Comments on: Downtown happenings

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:12:45 +0000

They’re working on Gorin’s building. They’ve installed new storefront windows that come right to the sidewalk’s edge. Curious’y enough, the “Gorin’s” tiles are still there but I’m sure they’ll carpet over them or something.

That British pub sounds great … I hope we can get some premier league football on the telly.

By: Krishnam

Krishnam — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 19:24:30 +0000

Sign is up for the pub

By: Alice and Jim

Alice and Jim — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 17:01:42 +0000

I know for a fact the the old Chinese food place, Sanpan, will now be a British Pub, “Limey’s Pub”.. very cool. And no, it is not a chain type restaurant. The guy running it, Brian, is from England and his very pretty wife, Mary, is from the good old USA. I for one feel it is necessary to our support local businesses and am looking forward to their opening. However, I am also very fond of Fish and Chips and will let them know if they do not meet my standards.

By: Nora b

Nora b — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:25:10 +0000

Unfortunately the traffic in downtown framingham is just passing through. Downtown Framingham is inconvenient and there is no place to park. I agree that a garage with retail at street level would be great and a garage doesnt have to be ugly either. There are many options.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:03:30 +0000

One other thing to consider, though, is that a garage would likely encourage more people to drive cars into downtown, which would no doubt increase traffic in the area… possibly significantly. I now live in Cambridge, but I grew up in Framingham and lived there up until four years ago. I remember the traffic downtown!

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:58:13 +0000

I can appreciate the need for additional parking downtown, but it would be preferable that any such solution be 1) sensitive to the surrounding context (a traditional “downtown”), and 2) responsive to citizens’ aspirations for Framingham’s downtown area.

What about a parking structure with an activated street level? Retail or restaurant space on the ground floor? Having an acitve street level would better integrate it into the existing downtown fabric; the alternative is an unintersing blank concrete wall which does nothing to enrich the streetscape’s function (as a downtown, you know, as a place where people should work and shop) nor its aethetic environment.

I agree that the former Fabric Place building is ugly, but at least it used to provide a place to shop and a place to work (jobs, people). A structure which strictly provides a place to park does little to enrich the downtown area in and of itself.

By: Deek

Deek — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:03:53 +0000

Nora - best idea yet regards to downtown…also i’d guess the least expensive (?)

By: Ginger

Ginger — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:57:24 +0000

I think Nora’s idea is a good one.

By: Nora b

Nora b — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:40:37 +0000

I think they should raze the old Fabric Place building ( which is ugly ) and use that space and its adjoining parking lot and build a municpal parking garage. Making the downtown convenient to commuters might help the area businesses and spur new development.

By: Charles Copeland

Charles Copeland — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:54:13 +0000

Sampans has a Closed for vacation sign in the window, but the talk in the area is they’re never reopening. I guess we’ll just see, huh?