BANGOR, Maine — Bangor Mayor Cary Weston bet a fellow councilor that Monday night’s public meeting on neighborhood revitalization wouldn’t draw more than 10 people.
He admitted that during the meeting — which drew 90 concerned residents to the James F. Doughty School on Fifth Street — and added he was very happy to lose the bet.
“I’m excited to see so many fellow citizens take an active interest and attend this meeting, because we need to hear your voices as we proceed with this effort,” Weston said.
The effort, which is still in its preliminary stages, is focused on increasing safety, redeveloping properties and improving infrastructure in the neighborhood and business areas that make up the Main Street corridor space bordered by Main, Buck, Third and Union streets.
“We want your thoughts, questions, ideas, comments, complaints and issues,” said Bangor City Manager Cathy Conlow, speaking for herself, city staffers and councilors.
They got them, and they didn’t have to wait very long.
Third Street resident Tom Bartlett had three quick points to make right off the bat.
“I’m not proud of what the neighborhood is like,” Bartlett said.
The owner of two rental properties complained about drunken behavior and crime in the area while suggesting that city officials eliminate liquor sales at the Rite Aid, enact a sound ordinance for music and loud parties and move the Paul Bunyan statue closer to the waterfront.
Crime, traffic and dilapidated or poorly maintained properties were among the chief issues raised by area residents.
“It used to be a nice neighborhood,” said Peter Wilks, a Lincoln Street resident who complained about traffic running from Main to Third on narrow streets choked further by parked cars, and utility poles in need of replacements or repairs.
Walter Street resident Mike Gleason pointed out the bad sidewalks — where there were sidewalks — and parking while also suggesting city staffers add crosswalks and do something about discarded furniture left behind on the sides of streets.
Another Walter Street resident said the city must address drug use and prostitution, which she has seen firsthand, as well as speeding cars and bad lighting. She also mentioned piles of debris on city-owned properties in the area.
Lincoln Street resident Susan McLaren talked about vacant housing in her neighborhood, urging its demolition. She also brought up substandard sidewalks and poor stormwater drainage.
While many lauded Bangor’s fire, medical and police agencies, a few residents talked about how some nearby streets are still viewed as unsafe.
“My 10-year-old is afraid to walk the street alone,” said Colleen Loveless of Larkin Street. “I understand the need for apartments, but how about getting more good tenants in them?”
Rosie Vanidestine, Bangor’s assistant community and economic development director, led the PowerPoint presentation by explaining aspects of the project outlined on an overhead projector.
“I was ecstatic about the turnout. We really weren’t expecting that,” said Vanidestine. “We know it’s an important issue and the attendance tonight showed that.”
“We were a bit concerned they might want to speak, but they were ready to let us know what their issues and concerns were and they voiced them very well.”
Vanidestine said residents brought up some issues she and other city officials were unaware of.
Monday’s public meeting — for residents and nonresidents alike — was the first of two with the other scheduled for Thursday, March 1 at Doughty’s auditorium, again from 6 to 8 p.m.
One nonresident who attended was John Miller, the owner and operator of the famed Miller’s Restaurant and The Red Lion lounge, which operated on Main Street from 1962 to 2005.
“I wanted to get a feel for what people living in the area are thinking and saying,” said Miller, who is a member of the Bangor Planning Board. “You drive by these houses, but really don’t know what’s going on in the minds of the residents. This is informative and good to hear.”
Miller may not live in the area, but he still has an interest in it.
“I grew up on Royal Road and used to walk down to Main Street all the time,” he said.
“Obviously my family operated a business in that area for a long time, but I still have an interest with that commercial piece of property,” Miller added, referring to the abandoned Miller’s building, which housed Hollywood Slots before it moved to its permanent location up the street.
Drugs, prostitution, furniture in the streets and don’t forget the large number of sex offenders! Just four of the reasons we moved and took our business and employees with us.
Don’t forget the bath salt and crack pushers.
To sound like a broken record, Bangor does not have a mayor and has not had a mayor since the position was abolished in the early 1930s. Accuracy in journalism DOES count. Accuracy leads to credibility. Credibility is what journalists trade in.
The reporter and his editors need to read the city charter.
I appreciate the attention to detail.
Review the resumes of the current BDN staff and it’ll be clear why errors like this go unnoticed and uncorrected when pointed out.
