November 08, 2010

Jordan Levy today

Jordan Levy is supposed to be bringing up on his show this afternoon something about a rumor of a big shake-up coming in the Worcester development team....     

3 comments:

Jahn said...

Speaking of dev'ment here is the closing paragraph in a T&G story (11-8) by Nick K about the condition of teh AUD:

"In particular, the report said the building's “vintage” mechanical and electrical systems have to be replaced or upgraded, and it cited the condition of buttress walls, side walls and stair walls around the building, as well as the poor condition of concrete retaining walls and concrete stairs." Almost kinda sounds like what I read about Nelson Place School a few years ago???

Like I have said before, the city of Worcester s/b front and center whenever Womag reports on the 10 worst landlords/properties in Worcester. For ages now I have said time and again the AUD is a nuisance and an attractive nusiance at that.....witness one dead hobo found in there about 10 years ago....poor fella was dead in there for awhile......problem is the city exepmted itself from the nuisance ordinance kinda like how Congress exempted itself from ObumaCare.

I will also tell you the windows in the AUD are a disaster.

Anyone think WPI will get it for $1.00 and then apply for gub'mint money to rehab it. Basically they will just emulate in Main North what Clark does in Main South.

Maybe raze the entire AUD except for the front facade? NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! wait they cant raze the Little Theatre.....my first girlfriend used to have her dance recitals there.

Maybe close off the part of Grove St that sits in front of the AUD under the guise that it is unsafe for pedestrains in the AUD area. Monkey see monkey do.

Re: a somewhat similar issue....what will become of Notre Dame church now that City Sq has acquired it. Maybe the same fate that befell Mr Hargraves brick church on Summer St? Still sitting empty after being taken for Med City in 1994? Call it the "Rogers Memorial" treatment...another 13 year sand blasting project..... maybe it is time for head(s) to roll????

Bill Randell said...

listened yesterday but Jordan did not discuss.

jpm01609 said...

the auditorium is the most difficult building in the Lincoln Square area to find a suitable use for.

The Voke buildings will go residential, the courthouse has a colonial front and a 1950s rear, but it does have good parking.

The AUD on the other hand has been surpassed in utility by more functional buildings like the DCU, Hanover, etc. One should first ask, doesn't Worcester have a need for another large hall? After all, 30 years ago roller skating was going on at Mechanic Hall.

But to update the AUD to present code conditions you also have to--by mandate these days bring it up to high energy efficiency. The costs would be staggereing , and the returns, questionable.

What IS clear is that the AUD site and the parking lot behind it are pretty close to Gateway Park and could nicely connect the environments of WPI and the digital game giant that Becker College is quickly becoming.

Let's not be afraid to dream big.
Start thinking aloud what shoud be there.