In a message dated 10/10/03 12:51:55 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << There was another popular outdoor food establishment that was shutdown a few years ago by the city, so its not necessarily unfair treatment. I forget where it was, and if they eventually opened up a legitimate restaurant. >>
Mike, that was Vientiane Cafe, now at 4728 Baltimore Ave., formerly the "Blue Tarp" illegally located in the owners' yard at the corner of 45th & Sansom Sts. Vientiane is one of the new businesses on Baltimore Ave. that the UCD helped work its way through City regulations, paperwork and red tape. The final straw was when the PGW took weeks to install a larger meter for them, in the meantime refusing to turn on the gas because PGW decided that they needed a different meter. Eli Massar of the UCD handled that problem with patience and determination. PGW missed appointment after appointment, and at one point had the nerve to excuse their lack of customer service by telling Eli that they couldn't understand the owners of Vientiane (who are from Laos; hence my disgust with people criticizing others' accents). Eli made phone calls to everybody under the sun till he found a way to expedite the meter installation, which by then had delayed Vientiane's opening for weeks. In a message dated 10/10/03 11:40:03 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: << "Upscale" shopping and restaurant areas are really nice, but ask the people who live in Manayunk what development there has done to their neighborhood . . . >> I agree with Mike - the changes have certainly not been bad. All this talk about "upscale" is somewhat silly! Look at the SIZE of a typical Baltimore Ave. storefront: the one Vientiane is in, is only a little larger than 600 s.f. on the first floor, and the restaurant is limited in its seating and very tight on kitchen space. What "upscale" business are we talking about here, which would be willing to try to work in 600 s.f.? Can you think of one? People try to suggest that the Baltimore Ave. committee and the UCD would want to bring in national chains or something - as a member of the Baltimore Ave. committee, I can assure you we never did want to bring in chains, and we also knew from the start that they wouldn't be interested in our tiny storefronts anyway! What HAS happened, with the committee and UCD's help, is that existing merchants have been offered small amounts of $ help, have been offered some free design help, and have gained a liaison, if they choose to take advantage of the offer, to help with city problems - Eli. The owners of the new businesses which have opened and the new owner of the Firehouse have been LOCAL WEST PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORS, not fat cat real estate developers from out of the area. Local people from all walks of life pursuing their dreams to own their own businesses. Where's the scandal in that? Melani Lamond ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
