" or "urban feel" typically refers to an area that is densely built, such as the warehouse district in Bloomington. In other words, the buildings occupy all or almost all of the lots. Compare that to a suburban area where houses or buildings occupy, for example, 25% of the lots. It's density that gives an area its character. I'm not saying the area in question is good or bad. Just explaining how density contributes to an area's appeal, or lack of it. "

dd wrote on Sep 3, 2007 3:15 PM:

" duh "

The Irascible Fachna wrote on Sep 3, 2007 12:47 PM:

" There's a lot of history down in that area ..... the old (socialistic) City light-and-heat plant was there, along with the Manufactured Ice Company where the horse-drawn ice trucks loaded up, the Turnverein Hall where the German tumblers exercised, Chambers' "House of a Million Items", the Third Ward Club, the old Big Four Depot, and the Moulton Street brothel row. "

What are the good words from America? wrote on Sep 3, 2007 11:23 AM:

" Ghetto actually means 'foundary' in Italian (meaning an area where craftsmen work), so the connotation is purely American made. It's up to Americans to change it, which they won't since they love to run other people down to make themselves feel better. "

Welcome to Hicktown wrote on Sep 3, 2007 10:57 AM:

" Some of the hicks in BN see a beer bottle on the sidewalk and they think they'r in a bad neighborhood. If a homeless person asked them for spare change, they'd probably call the cops. "

? wrote on Sep 3, 2007 9:50 AM:

" In one of the stories about downtown Bloomington not doing so well, someone posted they own a computer store (I swear it was Blue Jay Computers) and that the city doesn't care about them and the drug deals they see taking place on the sidewalks in the area. I'm confused. Anyone else remember reading a comment like that? "

Kathy wrote on Sep 3, 2007 9:13 AM:

" I've been thinking about revitalizing downtown Bloomington - a project that would be so fantastic for the community! I say, preserve the historic buildings, incorporate the surrounding areas such as the warehouse district mentioned here, and do what the Chicago neighborhoods do - bring in a Trader Joe's or a Crate and Barrel and/or a great Container Store and create big reasons to come downtown. It should help the small businesses and restaurants too. Also, if we did get a hotel downtown, many conferences would bring shoppers and dollars to the colesium! Just a thought....... "

fs wrote on Sep 3, 2007 8:56 AM:

" 'special urban flavor', whats that? "

Observer wrote on Sep 3, 2007 7:28 AM:

" I go through there occasionally and have never seen any problems, but I'm really not there every day. When I saw Mr. Dalton's letter a few days back, it did seem like an exaggeration, and I made a point to look around last Thursday, and didn't see anything, at least during the daytime. Now, I agree that some of the buildings look like they need work, but many are occupied, and I'm told are very sturdily built because they were factories and warehouses. "

I Agree Mr. Meyers wrote on Sep 3, 2007 6:43 AM:

" that district is one I visit frequently and have never obseved anything like Dalton described. Some people have a flair for the dramatic and perhaps that is the case with Dalton. I have seen a few skateboard punks under the bridge and small groups of teens coming and going from the area as you mentioned, but that is the full extent of it. Maybe Dalton should drive down the south side of Chicago or the the southeast side of Decatur, there he will see what a ghetto really is. "

Speaking of the Coliseum wrote on Sep 3, 2007 12:47 AM:

" Is the Pantagraph going to report the financial status of the Coliseum for the month of July and August? "

Ummm wrote on Sep 3, 2007 12:46 AM:

" What about the building with the caved in roof? "

Fyi wrote on Sep 3, 2007 12:27 AM:

" If you don't see this activity frequently in your area, then it must be you that doesn't get out much. "

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