Dan Lawlor: Time to Step Up for the Valley Neighborhood
Tuesday, September 04, 2012
The violence in Valley is costing the neighborhood opportunities to grow.
An artist friend of mine who recently relocated wrote "In the end, I moved away for a location closer to the center of town that seemed safer. The multiple break ins in to cars and apartments near by during the year I lived in the Valley neighboorhood did not lend to making a comfortable home, but I do miss my large apartment with lots of storage and ample parking."
Timmy Murphy, a cook and long time resident, said, after another night of police breaking up fights, "It's the season for violence. There's too much hate. I feel like walking around with a mirror, so people have to look at themselves and think before they start something."
An anonymous homeowner, Latina, living off Academy Ave since 2000, has mentioned, “During the day the streets are safe. Davis Park is nice. The thing is, it's after 8pm, especially on weekends, that Valley St is not too safe. When we first moved here, then, it was just noisy at night. Now there are shootings. Sometimes cars race down Regent Ave. We need some more activity for kids. On Chalkstone Ave, it's this change that we've seen lately. You can hear people screaming. We definitely need more cops around. "
Thankfully, it's not all doom and gloom.
One of the best restaurants in the city, Valley's own Los Andes, has been attracting people from all over, neighborhood couples, business types and politicos. It's just up the block from Gilligan's Pub and Tommy's Pizza, and adjacent to Roger Williams Hospital.
Community people are mobilizing. When a local store owner was found stealing money from customers, a group of residents organized together at their local parish, Blessed Sacrament Church, to brainstorm ways to mobilize and inform the community.
The famous "Providence Needs A Taxpayer Revolt!" signs can be found in the neighborhood, as can a ridiculous amount of graffiti on Chalkstone Ave. businesses, between River and Academy.
The homeowner reflected, "This summer has been the worst. There was a shooting the other night near Wealth St. Just the other evening, around 11pm, I saw four cop cars pull down the street. I've been here for years, and I've never heard of this before."
Bergen St, named after the second largest city in Norway, has been a site of several stabbings and shooting over the past few years. Several homes have gone into foreclosure, and a few are still boarded up.Regent St. Park, nicknamed by some old timers as Needlepoint Park for its history of drug dealing, has had a bit of a renaissance. It could still use some more support.
Side streets near Valley- River, Grosvenor, Health, Harold - have had stabbings, shootings, fights and robberies. An elderly woman who used to know all her neighbors now hurries to lock her doors, and even refuses to put her air conditioner in the window for fear someone will break in.
Valley neighborhood is suffering from what Boston Principal Rashuan Martin has called an “opportunity gap.” Other neighborhoods in the city have great organizations like New Urban Arts, City Arts, Community Music Works, English for Action, the Community Gardens, and the Sports Leagues. The Steel Yard borders Valley, but isn't exclusively geared toward neighborhood youth or families. Those community groups provide opportunities and spaces for community members to choose to engage with each other, gain skills, and build change.
At the center of Valley, on Chalkstone, there is a large brick building, once a movie theater. Some of its windows are cracked, its side wall has graffiti on it - reading "Die" - and the building is empty. It could be a perfect space for one of the city's excellent non-profits to open a satellite space.
My artist friend writes, "Now I live on the East Side, and while I enjoy walking around my Fox Point neighborhood, I miss the feeling of being around lots of families. In Valley, there were always kids running around their driveways or walking to the bus stop. It is definitely a place where people seemed settled unlike the ever changing Fox Point population."
For Valley to stay a settled neighborhood it needs support.
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Comments:
Judith Reilly
5:42am on Tuesday, September 04, 2012
"One of the best restaurants in the city, Valley's own Los Andes, has been attracting people from all over, neighborhood couples, business types and politicos."
I hope it's good and successful restaurant, because Mayor Taveras rammed a $300,000 PEDP loan for it through in August-September 2011, WITHOUT the Board approval requires by PEDP's by-laws for loans over $250,000.