They used to be called Mayor, its still called Mayor in legal terms.
Bangors too tiny to have a Mayer anyway. It’s more like a very large town than a real city.
But in legal terms Bangor has a mayor. Its on paperwork at city council on things they sign
… that still doesn’t mean that the correct term is “mayor”.
He didnt introduce himself as Mayor, so it is a little confusing, one min he is Council man the next Mayor! Oy vey I have a headache! So why don’t we have a Mayor?
That is the correct term
he doesn’t have the power of a Mayor. If we had a Mayor we wouldn’t have a city council.
We moved to the waterfront area to be near everything (concerts, casino, new arena, etc), and I think the only improvements needed are new sidewalks, new street lamps (something fancy), a few more small parks and a few more crosswalks towards the waterfront and up towards third street. I think it is normal to have increase in activity the closer you are to downtown. It is that way in all cities. It’s all looking very nice and robust on the waterfront these years, and I think we can build on that- one piece at a time. As soon as spring comes we plan on doing some work outside and I think if every citizen took pride in their property it would raise the cosmetic appearence for the tens of thousands who visit us every season. If you see trash, pick it up. If you see a piece of furniture that is bugging you, haul it off to the trash if it is sitting there too long. We all need to work together to make it the best it can be. Sometimes, it takes one person to start that trail.
Right on. Pride and enthusiasm are contagious. These are great neighborhoods that are close to everything, but ahve fallen on hard times. It takes some risk, energy and gall to try to make something better, but many hands make light work.
LOVE this reply. If everyone would help each other and work as a team, great things would happen! Wish there were a LIKE button!
” . . complained about drunken behavior and crime in the area while suggesting that city officials eliminate liquor sales at the Rite Aid, enact a sound ordinance for music and loud parties and move the Paul Bunyan statue closer to the waterfront.”
Whut?
Move Paul Bunyan to the waterfront?
So now it’s Paul’s fault?
Or does he turn into a mean drunk and start swinging his ax at the loud parties?
I never knew!
Not sure what it has to do with revitalizing this area, but, moving him isn’t a bad idea.
Agreed. Moving Paul Bunyan to the Waterfront is a good idea. There is actually a movement afoot to relocate him. If anyone is interesting in signing the petition, please go to the link below.
FREE PAUL! http://www.bangorbytes.com/p/free-paul.html
I’m pretty sure this is the only reason it was mentioned in the article. Its someone’s pet project and it was brought up, so now they can say “residents of the neighborhood want it moved anyway!” One man’s opinion, that’s all it was.
Maine was never this bad until the Massholes and people from other degenerate states realized they can mooch a free ride up in Maine. Now Bangor is flooded with drug dealers and abusers.
PS What does Paul have to do with Maine anyway. The story didn’t even take place in Maine and even if it is linked to Maine’s logging industry there were plenty of states that did logging. It’s always seemed random and out of context to have that statue in Maine.
Absolutely right. There are numerous Bunyan statues around the country and in Canada, too. I don’t even think ours is the biggest.
and ours is missing the Babe the Blue Ox! hahaha
Can someone explain to me how you can “witness prostitution”?
Peeping Tom?
Ha ha, yeah how would he or she know unless they were there during conspicuous hours. Also not everyone that has sex if public is engaging in prostitution. Some of them are girlfriend/boyfriend or sometimes a closeted bi guy gets away from his wife for the evening and is looking for another bubba to paw. ha ha Silly but it’s true. Besides any side of town with a Casino is bound to attract a darker side of any city.
Well lets see, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what people are seeing and putting 2 and 2 together.
First you see a woman standing outside.
Then you see a car pull up, and wind down the window.
You see them talk.
You see them go off together.
At fist glance nothing out of the ordinary.
Then repeat the scenario regularly, everyday, and it because pretty obvious whats taking place.
How did I do?
Second street park, happens daily basis with the transients, before i moved i walked into a act of it. Kind of disgusting
Kind of?
Well i didnt want my comment censored, but in other words yes its darn gross
I went to that meeting last night and I for one am VERY glad I did not speak because apparently the BDN picked out and printed some of the suggestions/complaints that really had no consequence on the meeting and were off topic, and not really relevant. There were a lot of good suggestions. There were a lot of good questions. So thanks for making a mockery of the meeting BDN and presenting it to the rest of Bangor who didn’t come in a way that makes it look like a 3 ring circus.
