tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post8593146924754348486..comments2024-03-28T08:28:35.507-04:00Comments on Hell's Acres: When Did Downtown Springfield Jump the Shark? Part 1Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-72281796240100996972021-05-12T08:22:03.975-04:002021-05-12T08:22:03.975-04:00Yes, I believe the Capitol Theater was in that blo...Yes, I believe the Capitol Theater was in that block.Hell’s Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-60397835594459621702021-05-09T22:57:51.573-04:002021-05-09T22:57:51.573-04:00Was just going to bring up a comment about the lar...Was just going to bring up a comment about the large hole next to City Hall in Spfld. If I'm not mistaken and remember correctly, which I'm sure I have. The hole came about after they knocked down the old Capital Movie Theater that stood there for year & decades. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10514185544631817698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-60357883893452326242018-03-11T22:11:37.577-04:002018-03-11T22:11:37.577-04:00You know, I never thought about it before, but you...You know, I never thought about it before, but you're right, they made NYC a lot safer. I remember going down there in the 1980s--trash and graffiti everywhere, constantly fearing getting mugged etc. Grand Central Station was basically a homeless encampment. So when you think of it, if they can turn around a huge city like that--and everyone thought it was beyond repair--maybe there is hope for Springfield.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-4607308866563680592018-03-11T21:36:38.982-04:002018-03-11T21:36:38.982-04:00The shark had been shot, killed, and stuffed, alon...The shark had been shot, killed, and stuffed, along with the jumper, when I was in high school (late 90s). We'd skip and head down to City Jakes for breakfast then get the hell out of Dodge before it got too late in the day.<br /><br />I can remember walking down State Street toward Main one day on our way to the bus stop when a couple of opportunistic kids tried to run us out of our money. I understand why and the how, but it made me realize that the place I had hung out at with my mom during Take Your Daughter to Work Day had long since died.<br /><br />This casino nonsense doesn't sound like it will do much good either. Considering the safety issues still going on, I honestly think the Casino will only make things worse.<br /><br />I'm honestly not sure if there's anything to be done about it. I remember as a kid hearing about how awful NYC was. It seems like they've turned things around a bit (though rents are outrageous) so maybe it's just a matter of time. Maybe we'll see it in our lifetimes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-38665093556186750362017-11-22T13:16:45.324-05:002017-11-22T13:16:45.324-05:00As a kid I remember trips to Downtown to shop at t...As a kid I remember trips to Downtown to shop at the nice stores for school & holiday clothes.<br />As an adult I had two full time jobs that had me working Downtown for 22 years. I was the last Office Manager for Johnson's Bookstore. The malls really ruined stores like Johnson's. Customer service was a must (not like today). Until the day I left there (1996) I watched Downtown go from a great place to eat or shop to a place that is on the news when there's a crime of some sort. It is a shame.Sandinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-34331707158946397232017-10-15T14:14:49.469-04:002017-10-15T14:14:49.469-04:00Thanks for the comments, David. I am hoping that t...Thanks for the comments, David. I am hoping that the casino will make the Main/State intersection safer, but will it get more dangerous elsewhere? There was a shooting at Lyman and Dwight the other night. This was at 8:30 pm—not the wee hours.9Hell’s Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-59339891448802699152017-10-14T08:08:17.276-04:002017-10-14T08:08:17.276-04:00Greetings All -
I have just enjoyed reading the ...Greetings All - <br /><br />I have just enjoyed reading the narrative and commentary, but I am moved to comment by gloom of this blog.<br /><br />In fact the comments about the 'Low-income' folk and Section 8 rental are pretty much on point. By the operation of arithmetic low-income people do not have a lot of money and cannot support a viable Downtown. What many people do not realize is that the have been Federal laws since 1968 against concentrating poor folks in a city or community as has been done in Springfield, but these are never enforced in Springfield because the Globe does not cover anything that happens in WMass, and because HAP, certain law firms, and a number of landlords have been making millions$. Therefore violators inside and outside of City Hall have gotten a free ride, and continue to do so. Maybe the location of the MGM Casino in Springfield will end the isolation and result in enforcement activity.