OK, maybe that's a little strong — but it seems to be Larry Wilson's conclusion in today's PSN.
Here's the nut graf (actually, two) for us:
Because if you take Altadena's upper Lake Avenue as one area that could have supported the sidewalk cafes and other pedestrian-oriented businesses that work on Baldwin in Sierra Madre, there's no denying the deleterious effect of the loud, speed-kills freeway that is Altadena Drive at Lake.
You might say Lake is too steep to support a lot of walking and shopping – but Baldwin has almost the same slope. It also has better shade trees – including a huge native sycamore on Baldwin's east side citizens stopped the city from chopping down. Though much smaller at around 10,000 souls compared with 40,000 for Altadena, it's always had a more vibrant business climate, perhaps because of its smallness, a tourist virtue, and fame in the hiking era.
We're wondering who says Lake is too steep to support a lot of walking and shopping. Apparently they didn't drop by a couple of Fridays ago, when North Lake was abuzz with walkers, businesses, artists, music — putting Sierra Madre (and Old Town Pasadena) to shame, at least for a night.
(We think he's right about the shade trees. We even remember the old days of, say, February, when Pasadena had shade trees downtown).
And apparently the Sierra Madreans are really into sniping at each other online, which doesn't seem to happen in Altadena with the same virulency. (The vast majority of comments we get are fair and thoughtful, but trust us, we don't print everything!)
Anyway, there's some things to think about.
Thx to Monica, otherwise we might've missed this!
Snow said…
There’s something else between the lines as well. Sierra Madre is much less diverse than our community, both ethnically and economically. I think there are people for whom Lake in Altadena is at least worrisome, maybe even frightening. And Fair Oaks or Lincoln! Not without armor! I think the writer is reflecting his own comfort zone more than anything else.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Old old guy said…
Not sure about the “Freeway”. I walk Altadena drive regularly — meet a lot of other folks walking.
I suspect it’s the way businesses are spread out and hidden behind parking lots on North Lake.
The Coffee Gallery (which I seem to remember used to be the same “Beantown” now located in Sierra Madre) is too far south of the Post office block, where I often see small groups of folks congregating by the bakery and the health food store. But then the Ralphs big parking lot and the ruins make the other side of Lake hardly a good walking experience, and the strip mall on the corner of Calaveras and Lake hides its diverse businesses behind a large expanse of asphalt. The ugly and sterile fortified bank thing that is now Chase stops you going North, and even that sits behind a Lake-side parking lot.
Sierra Madre has a couple of ice cream stores in that downtown area. Our “B&R” closed awhile ago and, for some reason, Bulgarini chose to locate in the very pedestrian unfriendly Rite-Aid mall, which I assume will contain another hideous vacant eyesore in the not-so-distant future, instead of a Lake or Mariposa location.
Over on Fair Oaks we lost the best burger in Altadena when Hawkins House of Burgers
closed; I’d often see other people at the outdoor tables at Hawkins when I went there or drove by. It looks like the Red Hen is fixing up and expanding. North Fair Oaks is a real pretty and traffic calm part of Altadena with nice wide sidewalks. Perhaps something will develop there?
Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Snow said…
You know what, Old old guy, you make some good points – Sierra Madre does have that look of a walking place rather than a car place. That’s Lake’s essential problem, although less so right around Mariposa and Lake. I know there’s been a group of people working to make Lincoln north of John Muir and south of Woodbury look and function better and it seems to be working. The trick, of course, is what one does with the cars in a setting like Sierra Madre. Suppose we could make Lake (or Allen, or Fair Oaks) have that walking ambience – where do the cars sit while we’re all walking? Interesting problem (my grandfather’s family were all architects in Chicago and Indianapolis, and enjoyed solving problems like this).
Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 07:50 AM
Gretchen B. said…
Why can’t Altadena get it together?! I think where Lake and Mariposa meet (mostly on Mariposa) would be the perfect place for cute little restaurants and shops, where we Altadeneans could walk and gather. There are sidewalks where we could dine outdoors..drink coffee, etc. It is too bad that there is so much fighting on City Council, about where a nice, small downtown could and should be. I think Altadena needs a town feeling like Sierra Madre has…and could easily achieve it!!
Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 08:58 AM
Lori Webster said…
Gretchen, I believe you’re right and I want to assure you that there are people working on it.
I looked into the articles Tim has posted, then went a bit beyond and, holy cow!, those comments are harrowing. It’s frightening to see how others perceive Altadena….and very frightening to see how some Altadeans perceive their own hometown. We truly need to raise our town’s self-esteem level lest we sink even lower into what could be termed the “ghettoization” of Altadena. We need to combat that ghetto mind-set….seriously, it’s harming our beautiful community where there’s more than enough to be proud of!
Friday, May 29, 2009 at 09:07 AM
Lori Webster said…
Ummm….make that “Altadeneans”.
Friday, May 29, 2009 at 03:37 PM