WE DO NOT HAVE A MAYOR!!! Bangor 101!
Examples?
Question’s about how all this would be funded, what we want to keep in the area, what we can do to help this area as citizens, talk of Neighborhood watches, taxes, about the youth in this area and what can be done for them, the environment, about keeping the uniqueness of individual properties and not making them look cookie cutter homes, about the waterfront concerts and the noise levels but also the revenue they bring in. Local businesses and how they can be involved and how they need to take responsibility in this area. Derlict buildings, offering incentives for people to buy in this area. Making landlords accountable and how that can be done, code enforcement.
Thank you, you are right these things should have been in the article. Were they address at the meeting?
Yes, all these questions were raised and somewhat answered, unfortunately, some people at the meeting talked about insignificant issues, or talked way too long, so I think we ended up in a time crunch and pertinent questions couldn’t be answered as fully as they should have been.
I encourage everyone ehre to attend the next meeting.
All true. You would have done a much better job writing this article!
Thanks!
You and RyanRobbins need to realize it used to be mayor. In contracts it signed Mayor. Gosh
The article didn’t say much about what the City’s plans were. For those interested, here’s a short summary: http://www.bangorbytes.com/2012/02/bangor-neighborhood-revitalization.html
third st.used to be nice ? news to me ,worked downtown in 70’s and it was trashy then!
So, if you worked downtown in the 70’s stands to reason you don’t know if it was nice in the 80’s and 90’s. I would think the people who actually live on that street, and have lived their all their lives, and are 3rd generation 3rd street citizens would know a lot more about 3rd street than someone who “worked downtown in the 70’s”
I used to live in on Third street, but neighors are whiny over there. One neighor would call the cops all the time, still does. Called the cops on my daughter for drawing on the sidewalk with chalk,(kind of funny at first) but it really wasnt, since my daughter was scared. Have spoke to the owner of that building but they can not evict them because she or he did not do anything. Pretty sad though gotta have a scanner and chase the cops wherever they go, is what they do
It hasn’t gotten better it has gotten progressively worst
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I believe we need to address the tenant buildings. Bud Grant used to charge a
fee if your property was not cared for in his development’s and he would have
his crew do it if you didn’t in a reasonable amount of time. Then, he would bill
you for the cost. Bangor could do the same and that, would produce fantastic
results, I’m sure. The area described has been bad for decades and remains the
same. The city needs to promote these folks to clean it up or move.
One apartment building owner complained last night that if the area is revitalized the taxes will go up. Well, yes, stands to reason, and 99% of the folk in this area will gladly pay higher taxes if the area is safer, cleaner, better etc — her complaint was that, when the taxes go up she would have to put her rents up, and the people who rent these apartments at very cheap prices wouldn’t be able to afford them. So in that vein she did not want the area fixed, she did not want code enforcement, she didn’t want anything to change.
If the rent goes up, the people won’t be able to rent in buildings that are currently there. Do you want high density housing such as was shown in the drawings, or the character of your neighborhood as it looks now? Taxing people out is not the same thing as code enforcement.
I want the trashy apartment buildings either revitalized or torn down. If that means landlords have to up the rent because they are forced to invest money in their properties, oh well!
So which neighborhood would you like to send these poor people to? Name the streets and locations where poor people will live in Bangor. Be honest for once.
Poor people? Oh, you mean the ones that we have to repeatedly call the cops on, that deal drugs, that do bath salts, that fight in the middle of the street, carry weapons, smash bottles, vandalize homes, steal, threaten to kill people, threaten to burn down homes — put them in jail!
As for people who are literally “poor” I hope the city steps up and helps them! I hope the revitalization brings better paying jobs. I would never wish decent hardworking people who don’t make enough money a moments harm.
FYI, my family lives well below the poverty line, but we aren’t going out making idiots of ourselves, causing mayhem and making life miserable for the neighbors, there IS a difference, guess you failed to see it, or, just don’t want to see it.
Don’t put words in my mouth. I said poor people, not criminals.
Well, you had no problem bastardizing my original comment, so, whats good for the goose is good for the gander!
You are so right and I agree wholeheartedly!
