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I don't know much about Maine but I see at least 17 Chinese restaurants in Portland, ME. Quite a few others scattered around the state, but definitely less than I would expect.
The only states with a smaller percentage of Asian Americans than Maine are Wyoming, Montana, Mississippi and West Virginia. 17 in Portland seems very decent, considering.
Well according to the complainers, you need NY water to make decent bagels with.
Northern NE is much more rural and not known for ethnic foods.
There is nothing wrong with Providence remaining a small city, either.
When I lived in Maine, the complaints were about the quality/authenticity of the Chinese food, not necessarily the lack of it (in the Portland area and Western Maine, there were no shortage of Chinese restaurants). I'm not sure if that's what people are complaining about in the ME forum recently. But no, I wouldn't go to Maine expecting good or abundant ethnic food, just like I wouldn't expect St. Louis to be a haven for fresh seafood.
The bagel debates are next level silly. I'm not unconvinced that the whole "New York Water makes them better" argument is the only BS reason someone can come up with to explain why a correctly made bagel in NY is somehow better than a correctly made bagel anywhere else (they're pretty simple).
To me, a seaport means a seaport- like boats tied up in a harbor or larger boats in a big port. Providence was a big port at one time in its history.
The Seaport in Boston still has piers with boats tied up, marinas, etc. But the remaining "working waterfront" elements are rapidly disappearing. Closer to the Financial District, it's almost entirely recreational. And while the harbor walk is certainly nice to stroll, the neighborhood itself is just a collection of glass boxes that could literally be anywhere in the world. New York, Washington DC, London, etc. all have very similar "new" neighborhoods with a very similar appearance and feel (event he same corporate chain restaurants and stores). But those cities are so large that an entire new neighborhood like the Seaport won't have an outsized impact on the character of the city as a whole. The same cannot be said for a small city like Providence.
Portland, ME isn't perfect, but there are some examples of thoughtful infill that, while modern, still reflects the city's architectural character. For example, this won't win awards, nor is it faux historical, but it does blend fairly seamlessly with the surroundings. The average person walking down Commercial St. probably wouldn't recognize it as new. There are plenty of cues to take from in the Jewelry District for the new 195 parcels so that we don't end up with a neighborhood full of this crap. It can be done. It is being done elsewhere.
There is nothing wrong with Providence remaining a small city, either.
Thank you for actually expressing that idea! Of course, too many forces at work to keep building large buildings and increasing density (the latest fad from the architecture schools).
Currently, a developer on the East Side is trying to crowd 4 new buildings on the same lot of an historic home in an historic district. No backyards allowed any more it appears.*
Big and ever growing seems to be the only acceptable mantra. Aesthetics, livability, and ease of getting around are way down the list.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of places in other parts of the city that can and should be improved- the developers aren't interested in those areas of course because those don't attract the big money buyers and renters. It's not about providing people nice places to live folks, it's just about making big profit, often by destroying the historic character of neighborhoods.
PS:
*The Providence Group (Dustin Dezube, Managing Partner) has preliminary plans to subdivide the 29,961 square-foot lot at 64 Angell Street into five parcels, leaving the historic Captain George Benson House (1794) where it is, and adding four additional single-family residences at the corners of the large lot (by right the lot can be subdivided as long as each property is at least 5,000 square feet).
The property is in the city’s College Hill Local Historic District and the federally designated College Hill National Register District.
Well according to the complainers, you need NY water to make decent bagels with.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lrfox
The bagel debates are next level silly. I'm not unconvinced that the whole "New York Water makes them better" argument is the only BS reason someone can come up with to explain why a correctly made bagel in NY is somehow better than a correctly made bagel anywhere else (they're pretty simple).
The only states with a smaller percentage of Asian Americans than Maine are Wyoming, Montana, Mississippi and West Virginia. 17 in Portland seems very decent, considering.
The Chinese mafia (aka "The Triad") has been buying up houses all over Maine for the past decade. They use them as marijuana grow houses.
Meanwhile, there are plenty of places in other parts of the city that can and should be improved- the developers aren't interested in those areas of course because those don't attract the big money buyers and renters. It's not about providing people nice places to live folks, it's just about making big profit, often by destroying the historic character of neighborhoods.
Can you honestly say Seaport type growth in the North Main area wouldn't be an improvement?
Heck, why not do the same on Allens Ave.
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