<br /><br />Just to clarify the ordinance people were talking about limited buildings to 8 stories, like Forbes and Wallace and Third National Bank, not 4 stories, and was repealed in the 1960s when a developer wanted to build a high-rise next to Classical where the Church of the Unity used to be. It never got built but the the Valley Bank Tower was built as part of Baystate/West.<br /><br />My nominations for the point at which the 'Shark was jumped' would be, from what I have heard and inferred:<br /><br />1.) The point at which Mayor O'Connor (et al) decided to tear down the North End, even though it was 90% code compliant, and have I-91 cut through Springfield instead of staying in West Springfield as originally planned. This reduced the economic activity Downtown, which had rivaled that of Hartford until then, and cut the City's population by probably 30,000 people.<br /><br />2.) The point at which "Business leaders' insisted on building Eastfield Mall on Boston Road even though the developer who was brought in, James Rouse, of Rouse Co., argued hard against the project, because he felt Springfield was not big enough to support multiple regional shopping areas, and that the activity should be gathered together in the Downtown area. The man who told me that story claimed that the President of Springfield Five Cent Savings was the one pushing hard to undermine Downtown, but I have not done the research to confirm that.<br /><br />3.) The point in the 'Savings and Loan Crisis' when Bank of New England/West was taken over by FDIC, even though it was solvent while the rest of Bank of New England had been run irresponsibly, RECOLL was created, and the financing for Steiger's Christmas season was canceled, forcing the sale of the chain to Filene's at a huge loss. As I understand it Art Cement in Wilbraham as well as other local businesses were also forced out of business in the same way, as part of a transfer of $500 million out of Springfield into Boston and Hartford. <br /><br />4.) The point at which the Commonwealth of Mass in the person of William Weld decided to proceed with the conversion of Chestnut Park Apartments to low-income (LIHTC) housing despite the objections of Mayor Albano. The Director of Housing said at the time that Mr. Albano "Should get over it" despite the illegality of the move. (I just checked and she still works there.) The State got millions, Related Capital (of NYC) has made millions, many families have been abused, and we have an economic 'Black hole'.<br /><br />The solution, if any, is probably a combination of, as has been noted, getting on top of the mix of housing so that 'Affordable' housing is kept to an appropriate minimum, and at the same time build on the casino to make sure there is a safe environment, good market rate housing at all price levels, a variety of good retail stores, and a far larger daytime population. Even with Amazon and Walmart this can probably be done, but it will need to be done deliberately. It will not happen by itself.David Gabynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-78173950703117144362016-06-01T00:17:18.899-04:002016-06-01T00:17:18.899-04:00A friend of mine an I were having a discussion abo...A friend of mine an I were having a discussion about the new casino project the other day. We both grew up in the Springfield suburbs (Ludlow and Wilbraham) and both currently reside in large South American cities with typically poor reputations for public safety, myself in Buenos Aires, Argentina and my friend in Bogota, Colombia. I mentioned the casino project and how while, it's not a cure-all for what ails Springfield, it can't hurt. He laughed and said since people get shot all the time in downtown Springfield that it was doomed to fail. I forced him to reconsider his scorn for our old city when I pointed out that most Springfield residents would never set foot in our cities due to crime stories, yet we happily go about our normal daily lives and enjoy all our amazing cities have to offer. The story of Springfield's decline is sad, but better days are ahead and I look forward to a return visit in the not so distant future!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-53116267182646376812015-12-22T20:05:11.056-05:002015-12-22T20:05:11.056-05:00Hey,
Thanks for commenting. I took out a couple o...Hey,<br /><br />Thanks for commenting. I took out a couple of sentences in your comment that some might find offensive. Sorry. it's too bad they "dump their mattresses, tires, couches, televisions and motor oil right on the ground in front of their own houses," but there is no easy solution. Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-77797460757126033742015-12-22T20:01:17.306-05:002015-12-22T20:01:17.306-05:00I invested my money and labor in pine point, what ...I invested my money and labor in pine point, what a mistake. <br /><br />House is worth half the mortgage, my daughters bus stop is a 3x heroin bust site, every singlefamily home around me became an absentee landlord section 8 rental. I plow the street myself for lack of dpw. Except around the projects, somehow those folks get immediate snow removal and landscaping done by contractor at my expense. The best pockets of once working middle class east springfield are always half way between projects, which are about every two miles. <br /><br />You want to bring back springfield? Deport the parasites and itll spring to life like amherst overnight. Bet me on it. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-26609659993781201462015-03-30T10:05:29.961-04:002015-03-30T10:05:29.961-04:00Hi Brian B,