That was what I came away with at the meeting last night. If you push out the riff raff, they have to go somewhere. Which neighborhood is going to become the next blight?
We need to find the reason that this area has become a “distressed” neighborhood in the first place. Part of the problem is the landlords. They have let their properties deteriorate no doubt. But as a landlord, I can tell you, unless you own a large amount of units, the cash flow is breakeven at best. Many of those building are firetraps, they should be brought up to code. As it stands today, unless the landlord applies for a permit to do something, code enforcement never sees the inside, and a lot of the work is being done by unlicenced people. The problem is, it is brutally expensive to do any type of repair these days, and at the end of the day the tenant has to pay for that. No one could afford the rent that would have to be charged in order to cover the costs of rehabing these units.
The picture of the high density housing was just a reference, not the plan. What is more the plan is to rehabilitate the existing housing stock through the Residential Rehabilitation Loan Program, for example, as well as other means – public and private. Also upgrading sidewalks, roads, parks, lighting, etc. The plan also includes more enforcement of existing Codes. Taxing people out is certainly not the plan.
If the rent goes up and existing people can’t afford the rent, do you think that people who can afford the rent may want to move in to an up and coming, better neighborhood? I do.
Yes, I do think people will want to move in to an upcoming area that has great amenities and great apartment buildings, and I welcome that.
My earlier post was hi-lighting the fact that some landlords don’t want any of this to happen because they dont want to have to deal with putting money in to their properties, or dealing with the fact because they have to invest they have to charge higher rents.
best case scenario is, higher rent = better quality of tenant, which = better neighborhood. Not always the case, some people with a lot of $ can be trouble makers too, I admit that.
No 10 year old should be walking the street alone.
Why not? That used to be a common sight. Not anymore. What have we become as a society when law abiding citizens have their right to walk freely in their community be dictated by thugs? Why is it that we tolerate that?
Not only that, but parents used to take care of their own issues in the neighborhood through communication and knowing their neighbors. Why not go over and talk to the people you have an issue with? If you’re nervous about it, go with another neighbor and introduce yourselves. We used to know our neighbors and cared about them. Now it seems one is pitted against another, almost like a game where nobody wins.
Used to. Now a days if you go to some of your neighbors with a problem they are likely to shank you where you stand!
You just gotta be ready to shank them first. Not really kidding.
“My 10-year-old is afraid to walk the street alone,” said Colleen
Loveless of Larkin Street. “I understand the need for apartments, but
how about getting more good tenants in them?”
Actually, a 10-year-old has no business walking any street alone in Bangor anymore. As for getting “good” tenants in apartments,a good start would be to compel slumlords to fix up their properties and bring them up to code, and if they refuse, tear the derelicts down.
We need someone like Rudy Giuliani to come in and run the riff-raff out of town, clean up our streets and relocate the drug dealers and miscreants to some unorganized territory somewhere.
so how do you propose a 10yr old get to the bus stop for school/home from the bus stop, without walking the street, perhaps alone? Or SHould a 10yr old have a chaparone to and from the bus stop?
Yes, if he gets on the bus by himself with no other students or parents around. You should have someone there with him.
Yes, someone should be watching and not just that individual 10 year old, but the entire group … Especially, if there are work hour issues, but that means the child is probably home alone before walking to the bus stop. Imagine that the responsibility of our children to fall back on us …. (Sarcasm filter active) …..
For those that wanted the Hollywood Slots, this is the quiet result of the efforts …. Revitalization of an area means change … If you do not change or adapt to the current surroundings, you either get pushed aside or die on your own as a result of unwillingness to change.
The area will only get better if those that live in it take care of it … New sidewalks & lamp posts will not be “new” very long if you don’t have the integrity to take care of what you currently have. Sometimes …. “it IS what it IS”
You don’t believe that a 10 year old should be able to walk the street alone!!! I pray that there aren’t more people that think like you!! What is this world coming to when a child can’t walk, run or play up and down the streets!!
If Cary would have know that 90 people were going to show up, they would not have show a picture of the area leveled and 1666 condo styled apartments in the place of private homes.. They did well in disguising their real intentions, Claiming they wanted to better the area for existing homeowners when their intent is to level everything in order to sell it off to their friends to build apt buildings.. TAX $$$ folks..and “free” federal $$$
You couldn’t be more mistaken in that assessment…
I voted for most of these people and I hope I am right in my assessment… Tear it all down!!! I like the Idea that they can use taxpayers dollars to do the same as what they did to handcock Street..
