Sunday, July 12, 2015

Misty Lightning Rod

Kendrick Place Saturday morning just before the mist rolled in

Normally I post to this blog first, created a tiny url, come up with a snappy one sentence teaser, and then post to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, which combined drive about 33% of my traffic.

These days I also post a fair amount to those three social media sites photos or slice-of-life incidents that don't quite rise to the level of a full-story blog post.

But this is the first time I'm doing a blog post based on a simple Facebook item, which as of now has attracted more feedback than any Facebook post in my short history (beating out I'm sad to say a picture of my darling daughters from a couple years back.)

Obviously Kendrick Place is a lightning rod guaranteed to attract attention.  Kind of like cute kitty videos on YouTube.

Some people see it as an ugly monster dominating the skyline in the northern end of dowtown, while others see it as a tax generating symbol of progress that helps to fill the number one need in the town today:  housing.

Interestingly enough as of this writing the simple Facebook photo op has drawn 32 comments, but only seven outright negative.  More interestingly it also has 37 "likes," and I assume my friends would not hit the like button unless they kind of liked the idea of the building.

 Kendrick Place in the mist (some would like it do disappear altogether)

Or maybe it was just the artsy photo.  Oddly enough the mist rolled in 5 or 6 minutes after my drone went airborne and had already snapped a few photos.  When looking at my iPad Mini monitor I at first thought it was just condensation on the lens but a glance up quickly proved otherwise.

 Carriage Shops: future site of One East Pleasant Street

Whatever the case, with all this attention generated by a five-story mixed-use building with only 36 residential units you have to wonder what's going to happen when One East Pleasant street goes up pretty much next door -- with over twice that capacity.

I hope the developers plan to install extra heavy duty lightning rods.



UPDATE 8:30 PM So I'm pleased to report I have a new winner for all time high likes on Facebook (yeah, that was quick):


19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually, that mist is the overflow from all the smoke that John Fox has been blowing up our butts about these buildings.

Anonymous said...

I would rather see a parking garage be built behind CVS prior to the 1 East Pleasant Street building going up.

Anonymous said...

Even worse than buildings people don't want to see are the people that don't own these buildings that think their opinion about them matters. Even worse than that would be using force to try to limit the rights of the landowner by sending town officials after them after some kind of puppet vote of people that don't own the land. At least the buildings don't spend their time trying to violate other peoples' fundamental rights. I'll take the buildings over the jealous people any day of the week.

Anonymous said...

Just to correct Helen Berg's misinformation, there is a sidewalk around the Kendrick Place building. It just hasn't been open or visible during construction.

Anonymous said...

Helen Berg + misinformation = redundant

Anonymous said...

That's OK, a vet of the AFD is online saying that the building's safety design and construction style "blows his mind" and is "disposable", that as a result of the design he expects that the entire building will collapse from the first small fire or pipe break, and that he is "scared as hell" that he will be in there when it collapses. Maybe someone ought to look into those observations, or at least ask the AFD Chief to bring any firefighter's concerns to the attention of the proper officials? We would be remiss not to route these concerns through the proper channels so they can be addressed appropriately...better safe than sorry.

Larry Kelley said...

Sorry Anon, I can't publish that. (If you take out the last part in parenthesis ...)

Anonymous said...

I can't remember what I wrote, exactly, so I will summarize my thought thusly. Kurt, shut up.

Larry Kelley said...

Close enough.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, Kurt's back!
Who will he harass first?
Oh, never mind. I see who he's picked.

Anonymous said...

12:18 (Kurt)

As Abe Lincoln said,"don't believe everything you read on the Internet, even it appears to have been written by a 'vet of the AFD'"

The same 'vet of the AFD' also blogged that s/he is "scared as hell" riding a bicycle, especially a pre-owned bicycle. I believe that all pre-owned bicycle stores in Amherst should be shut down, until the AFD chief can confirm or deny these concerns. Better safe than sorry!

Meanwhile, go check out the new UMass design building, just down North Pleasant, currently under construction. The entire 4-story structure will be wood.

Anonymous said...

I'm starting to get used to Kendrick Place and it's New Jersey office park look.

Anonymous said...

I actually think it looks great.

Dr. Ed said...

Hey Kurt,

If you think the building is unsafe, and if you can actually articulate one or more reasons as to why you think it is unsafe, why don't you write a letter to either the State Fire Marshal and/or Commissioner of Public Safety?

Of course you'd actually have to sign your name to such a document, but if you actually had a real reason that has a scintilla of merit, this is what a responsible adult does.

Anonymous said...

Can we ask Comcast to block internet access to the Geryk adults, as part of the new agreement? Think about it...if the G's didn't spend so much time on the web, then:
1. There would not have been "Dylan" day (cancelled school day) at ARHS
2. Dylan would have graduated with his class
3. Dylan's father might have his job
4. Kurt could focus on selling bicycles

Larry Kelley said...

I think Kurt sold the bicycle business a couple years ago.

Anonymous said...

Hi Larry

Thanks

That explains the exceptional amount of time he spends on the web.


Anonymous said...

Hey Larry what drone do you use? Didn't Amherst ban the use of drones?

Larry Kelley said...

Phantom 2 Vision + Version 3.

Yes, Town Meeting voted an "advisory" citizens petition article to ban them. Nobody listens to Amherst Town Meeting, least of all me. (sarcasm)