Why is downtown hollywood soo skeevy? (Miami, Miami Beach: rent, sex offenders, lawyer)

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by SierraDog

Downtown Hollywood has always been a little bit skeevy, but has gotten worse over the past few years.

Compared to what? That area had nowhere to go but up from a few years ago.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by SierraDog

Downtown Hollywood has always been a little bit skeevy, but has gotten worse over the past few years. Lots of shops shuttered and the main attractions are the bars. But alkies and homeless people are prevalent in any desirable area, Miami Beach included. I like downtown Hollywood and Hollywood Beach, but I definitely take more care down there than I used to. But I have to hand it to Hollywood, they do *try* to make the area a success, and I feel like eventually it will improve once the economy picks up.

I don't know about that. In my opinion Hollywood has very little to offer. But we shall see.

[fauve]

Originally Posted by SierraDog

Downtown Hollywood has always been a little bit skeevy, but has gotten worse over the past few years. Lots of shops shuttered and the main attractions are the bars. But alkies and homeless people are prevalent in any desirable area, Miami Beach included. I like downtown Hollywood and Hollywood Beach, but I definitely take more care down there than I used to. But I have to hand it to Hollywood, they do *try* to make the area a success, and I feel like eventually it will improve once the economy picks up.

I agree completely. I've always gotten a Miami Beach vibe from Hollywood.

[fauve]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

I don't know about that. In my opinion Hollywood has very little to offer. But we shall see.

I disagree. Hollywood has a ton to offer. It has the beach, the broadwalk, a tourist presence, a vibrant downtown, a park in its downtown, live music, a farmer's market, artists, gays, interesting pre-50's residential architecture on tree-lined streets (Hollywood Lakes) that is walking distance to downtown, and new residential loft-type development. What else would you want?

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by fauve

I disagree. Hollywood has a ton to offer. It has the beach, the broadwalk, a tourist presence, a vibrant downtown, a park in its downtown, live music, a farmer's market, artists, gays, interesting pre-50's residential architecture on tree-lined streets (Hollywood Lakes) that is walking distance to downtown, and new residential loft-type development. What else would you want?

lets take this step by step

"It has a beach"

So does Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Boca Raton etc. and they do it a heck of a lot better than hollywood does. That boardwalk is right next to some of the ugliest buildings and a mall that looks like something out of mad max. Hollywood is not a very attractive place.

"the broadwalk"

See above

"Tourist presence"

So do the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton etc. and they do it a heck of a lot better than Hollywood does. And Hollywood’s tourism base is not doing much to help its faulting financial stability either.

"Vibrant Downtown"

Really? Have you been there lately? I was there last week and the week before that and the week before that. I would say over 40% of those stores are empty, closing or on the verge of closing. Also the turn over there is extremely high/unhealthy. Not to mention the high number of undesirables over there. Just so I don't leave any room for someone who wants to prove a point out of nothing. I go there to take pictures for a series I am working on.

"Live Music"

Again so do the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and many other South Florida areas. So how does this help Hollywood. To be viable you have to have something people want. Something that is truly desirable. That place doesn't have it.

"Farmers Market"

Umm have you been to that thing? Very little of the stuff being sold there is local produce which is not a true farmers market. Farmers Markets are traditionally places were LOCAL farmers go and sale their goods to the public. That place doesn't do that. If you go and pay attention to what is written on the boxes they unload from the carts you will see what I mean. Even though very little of it is local the farmers market on Lincoln road on South Beach blows it away. So again, this isn't something that Hollywood has a great advantage in.


“Artists”

Again, can't compete with Miami and Fort Lauderdale has a far stronger artist presence and appreciation for artist. Miami's design district with its art walk puts Hollywood to shame and Fort Lauderdale has done things like given artist a co operative apartment complex to help them focus on their art work. Again Hollywood doesn't have the advantage here.

"Gays"

Had to scratch my head on this one.

Interesting pre-50's residential architecture on tree-lined streets (Hollywood Lakes) that is walking distance to downtown

This is does have but So does Miami and so does Fort Lauderdale. Go walk around Victoria Park or those finger Islands off Las Olas. That area has beautiful architecture and walking distance from the beach. So again, Hollywood doesn't have an advantage there.

"New residential loft-type development"

You should take a trip to Brickell, Park West, Design District, Flagler Village, Colee Bend, Progresso Village, etc. Has even more than Hollywood has and the architecture on a lot of these buildings are very very nice, even more so than Hollywood’s. The only place that really appeals to me architecturally in Hollywood is these town homes near Hollywood Station. Very pretty, but no match for what I have seen in the other places I named.

So now to the last question, what more could I want?

Mass Transit, a place that has thriving business, a place that has tons of art galleries and a thriving art scene. I want a place that I can see strong economic viability in. I want a place that I don't see tons and tons of homeless and mentally ill people. A place I can feel safe living in. Hollywood is "cute" but again it doesn't have much to offer in light of what the cities surrounding it have to offer. If you or anyone else likes Hollywood then to each its own, but I demand more out of a city. I demand long-term economic and social viability and from an economic standpoint, I just don't see it for Hollywood. Not to mention it is ONE of the leading cities in South Florida in the way of foreclosures, which has long term social ramifications. That place is in BIG trouble, and I really don't see what it has to offer that could pull it out of the nosedive that it is on. To pull it out it needs more than something that is a mere shadow of surrounding areas. It needs true economic viability.

[fauve]

Hollywood Beach is hip *and affordable.* It's as simple as that. I appreciate that long post you wrote, but I don't want to argue line by line. People visit and either it's their kind of place or it isn't. And, as far as how often I go, we were there tonight for dessert. It's wonderful eating out on the broadwalk people-watching with the ocean in the background. Good place to take a couple mile stroll in a cool breeze after dinner too.

(Btw, full disclosure - the foreclosure I got is in the jacaranda country club in Plantation)

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by fauve

Hollywood Beach is hip *and affordable.* It's as simple as that. I appreciate that long post you wrote, but I don't want to argue line by line. People visit and either it's their kind of place or it isn't. And, as far as how often I go, we were there tonight for dessert. It's wonderful eating out on the broadwalk people-watching with the ocean in the background. Good place to take a couple mile stroll in a cool breeze after dinner too.

(Btw, full disclosure - the foreclosure I got is in the jacaranda country club in Plantation)

Well that's your opinion of Hollywood, one I don't share and to each their own.

[fauve]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

I was thinking about moving down to Hollywood until the twig and berries incident took place. How is that area south of the main area of downtown. I think its called parkside or something like that.

Sounds like this incident helped put it all together for you. Maybe Weston is for you?

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by fauve

Sounds like this incident helped put it all together for you. Maybe Weston is for you?

Nope, real downtowns with real viability like Miami is more my speed. Miami's downtown has a TON of problems but it has a heck of a lot more going for it than Hollywood ever will. I was looking at hollywood because it was cheap but it is not worth the social issues that place has

[fauve]

yeah, but there'll be twigs and berries, man...