I own a home in this area. Bought and paid for. This is MY neighborhood, and “tearing it down” is not the solution, in fact, that comment is really ignorant.
Of course my comment was ignorant, it was mean’t to stir emotions… If you sit around and believe everything you hear from beaurcrats and politicans they will tear down half the streets.. You have to be on them every step of the way, you have to be part of it.. I’m glad I tee’d you off, and I hope it made others mad also… You have 5 years to turn the area around to what you want, Don’t let city hall do it for you because that will make you even more angry!!!!!
Thank you! I appreciate the kick in the behind. Sometimes i think I am a little gullible and believe what i am told too readily, but deep down, something with all of this doesnt sit right.
Then you will find yourself dissapointed. Not at all the plan.
Yes, and what a wonderful neighborhood that area is now. Well, wonderful if you are a car maybe, because the whole place is a parking lot. I’ll take my real, honest-to-god neighborhood with and without its faults, thank you.
The question I wanted to ask and didn’t was:
Whats the real agenda here? Is this truly about revitalizing this area because home owners have been asking for help, or, is this ALL about the waterfront concerts, Hollywood slots and the new Arena and making $, and the home owners/apartment buildings have to be addressed because they are “in the way.”
In other words, if this is TRULY about this area and home owners, when those home owners complain about the concerts and the noise level (which some did) is anything going to be done about it, because this is about making the quality of life better in this area? I don’t think so!
Attend the second meeting and ask that question. The answer is that residents have been asking for help. There is nothing sinister or conspiracy theory’esque about this plan. That is why citizen involvement is crucial. I liked the gentleman’s idea of presenting the plan that will be submitted to HUD to the citizen’s group for thier input/approval prior to submitting to HUD. This, in my mind, is the best way to assure people that their fears are not what this effort is about.
I wrote it down on the sheet of paper and handed it in, and left my email address so anyone was welcome to write back to me.
We bought our house July 2011, because we fell in love with its beauty, its charm and its potential. I have met a lot of wonderful people on my street, and we are ALL willing to do whatever it takes to make this THE best place to live in Bangor, not only because of the amenities within walking distance, but because it is safe.
Excellent. The more people like you involved in this project, the higher the success level will be!
I will do whatever it takes to help build a great community, but it is a game of give and take.
I think the “agenda” was to simply get input from the public. As far as the concerts, for every resident that complained, there was another resident that welcomed it. There is nothing wrong with the city wanting to improve the area and increase the tax base. And there is no reason that properly designed multi-units cannot be interspread in the area. I attended only as an interested investor. If I can buy some of the blighted properties and tear them down and build new properties that will attract good tenants, thats a win for everyone. Before I put a dime in that area though, I want to make sure that the town will do it’s part to get rid of the undesireable elements, improve the parking situation, and take care of what is their responsibility such as sidewalks, better lighting, and improving the recreational areas.
That is exactly how it should be done, private money doing their part with the city protecting your investment…
My husband caught that image on the presentation too, btw, and questioned what it was all about.
It didn’t just appear out of thin air, it had to be someones Plan/idea… Someone drew it.. I don’t think they expected the crowd so they knew they could blow off 10 people and would be talking to themselves, but 90 is a different story..
I didnt expect the crowd either. So what do you think the image on the presentation was all about?
Land value, tear down 10, 80,000 dollar homes and you can put in 60 apartments with a 6 million dollar value,. tax revenue just went up 6 fold.. in the same space.. it will happen one street at a time.. weather we want it or not… alot of these small homes with stone foundations have truely outlived themselves. Sad but true, a 100 year old house on a stone foundation and clay basement???.. Yet there are some nice homes in the area and people have invested tons into their property..
Do you see them buying houses from home owners?
I see them dressing up the area and taxing people out of their homes, It’s cheaper for them that way… The problem is we refer to them as them, as if they are greater then we.. The city/per order of the chamber, wants to clean up the area for their own private benifit.. There have been people asking for help for years and the city blew them off.. The Question is what is in it for them personally.. Plus they have a chance to get federal $$$ to help do it. I don’t trust politicans because they look out for their own self interest to much…
The federal money you refer to has been rolling in for years and years. Nothing new. It is the same money that has been used to clean up the waterfront, upgrade and repair sidewalks, fund the Residential Rehabilitation Loan Program and other community development projects.