Board minutes of 9/21/2011: The next agenda item entertained by the Board of Directors was the loan to Los Andes, 903 Chalkstone Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island, in the amount of $300,000.00. Mr. Deller presented this request. Mr. Deller indicated that this approval will in fact be a ratification due to the timeframe in which this loan had to close, Mr. Deller spoke with Mayor Taveras and was given the authorization to approve going ahead with the closing of this loan. Upon a motion made by Alberto Guzman and seconded by Gonzalo Cuervo, it was voted to ratify the approval of the loan to Los Andes, in the amount of $300,000.00. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Judith Reilly
5:45am on Tuesday, September 04, 2012
And for completeness, from the PEDP loan committee minutes for 8/3/2011, where its 4 members approved the loan:
The next agenda item entertained by the Loan Committee was the loan request of Los Andes, Rogue Diego Curi 903 Chalkstone Avenue, Providence, Rhode Island, in the amount of $300,000.00. Cesin Curi and Monica Curi-Ross were present to address the committee. Adriana Dawson indicated to the committee that the applicant is also a client of SBDC and questioned whether she should recuse herself relative to this request. Mr. Deller indicated that she did not need to recuse herself on this matter as she will not receive any financial gain. Mr. Curi presented a brief overview of the business. Mr. Curi indicated that the PEDP funds will be used for the acquisition of the building and PEDP will obtain a first position mortgage on the subject property as collateral for the loan. The applicant was questioned as to whether an appraisal has been completed for the subject property and it was indicated that they were waiting on direction from PEDP to have one completed. Mr. Deller requested that they go ahead and complete the appraisal at this time. The principals answered questions with regard to meeting their 2011 projections as well as their future expansion plans. Ms. Dawson indicated to the members that the principals have committed to being ongoing clients of the SBDC and there will continue to be technical assistance from her organization. Upon a motion made by Peter Scotti and seconded by Frank Benell, it was voted to approve the loan request of Los Andes, as presented, subject to an appraisal being conducted and a LTV of at least eighty percent (80%). Adriana Dawson recused from voting in connection with this loan request. Motion passed by vote. Mr. Deller indicated that due to the amount of this loan, the request will now be presented to the PEDP Board of Directors for approval.
robert phellps
6:39am on Tuesday, September 04, 2012
NUKE IT..take the Councilwoman w/you..hurry before she grabs the Housing Authority job for herself, and a city job for hubby..PHONIES
Roger Williams
7:03am on Tuesday, September 04, 2012
Los Andes is actually doing well, Judith - very well - and in this case (at least), acquiring the building makes some modicum of good financial sense for a business when it's doing well. With this said, I still cringe whenever I see the PEDP.
As for Valley ... what can I say? The larger neighborhood is a mess. I live next door in the West End, and everything going on in Valley, from the derelict buildings, drug sales, drive by shootings, home and auto break ins, is going on here, too. The solution is not non-profit organizations - the solution is to fix the city's rotten finances, and encourage more employment and home ownership.
Joe Public
8:56am on Tuesday, September 04, 2012
I think the question is not whether the restaurant is doing well, but whether the mayor plays by the rules or breaks them.
Harold Stassen
10:53am on Tuesday, September 04, 2012
A once proud neighborhood that has been totally neglected by city officials too interested in advancing their political careers rather than working to solve the problems. One restaurant (Los Andes) doe not a neighborhood make.
John McGrath
5:05pm on Tuesday, September 04, 2012
Providence needs a Community Schools program similar to Boston's and Toronto's.
How it works: After classes, a school is formally turned over to a legal entity headed by a neighborhood council/board. This board decides on programs to host - sports, theater, tutoring, crafts, AA or drugs anonymous, GED, English as a second language, drawing, etc. The programs attract teens and adults. Teachers volunteer. For many of the programs college students also volunteer. There would be a small paid staff.
The community schools program reports directly to the mayor, not the School Board.
In Boston the community schools program serves only poorer neighborhoods. In Toronto it serves all neighborhoods.
There are too few evening activities for teens. The bets solution is not to isolate the teens but have them attend activities in a building where there are many adults.
John McGrath
Wuggly Ump
8:05am on Friday, September 07, 2012
Why do we insist that it is the cities responsibility to find activities for the kids? This is the parents responsibility.
This whole state needs more discipline, respect for others, their property, and personal responsibility.