Comments

1
But but but, where will the homeless piss now?
2
God every third person downtown this year has been carrying one of those pink boxes. I usually chafe at reflexive Voodoo bashing, but I'll admit I get irrationally annoyed after a while.

Do they sell stock yet?
3
@CC. Get your own piece of the action. Start selling bagels or pretzels in the shape of a cock and balls.
4
Is or isn't there a public bench? If not why the fuck do they get to police public property?
5
My gut instinct says that I should be pissed off about this- businesses paying off the city to carve out more patio space out of a public area. I'm totally for this, though. Ankeny is essentially a pedestrian thoroughfare already, and I like the idea of planning following use, rather than the other way around.
6
Hey Jonathan, gross exaggerations and fear-mongering are really cool rhetorical tools! Just wanted to make sure you understand that you're debating like a Republican congressman.

Ridiculous outrage aside, I couldn't be more thrilled about this. What an excellent public (yes, Jonathan, it is public, except the tables will be for patrons as stated in all sidewalk table agreements) reclamation of previously underused space (although surely Jonathan preferred the public access to park his SUV there).

I'll be there for a cocktail ASAP.
7
Bike (riding) free too! Huzzah!
9
So why is it sane that business take over public property in order for them to make more money?

The purpose of this exercise is not to keep out SUVs but to keep out undesirables i.e the homeless, who have been purposely concentrated in Old Town, but now bit by bit have literally no where to go. Seriously, right across the street there are several shelters, and there is an entire street that is now off limits.

In addition, Arkney before this was MORE of a public place then than it is now, you can't walk on the street because there are roped off tables and it is uncomfortable to use the sidewalk. Also, you can't cross the street because of the tables, you literally have to talk all the way to the end of the street then around.

Portland is slowly but surely becoming like the rest of the US, a bunch of sociopaths that are okay with anything as long as it benefits directly or entertains them. Oh boy, I want my cocktails, who gives a shit what it takes.

But thats capitalism, once you embrace it is always a slippery slide until you are stomping on people with no where else to go because you want fresh air with your cocktail from Valentines. Pretty much all hipsters are economic conservatives anyway, it isn't a surprise, but man the hypocrisy is some amazing shit.
10
People love to hate. And wow, what a great example of man's fear of change.

- More job opportunities (all of the businesses are going to have to hire more people to make this work).

-We're lucky nobody has been killed on this street already. It's a madhouse when cars are driving down there when busy.

-Holy crap! It helps the economy. God forbid we should step up to the plate and become "like the rest of the US" and try to work towards expanding businesses, tourism, and whatever else it takes to survive.

-Anybody that defends the homeless regarding this situation obviously spends very little time downtown. Having an alley open to smoking crack, starting fights, and harassing customers of these businesses is in no way good for their well being.

-Ardennes own hypocrisy is some amazing shit. Just reread your post. Might take a few rounds for you to understand though.
11
Okay, Ardennes, I'll bite. Like Jonathan above, you're grossly exaggerating the reality and twisting facts to justify your knee-jerk, anti-business outrage. As I said above, these are the rhetorical tactics of the intellectually inept.

Please explain how removing a roadway and on-street parking affects Portlanders experiencing homelessness. Are people currently using the roadway or parking spaces to sleep or otherwise assemble? It's worth noting (unless you're intentionally twisting facts) that the existing sidewalks remain open, accessible and fully public. What the ordinance actually does (and I know, it's so much easier to employ the Tea Party tactic of railing against a pretend version of what it does) is turn the roadway into a designated sidewalk and allow the businesses to maintain sidewalk table permits for that space, just like any other sidewalk tables in town.

Also, please enlighten me as to which shelters are directly across the street? Because I don't think there are any. Around the corner and odwn the street on Burnside, yes, but I don't think there are any across the street.

Finally, your lazy, tired accusations of "hipsters" and "sociopaths" are simply stupid. These are, again, the rhetorical tools of someone unwilling or unable to engage in a real discussion and instead turn to petty name-calling and fear-mongering.

The real question I want to ask, though, is how does grandstanding about a previously unuseable roadway space being turned into sidewalk cafe tables advance the cause of ending homelessness?
12
I hate everything and everybody and I consider myself an expert on the subject of anything and everything. You all suck. I'm right, you're wrong. Period. The End.
-- Sincerely, Your Royal Me-ness
13
It will advance homelessness because the homeless can now hit you up while you are sucking on a cock shaped donut while sitting on a piss soaked wood picnic table.

Please wait...

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