Question for you: If, as suggested at the meeting, the City’s plan to be submitted to HUD were to be provided and shared with citizens prior to submission, would it ease the fears you have about this project?
I don’t know what would ease my fears, it all feels too good to be true and there has to be a catch somewhere.
I really believe one of the biggest steps that needs to be taken is PR. Those who can(the hierarchy at city hall) HAVE to change the public’s perception of this area by speaking out.
As was mentioned in the meeting there is a neighborhood watch in effect that encompasses certain streets, this is huge, a group of citizens banded together making a difference, and cleaning up what they can, this sort of thing needs to be shown, to get people to buy in to the area, to see that it is a good place to live, etc.
Trust is earned and not demanded…
Asking the property owners to send in essays on what they think would be best for the area would be a start… You guys sit there talking about what you want in the area. When the property owners don’t even know how to approach city government with their ideas.. City governments total disregaurd for it’s citizens is a known fact…
Example? Waterfront development commision, Who made and is making all the decisions?? It’s like a who’s who… Chamber and or their family members…
Why not ask 2 people from each street from that area to sit on the board that is going to decide what is happening to the area, instead you most likely will have the same people who did the waterfront.. It’s not their neighborhood yet they will decide it’s fate..
At the meeting, as will be with the second meeting, a sheet was given to all attendees to write down what they would like to see happen. Not necassarily essays as you say, but essentially the same thing. Also, the whole point of the meetings is to get citizen input. The input received both verbally and written will be used in crafting the plan. It is realized that for the plan to work citizen involvement is absolutely crucial. I feel that the steps being taken are not only to earn trust of those who will be affected but also to ensure that the plan and efforts are the best they possibly can be. Your two person per street idea is not bad at all.
They can start by tearing down 72 -74 Third street
They could pretty much throw a discarded beer bottle and where ever it lands is a good place to start. Cus’ all of Bangor is one big moldy run down, overly renovated, disgusting, smelly, lopsided, jumbled mess of creepy apartments that are built all wrong to begin with.
agreed
I have heard from people who were there last night that this article doesn’t represent the meeting well. The arguments are based on half-truths. Please, people, go to the next meeting and get the real facts as you see for yourselves.
It’s very true, this article is actually an embarrassment and make the meeting seem ridiculous, it really wasn’t. I posted above a lot of the questions/comments that were asked/made that the BDN writer left out and chose to include the ridiculous stuff instead!
It seems that Bangor has been favoring that side of town near the Casino. I seriously doubt however that they will actually beautify those neighborhoods. I’ve lived in and out of Bangor for 25 years and nothing has really changed except the buildings are older and more disgusting than ever. Even if they had the financial means I have my doubts about them actually going through with it or doing very much.
perhaps its time you move out of Bangor again then. Be part of the solution instead of an armchair critic!
1. Why do I need to be part of the solution to have an opinion. 2. I already plan on moving away again. 3. It’s up to the city of Bangor to conduct such investments. You’re not being as smart as you think you sound. ha ha Besides there is no law that says that peoples opinions need to be 100% positive 100% of the time. In fact I feel my negative comment is helping because maybe they need some resentment from the public to get off their butts and actually invest in this city they way they should. While other cities across America have gotten with the times. Bangor seems to do nothing in way of real growth. Other than to beautify the city bus stop and to build a casino. PS You’re the armchair critic judging other peoples posts and disrespecting our First Amendment right to an opinion. But that is basically the sort of mindset that has been holding Maine back in time while everyone has moved on.
Fair enough.
This Weston (Mayor) guy is quite the character. Where did they find him….
West Broadway, where apparently he is afraid to live.
I did not take that at all from his comments. How can you scold others for making comments that are “useless, unhelpful, unjustified, ridiculous, unproductive and downright ignorant” and then make them yourself?
What didn’t you take? He said he was scared. I apologize if you are reading something I was not inferring, however, West Broadway is far from scary. I really don’t think you can lump West Broadway in with the streets needing revitalization.
