Everyone wants to be us

[ron_newman]

A Herald article on the redevelopment of Ashmont Station ends with this:

“The idea is to create a destination place where people will come out here to eat and do other activities - not just pass through as they do now,” adds [Larry] Gettings, who is also president of the Ashmont Hill Neighborhood Association and a local homeowner. “We think this area could eventually become the next Davis Square.”

Comments

[toonhead-npl.livejournal.com]

As a resident of a nearby part of Dorchester, I just don't see that happening. I sure hope they prove me wrong, though.

[miraclaire.livejournal.com]

I grew up in a nearby part of Dorchester (and I still visit my parents pretty frequently) and although I'm slightly skeptical, things like the Ashmont Grill and other new restaurants and stuff make me think this might be a bit more likely than I would otherwise think.

[ocschwar.livejournal.com]

Heh. If the franchise expands, could our rents rise a little slower?

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

to be clear, by "next davis square" he is referring to property values.

[cleanup-davissq.livejournal.com]

Well you can't help hoping they succeed in taking their town from the criminals and vandals that depress areas all over the USA

[chuckm.livejournal.com]

i have friends who recently became condo owners in that area. I'm sure they'd love to see that too.

[sarah-raz.livejournal.com]

I personally think it's more likely that the Ashmont area would be the next Arlington, i.e., more "grownup" and a little more conservative than Davis Square. Davis Square became hip when Cambridge got too expensive, but there are no similar communities close to Dorchester. If South Boston is a reliable indicator, and I think it is, parts of Dorchester will become more attractive to yuppies than to the artists, etc. that make Davis Sq cool.

[sarah-raz.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I should have said that I grew up in Dorchester and my parents live nearby. They love the Ashmont Grill.

[ron_newman]

One thing that made Arlington what it is today was a Town Meeting vote to change from 'dry' to 'semi-dry'. Meaning that the town started issuing beer-and-wine-only licenses to restaurants. Within a short time, Arlington became a place that people travelled to in order to eat and drink.