I had never heard about this ordinanc...Hi Brian B,<br /><br />I had never heard about this ordinance, but I did search around the web, and it appears that in places there still is an ordinance prohibiting commercial buildings higher than 4 stories or 60 feet. Can you provide more info, because this would be a huge handicap for businesses. Can anyone else weigh in on this?<br /><br />I had heard of an old state ordinance limiting the height of buildings in Springfield to 125 feet, which I touch on here: http://hellsacres.blogspot.com/2013/04/spitting-to-all-fields-part-11.html.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-89824549190489619732015-03-29T20:52:31.614-04:002015-03-29T20:52:31.614-04:00I was born at Wesson Memorial in 1954 and grew up ...I was born at Wesson Memorial in 1954 and grew up in Thompsonville CT (a Springfield suburb...albeit in CT) during the 1960's and have fond memories of visiting the city as a youth. Every Saturday my Italian American grand mother would take us kids on the bus through Longmeadow to downtown Springfield for shopping and a movie. We would get Italian ice cream, hit the local shops, go to the Catholic church to do confession and end up catching a movie at the Bijou and eating Chinese food. We would sometimes go to Woolworths where my mother's cousin worked. She managed the children's clothing department and whenever we would go there the boy's underwear magically be marked down. We called it the family discount. Anyway, and this is a memoir and anecdotal, so forgive me if I am off a bit or if it was already mentioned in this string... but I recall my parents speaking of Springfield's "jumping the shark" in the 1960's and it really had nothing to do with crime or the local population. Rather...it was a HUGE mistake made by the city fathers running the government at the time. As I recall, over the years Springfield rivaled Hartford as the economic powerhouse in western Southern New England. And it wasn't always clear who would be the victor. But in the mid 1960's Springfield sealed it's economic and commercial decline by passing a city ordinance prohibiting the construction of buildings higher than 4 stories tall and declaring itself to be the "city of homes." This sent a contemptuous message to big business (insurance companies in particular) and associated commercial/retail interests that they could no longer expand or develop in Springfield...and generally were no longer welcome in the city. So Springfield sealed its own fate...and Hartford and New haven won. Sure...some years later Springfield would change it's mind...but it was too late...because the downward spiral was substantially irreversible as Springfield became better known for it's unsavory aspects of urban decline rather than it's robust economic base. The rest is just a sadconsequence. Brian Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-41075593718538626042015-01-26T14:03:49.288-05:002015-01-26T14:03:49.288-05:00The casino is not an answer to Springfield's p...The casino is not an answer to Springfield's problems, but I think an $800 million project that will bring jobs and entertainment etc. into the area is a good thing.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-7765353663431427192015-01-25T22:06:34.981-05:002015-01-25T22:06:34.981-05:00Hi, Thomas.
I, too, grew up in the acres and stil...Hi, Thomas.<br /><br />I, too, grew up in the acres and still live here! Excellent read. <br /><br /> I'm wondering what your thoughts are now that MGM Springfield will be moving into our wonderful downtown? <br /><br /> I'm wondering what your thoughtsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-49011897763005782412015-01-25T12:34:35.579-05:002015-01-25T12:34:35.579-05:00Yes, I agree, even though it was acoustic Hot Tuna...Yes, I agree, even though it was acoustic Hot Tuna. Electric would have been really something! I would have been moved to write something on a bathroom stall.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-88551004014085335222015-01-25T02:24:20.444-05:002015-01-25T02:24:20.444-05:00The Band, Taj Mahal and Hot Tuna ranks amongst the...The Band, Taj Mahal and Hot Tuna ranks amongst the best concerts I've seen.Leona is a spyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11745211915380146840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-73306481184093469202014-07-26T18:07:17.783-04:002014-07-26T18:07:17.783-04:00No. I was well out of the 'hood by then. I mov...No. I was well out of the 'hood by then. I moved out of Springfield in 1984, and except for visiting my mom, that was that.Randylouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15395085556145687438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-71979837629477159382014-07-26T14:11:07.943-04:002014-07-26T14:11:07.943-04:00lol. Put it on a billboard on 91!
