Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

MattOLOLOL t1_iwm1j6b wrote

Sure, because a bunch of businesses closing at the same time is always indicative of success.

People will do the craziest mental gymnastics to convince themselves that Worcester is on the up and up.

30

HRJafael OP t1_iwm238b wrote

Exactly. This is a weird definition of success. I guess it raises a question of how does Worcester grow and reinvent itself as a community without pushing people out? Perhaps that's just a sad reality but not one that should be celebrated as the city progressing.

11

CloroxWipes1 t1_iwmqpvt wrote

No affordable housing projects, rolling over for developers to price the poor's out of town.

But we have a goddamned baseball team.

22

Slappybags22 t1_iwr84qf wrote

And a peanut….

0

outb0undflight t1_iwryl1i wrote

No the peanut was a good change. I'm tired of the Peanut Slander.

1

Slappybags22 t1_iws52ii wrote

Being better than old Kelly square isn’t a very high bar. I don’t love it, but it’s less anxiety inducing I guess. I actually thought it was great until they painted the lines and made the exit towards 290 only one lane. There was plenty of room for 2 lanes. 1 for 290 and 1 for going straight past 290. Now that exit of the “rotary just backs up all the way to green street’s entrance and nobody else can get on.

2

outb0undflight t1_iws626o wrote

That is it's major design flaw I will give you that. It's theoretically faster for me to go through Kelly square to get home and I still generally just choose to avoid it cause it's such a pain at rush hour.

It's also safer for pedestrians than the old design which I think is a plus.

1

Slappybags22 t1_iws6htn wrote

I just avoid the whole stretch and rush hour. Chandler is also god awful.

1

outb0undflight t1_iws72yg wrote

I have to get on Chandler for two seconds and it's the worst part of my day.

2

CloroxWipes1 t1_iwmpxqk wrote

That's a roundabout way of saying gentrification.

20

WooNoto t1_iwm7lrs wrote

Without reading the article:
Making the city unaffordable is a success? Is this some type of a joke?
Pricing out people who have lived her for decades, generations without improving the city much is a success? Got it.

ETA: article behind a paywall, based off of the two sentences I could read. Jacking up prices cause richer folks see an investment opportunity sounds like a successful strategy to me.

6

AceOfTheSwords t1_iwmo8ae wrote

At least the recent burst of business closures are ones that only opened a few years ago. Factor in the pandemic, and they never really had time to establish roots in the Worcester community in the first place.

Are these commercial locations actually unaffordable? I'm unclear on whether they are being left vacant or new businesses are moving in shortly. That also holds a bunch of weight when it comes to if/how much improvement is happening.

Rising residential prices definitely have a negative impact on people who have lived here a long time, but I'm not sure the same is true of these business closures.

5

WooNoto t1_iwmulk1 wrote

Great questions, no idea if these recently vacant commercial spaces already have new tenants lined up. I’m assuming the article might have shed some light on that but not able to read it. The title certainly alluded to it.

Drastic increases in residential prices has definitely negatively impacted business imp, just not enough money to go spend on a night out after paying all these bills. I think Worcester was betting on people that moved here from Boston/surrounding areas spending their money here and I’m not sure that’s happening.

1

icuworc t1_iwn0oce wrote

I know that Buck's does but I have no idea on the others.

1

CoolAbdul t1_iwnfckc wrote

Worcester is not doing this. Boston is doing this.

5

JohnnyGoldwink t1_iwqkqbq wrote

Good call. I also think a lot of what’s happening in Worcester has to do with Boston pushing people west.

2

barry_abides t1_iwq593j wrote

Casualty of Success would be a cool band name (or darkly ironic city motto)

2

Embarrassed_Switch27 t1_iwnmwoo wrote

As a lifelong resident, I'm quite happy to see Worcester finally grow into the city it was always destined to be. Despite of the pandemic and insuing lockdown, the city is still on the way up.

−1