Yes, saying they want to tear down an entire street is ignorant. People live there, have homes, have children. Maybe I am just tired of hearing “tear it down!” It wears on you after a while, and the fact that nobody truly believes thinks can change in this area. It is heartbreaking and frustrating. Public perception is everything. If people forever perceive this area to be “bad” then no matter what is done it will still have that negative connotation.
Question, do you believe West Broadway is scary? I guarantee no one on West Broadway would swap their home for one on Sandford Street, or 1st, 2nd, 3rd. I just found it a little insulting that West Broadway was being compared to this area in question, when they are not remotely comparable.
I didn’t take that he was afraid to live there. I am very familiar with West Broadway and the specific property you are refering to. I live about a block from there. How did you ever come up with the idea that I thought it was scary? I think what Weston was refering to in being scared was bath salts, not where he lives. Guess what, I don’t live in a scary neighborhood but bath salt use still scares me. I didn’t feel that way until a tweaked out monkey duster was arrested on my street with a gun. Now does it scare me to the point of wanting out? No way. The entire City is comparable to the area in question in that drug use, crime and violence knows no boundries.
He didnt state bath salts. He didnt state why he was scared. He simply stated where he lived and he was scared too. I am not a mind reader. If he meant he was scared of bath salts perhaps it would have beehoved him to say so instead of giving a general “I am scared.” Guess what, I am very familiar with West Broadway too, especially since I was Mr. Weston’s neighbor!
I didnt come up with you thinking W. Broadway was scary, I simply asked you a question, do you think West Broadway is scary. Kind of like me asking , Do you think an orange is round?
I agree bath salts is a problem, but, that issue wasnt addressed at last nights meeting, except in a general sense, so it in no way led in to Mr Weston stating he was “scared.” I am sorry, you simply can’t compare the two areas. I have lived in both, and they are like night and day!
I don’t remember exactly when he stated being scared, but I do think it was after telling the story of his paper lady packing heat due to the bath salt user she encountered hugging a phone pole thinking it was the devil. I very well could be wrong though.
Yes, the area of West Broadway and the mentioned target areas are vastly different. And also similiar in the ways that I mentioned. I stand by that assertion. Criminals, drug users and people prone to violence don’t say “Wow, I am on West Broadway (or any other street). I better stop what I am doing.”
He stated his name, his address and said he was scared. He then told the story of his paper lady who carries a gun on her route, etc etc. Of course, we dont know how much of “our area” her route encompasses, or where she encountered the bathsalt user, and I have delivered newspapers and you typical get a fair area to deliver to. Mr. Weston never actually came out and said he was scared of bath-salts, and funnily enough, bathsalts had not really been a topic of discussion (which I find interesting since it is a problem in Bangor)
Agreed, drug users don’t stop because of what street they are on, but, I used to go out shopping and leave my doors unlocked on W. Broadway. Your kids can play in their backyards, chalk on the sidewalks, plays basketball with their friends on the street. It is a far cry from the area we are talking about.
W. Broadway has minimal rental properties, this area prob has more rental properties than home owners. Sometimes I wonder WHY I bought my house, but you cant help falling in love with the history of a home, and seeing its beauty and charm.
I think what people lose sight of when they say, “tear it down, its ugly etc” these are historic homes. This is where the rich folk lived in 1890, these homes had the best of the best. If you walk up and down there are some beautiful stained glass windows, some gorgeous properties. That is why I bought it. I wish I could pick it up and plop it on W. Broadway, but I can’t, so although I love my house, I hate all the crap that has come with it.
See, I am part of the new blood, converting a multi unit back to a single family home, we need people like me to believe in these houses, this area and invest. Renovate. Reinvigorate. Revitalize. If we cant change the public’s perception we are never going to get anywhere, that is why I took offense to Mr Weston saying he was scared on W. Broadway. I didnt mean to belittle his feelings, he is entitled to feel scared of bath salt users if that’s what he worries about (they are scary) but in general terms, W. Broadway in the yrs I lived there I NEVER saw what I have seen in the short while I have lived on the street that I do. He can’t compare his life on W. Broadway to the pandemonium that can be this area.
I am with you. I live nearby and have been working to do what I can on our street. 5 or 6 years ago I bought a relatively slummy single-family but now its the best on the block. And my enthusiasm is spreading. Thats how it works.
