Comments on: A good suggestion but…

By: Laraine

Laraine — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:07:43 +0000

Drove through downtown last night and noticed that the Brazzille restaurant was dark - have they gone under, too, or moved to a new location? Parking was always a nightmare there, but it was a fun place to go.

By: FraminghamMom

FraminghamMom — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:32:22 +0000

Yes, more updates please!

By: michelle

michelle — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:31:21 +0000

Thanks. Belive it or not it’s really hard to keep up with teh blog, finding stuff to write about, finding the time to write. Like this past week I have something I’d love to post about but forgot to take a picture and haven’t been back that way to take a picture and we can’t afford to go out to eat as much so it just takes a while to get a post up sometimes. Thanks for reading!

By: Back in the Ham

Back in the Ham — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:43:27 +0000

Great website indeed…my only complaint is it’s not updated enough:(

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:10:00 +0000

OK - so what do we do about this? We have lived in Framingham now for 17 years and since before moving in, we have read about and heard “plans” to revitalize downtown. I agree with prior posters - it could be GREAT! Could be.

Aside from Asinayo, which we visit at least weekly, we have no reason to go downtown. A disappointment.

BTW - this is my first post. I think this is one great website. I am a frequent visitor looking for news and reviews, but now I think I will start contributing! Nice job by everyone involved…..

By: frank

frank — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:43:04 +0000

Framingham has to first make downtown more attractive.
If you have seen the trees ( bushes ) that they put in front of the railraod tracks at Dennsion Crossing that is one example. They need to do that the entire length of the tracks to hide them. Also a parking garage needs to be built right behind the train station where there is currently a paved parking area. Getting rid of billboards should also be a priority. Better lighting and street banners would also make the center more attractive.
The beautiful train station should be used as just that and not some sleezy restaurant. Make Framingham an attractive, accessible transportation hub with plenty of parking and you will find that pedestrian traffic will also increase.

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:19:46 +0000

If we are taking a cue from Moody Street, I think the Landmark (movie) Theater is a huge draw. You can’t even park near Moody Street on a weekend night. A theater across from the fire station would give us a 1-2 punch with Amazing Things and independent film. People expect to drive for that. Then restaurants (variety) could depend on some weekend business.

By: Krista

Krista — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:14:43 +0000

There’s actually stuff that interests me downtown: Asinayo market, thrift shop, a few restaurants & shops. But driving and parking is just so obnoxious that I don’t do it unless I really need to, ie. I’m out of soba noodles (LOL), my husband needs new event insurance, or something at the rmv that can’t be done online. The total traffic jam that IS downtown to me is too big a headache with 4 kids sitting in back complaining about why the car isn’t moving. Sigh.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:46:38 +0000

Moody Street, once heralded as a revival from urban blight (the sort Downtown Fram. still suffers), has recently run into its own problems as highlighted in an article from the Boston Globe last April (http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/04/24/wrong_turn_on_moody_street/).
Nevertheless, Waltham did a stand up job in taking many steps forward in turning Moody St. into a viable destination, if only for food, despite a few steps back — perhaps the combined result of having grown too much too quickly plus the recent economic downturn.
I think Framingham would like to borrow the lessons of a Moody St. if it could, but unfortunately suffers from a physical and social infrastructure that is entrenched in an overabundance of low cost housing and apartment dwelling — an artifact of its industrial heyday — among many other issues, of course.
I’ve always believed that one of the biggest reasons for Moody Street’s successes, which Framingham can never have, is its 8-mile proximity to Boston.
I will occasionally shop at Asinayo’s (sp?) asian foods market on Concord St., less often at Panzas on Union, and still enjoy the food at Terra Brasilis, also on Union (where you can bring your own wine!).

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:51:01 +0000

It’s sad there’s very little to shop for if you’re not Brazillian or a Brazillian wannabe. I too shop at CVS and I’ve eaten from some of the pizza joints, and maybe used the Post Office once or twice (if that counts). I do my banking mostly downtown, but that’s it. There’s no Katie Joe’s. There’s no RadioShack (why should I have to struggle through the Natick Blight (read: mall) to get a 1/4″ jack when I used to be able to go downtonwn?). There’s no fabric place.

“Shop Downtown”. Nice idea. Maybe they should have thought of it fifteen years ago.