I'm not a fan of open containers per se (ie walking around with open drinks), but I certainly endorse anything that improves street life. That said, I think it's important to dig deeper than a particular use that is en vogue (micro breweries and distilleries) to understand why they promote revitalization. Andres Duany said it best at a talk in Detroit on Lean Urbanism (just the nugget here): "...when government wasn't watching..." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwpi85QuGRc&t=5314s, I highly recommend watching the entire video if you never have as there are some real gems here). The reason micro breweries are en vogue is only partially related to alcohol and the sociability around it. The reason they have become popular is entrepreneurs have sought out spaces that are cheap and have little regulation in areas that are conducive to people (downtrodden prewar, mixed use areas). and are not on most NIMBY radar. That's the fundamental reason. Putting a "Gordon Biersch" wall street financed, chain microbrewery (an oxymoron for sure) in a "town center" top down development is really just capitalizing on that trend and does not really add anything more than any other food use there.
This hit home--while we're child free, we have multiple couple friends in their 30s and 40s with children who love sipping a craft beverage in a setting like this. We even know a few younger empty nesters who enjoy this sort of environment. Yet there's a particular pearl-clutching branch of NIMBYism that portrays any alcohol-forward business as the Mos Isley Cantina, and killed more than a few proposals for things like tap rooms and wine bars even in our dark blue urban neighborhood.
I'm sure covid played a big role in this, too. Ordinary people quickly realized how many stupid rules exist, and local politicians are all about reelection. I've seen/heard this with community pools, too. Families treating it like a beach day, coolers w/ meals & adult drinks. Pre-covid, almost always a "please leave or we're calling the cops" offense. Now it's bragged about as a reason to come join this pool.
The French Quarter allows drinking in the street and I like how it works there. NOLA has many crime problems, but I doubt that street drinking is a significant factor.
The DORA I've spent the most time in is located in our "arena district," where several professional stadiums and music venues are located. There have always been bars and restaurants tucked in here to serve concertgoers and sports fans, but they are crowded, rowdy, and noisy on game days, and (to me) not pleasant places to be.
But now that the DORA is in place, the whole area is vibrant. Some non-traditional eateries (window service joints, food trucks) have popped up, Activities spill out into the outdoor spaces, there are temporary cocktail tables and tents, auxiliary bars set up on the square, often live music, and spaces for kids. In fact, there seem to be *more* families. I'm sure parents were always taking their kids to sporting events, but now I see multigeneration families gathering outdoors, plastic cups in hand, laughing and conversing while their kids actually have space to be active (lawns, a bouncy house sponsored by a local business, etc.). Families also come with a lot of stuff - strollers, diaper bags, etc., and being outside gives parents some breathing room. Whereas before, a larger family group would have struggled to get a table at one of the crowded sports bars, forced their kids to try to sit still, which never goes well... The DORA and the related changes really do seem like they've improved the gameday experience for families, in particular, and diversified the types of people that can enjoy the atmosphere.
I've had folks argue they bought their house because it didn't have a sidewalk, and were vociferously against the city putting one in. It's absolutely real.
I'm not a fan of open containers per se (ie walking around with open drinks), but I certainly endorse anything that improves street life. That said, I think it's important to dig deeper than a particular use that is en vogue (micro breweries and distilleries) to understand why they promote revitalization. Andres Duany said it best at a talk in Detroit on Lean Urbanism (just the nugget here): "...when government wasn't watching..." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwpi85QuGRc&t=5314s, I highly recommend watching the entire video if you never have as there are some real gems here). The reason micro breweries are en vogue is only partially related to alcohol and the sociability around it. The reason they have become popular is entrepreneurs have sought out spaces that are cheap and have little regulation in areas that are conducive to people (downtrodden prewar, mixed use areas). and are not on most NIMBY radar. That's the fundamental reason. Putting a "Gordon Biersch" wall street financed, chain microbrewery (an oxymoron for sure) in a "town center" top down development is really just capitalizing on that trend and does not really add anything more than any other food use there.
This hit home--while we're child free, we have multiple couple friends in their 30s and 40s with children who love sipping a craft beverage in a setting like this. We even know a few younger empty nesters who enjoy this sort of environment. Yet there's a particular pearl-clutching branch of NIMBYism that portrays any alcohol-forward business as the Mos Isley Cantina, and killed more than a few proposals for things like tap rooms and wine bars even in our dark blue urban neighborhood.
I'm sure covid played a big role in this, too. Ordinary people quickly realized how many stupid rules exist, and local politicians are all about reelection. I've seen/heard this with community pools, too. Families treating it like a beach day, coolers w/ meals & adult drinks. Pre-covid, almost always a "please leave or we're calling the cops" offense. Now it's bragged about as a reason to come join this pool.
The French Quarter allows drinking in the street and I like how it works there. NOLA has many crime problems, but I doubt that street drinking is a significant factor.
The DORA I've spent the most time in is located in our "arena district," where several professional stadiums and music venues are located. There have always been bars and restaurants tucked in here to serve concertgoers and sports fans, but they are crowded, rowdy, and noisy on game days, and (to me) not pleasant places to be.
But now that the DORA is in place, the whole area is vibrant. Some non-traditional eateries (window service joints, food trucks) have popped up, Activities spill out into the outdoor spaces, there are temporary cocktail tables and tents, auxiliary bars set up on the square, often live music, and spaces for kids. In fact, there seem to be *more* families. I'm sure parents were always taking their kids to sporting events, but now I see multigeneration families gathering outdoors, plastic cups in hand, laughing and conversing while their kids actually have space to be active (lawns, a bouncy house sponsored by a local business, etc.). Families also come with a lot of stuff - strollers, diaper bags, etc., and being outside gives parents some breathing room. Whereas before, a larger family group would have struggled to get a table at one of the crowded sports bars, forced their kids to try to sit still, which never goes well... The DORA and the related changes really do seem like they've improved the gameday experience for families, in particular, and diversified the types of people that can enjoy the atmosphere.
"not having any amenities is an amenity"
I've had folks argue they bought their house because it didn't have a sidewalk, and were vociferously against the city putting one in. It's absolutely real.
“…in suburbia—a certain suspicion of fun, trendy things, almost a conflation of crime and disorder with cultural amenities.”
Oh, my goodness, yes!