As an aside, I walk in and around the neighborhood just about every single day, often at night, usually alone. Yes I am a man, but I am not big and tough looking. I have never had any encounters that I would ever call scary. I have some good friends who live on West Broadway. There is absolutely nothing scarry about that street. This is just another example of how out-of-touch Weston is. What a loser!
Because those comments were full of “I’m too good for this area” judgemental sentiment. And being expressed by the CHAIR OF THE CITY COUNCIL! Outrageous!
When do we start on lower Ohio Street? Oh wait, current councilors and formert councilors live in the area so it must be a fine upstanding neighborhood.
Actually I would agree that Ohio Street all the way from downtown on up to the highway should be torn down. And all the crack users evicted. There and that trouble spot called Essex St. with it’s gross looking tiny creep-hole apartments and bath salt pushers. Just disgusting ancient apartments that have been so overly renovated any historical value they may have had is now lost and the wooden structures are moldy and falling apart. Bangor looks more like it’s stuck way back in 1899 but now these places are all falling apart. Like in some post apocalyptic movie in which modern day people are living in the decaying ruins.
I agree with some of what you said about Essex st. but not all of the houses just some of them and I like the older homes if they are kept up.
Frankly, I think Bangor was probably a much more beautiful city in 1899 than it is today. “Urban Renewal” sure did mess up this town. Unfortunately, your antiquated thinking of “tear it all down” is essentially what Urban Renewal did, and because of that we’ve lost a lot of significant structures, community identity and important economic infrastructuure – like housing near downtown, walkable neighborhoods,etc.
So once we tear everythnig down, what do you propose we replace it with? And how do you propose we keep the ‘unwashed masses’ from moving back into that area, or turning some other area of town into a “just disgusting” place? I’d really like to hear your grand plan!
Second street should be the first to go!!
because?
Oh, because you THINK you know what 2nd street is like, not because you live there, or have spent a lot of time there. Saying “second street should be the first to go,” is useless, unhelpful, unjustified, ridiculous, unproductive and downright ignorant.
I have lived there and near there and moved from there!!!!
as a home owner?
No, just as an renter but I do clean up the yard and plant flowers. Where I now live I have worked so hard to keep the yard looking good but when you plant flowers and neighbors walk on or pick them what good does it do??
double post
Wish the renters here would be so diligent! I am sorry ppl walk on/pick your flowers, so rude! it is heartbreaking to put a lot of effort in and see it destroyed.
And we’re glad you’re gone. Now stay out.
You don’t like it when some one has an option that is different then you, do you!!
There are lots of places in Bangor that is nice and just as many that needs fixing!!
No, its not that, because there are plenty of other places I could afford to live, especially with home prices what they are.
However, you can choose to stay someplace and maybe help contribute to it and try to do even just a little bit to try to turn things around, or you can run away it and call it “someone else’s problem”.To do the latter is bad enough in my book. To do so, then tell those of us that have chosen the ‘high road’ that our neighborhood is worthless is downrifght insulting. Again, glad to have someone with your attitude elsewhere.
Weston bet that less than 10 people would show up. Pretty sad thatthe council chair holds the residents of the city and this neighborhood in such high esteem.
What a clown. I hope he is deposed of his “throne”.
I purchased a home on Second Street 10 years ago through the community development program. It’s been quite an experience to say the least. The city could have done much more to have cleaned up this neighborhood if they had wanted to, but they didn’t care to. The house next door to me was a major crack house with discarded furniture, trash, junk vehicles, syringes and you name it. After the police raided the place and also discovered a major theft ring I waited months for the landlord to clean up the property. He just moved in another bunch of drug dealers. I reported him to code enforcement because I was tired of looking at his landfill and I was chastised by the former code enforcement officer because the landlord was a prominent Bangor citizen. I think Mr. Weston was surprised that so many people showed up because he is like the rest of them at City Hall, he is under the impression that because we live in this area we don’t care about our surroundings. He couldn’t be more wrong. I for one found his remark insulting but totally in character for him.
Meant as a reply to Magicgenie, but didn’t post properly:
You couldn’t be more wrong about “the rest of them at City Hall.” Some, maybe, but all? Definately not! I think the bet with Councilor Gallant had more to do with previous, not well attended meetings.