Hey Randylou, I...lol. Put it on a billboard on 91!<br /><br />Hey Randylou, I was talking to a guy about 15 years younger than me who hails from East Sixteen Acres--your neck of The Sticks. He described a gang feud in the 1990s between Thief Mob (Joan Street area) and the Natural Born Racists (Tinkham Road/Gate of Heaven Cemetery/Brunton School area).<br /><br />Ever hear of these crews? Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-35932357036535618502014-07-26T14:04:40.514-04:002014-07-26T14:04:40.514-04:00Now, there's a slogan.Now, there's a slogan.Randylouhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15395085556145687438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-6195441146459358222014-07-26T13:58:43.066-04:002014-07-26T13:58:43.066-04:00Hi Charles,
Thanks for commenting.
My wife and I...Hi Charles,<br /><br />Thanks for commenting.<br /><br />My wife and I went to Capital Grille in Hartford last night, and driving back up 91 she noted how cosmopolitan downtown Hartford is and had some choice words for downtown Springfield ("ghetto" etc.).<br /><br />But I stuck up for my old city and insisted we grab a beer downtown. She reluctantly agreed. So we parked in Stearns Square and popped over to Theodore's and listened to a blues band for a half an hour. It was thoroughly enjoyable.<br /><br />Message to everyone: you can go downtown Springfield without getting shot! Try it sometime!Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-47250458945667131732014-07-26T13:51:54.956-04:002014-07-26T13:51:54.956-04:00If anything, part of the problem is Springfield is...If anything, part of the problem is Springfield is a classic case of kicking a guy when he's down. Even before social media and the internet in general, people ranging from past residents, current residents, visitors and those who have never been here, have taken an absolute delight in bashing the city, solely for the sake of bashing. Obviously like so many other cities, Springfield certainly had it's heyday, as many decades ago that was. But for those to simply say Springfield was never good and there's absolutely no chance for redemption is uncalled for. Springfield has been the victim of decades of failed government largely due to corruption. If we can elect honest leadership which leads to the appointment of other honest people to head the various city departments, who then hire honest employees, the sky is the limit. That coupled with economic development projects that will have a lasting impact. Other cities that have reached rock bottom at levels beyond what Springfield's radar, have made dramatic turnarounds. So why can't Springfield?Charlesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-56343060073892229802014-02-13T15:06:19.315-05:002014-02-13T15:06:19.315-05:00Ultimately, from lost jobs to lost souls, the comm...Ultimately, from lost jobs to lost souls, the common imploder is government...the more democratic, the more thorough the destruction.Websterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14507991032266702862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-63752166987783462752014-01-04T21:06:34.580-05:002014-01-04T21:06:34.580-05:00To me the term "Jump the Shark" always m...To me the term "Jump the Shark" always meant something was once good then it started to suck at some inevitable turning point. The problem with using that term in referenced to Springfield is that is was NEVER great or even good, at least not in my lifetime and I am 40 years old. Its a fuckimg toilet, always has been, and always will be. Get out, stay out, and forget about it. A previous comment made reference to the problem of poor people unwilling to work infesting the city. This is obviously a huge part of the problem, or maybe just a symptom of a city run by white collar criminals. I wouldn't set foot in that city if they were giving out free money in the streets. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-54441238594615384442012-11-28T09:20:49.952-05:002012-11-28T09:20:49.952-05:00While the shootings at The Hippodrome in 2007 was ...While the shootings at The Hippodrome in 2007 was damaging to that club & the "entertainment" district... there were many issues there prior to that night. There were stabbings & problems before this night. The club catered to a ghetto crowd & they got what they asked for. Although chicken should not cause people to fight...there were many problems there as well. But, the owners, the police tell me, were sending their profits to the middle east so it was good they were shut down.Melanienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8436846479279507747.post-34506395748176374902012-11-02T11:03:22.586-04:002012-11-02T11:03:22.586-04:00Hi Grace,
Thanks for commenting. One thing I didn...Hi Grace,<br /><br />Thanks for commenting. One thing I didn't want to do with this piece was dissuading anyone from investing in Springfield or moving (back) to this city. It has problems, like many middle-size and large cities. For example, iIn Boston, where I lived for two decades, it is a good idea to keep your wits about you at all times to avoid being a crime victim. Boston, as you know, has a relatively safe downtown, but bad things can happen if you let your guard down.<br /><br />I would tell anyone that going to downtown Springfield bars is fun, but it can get more than a little hairy at 2:00 a.m., and the same is true for Boston.<br /><br />I think it's great you are considering a move back here. It won't be easy to rebuild a middle class in Springfield, and the city needs more people like you.Hell's Acresnoreply@blogger.com