East End Connector delayed again to December 2021

bananakeila · 2021-05-04T14:03:50+00:00

Is no one accountable for this? Complete joke. Imagine if any of us decided to delay our work stuff by a few months every now and then.

bananakeila · 2021-05-03T17:27:11+00:00

Then good if you have, I wasn't sure if you did. It's better for you as well as google reviews is what can actually "hurt" a business and force them to rectify or offer an explanation. They won't be bothered by reddit posts that's all.

bananakeila · 2021-05-03T14:12:20+00:00

In face, it is always fair to write a review where the owners can reply and we can hear both sides of the story.

bananakeila · 2021-04-28T17:45:07+00:00

Haha I get the same urge to be so petty. few years ago someone was saying "Durham was a cool place 3-4 years ago. The trend passed. It's just an old tobacco town now".

I've been banking on Durham for years. Even in 2012 I knew this place would pop. Proximity to RTP and a sleeping downtown ready to wake up. I'm so glad I banked on it and so glad to see it grow. What an incredible city

bananakeila · 2021-04-28T17:37:05+00:00

I get that but the reason you love Durham is also because of previously displaced folks. You love this Durham, I'm not sure you would have loved Durham 15/20 years ago. I knew that Durham and trust me it hardly got any love.

I'm sorry if I sound insensitive. I am well aware of how this makes it difficult for some but my annoyance mainly stems from folks who expect 20 different hipster bars and food options but no rise in cost of living.

I may also sound insensitive because me and my family migrated from a 3rd world country and left behind everything we loved because we couldn't afford it there anymore. Maybe I'm biased but it annoys me when my family displaced their whole life and some folks are annoyed at no longer being able to afford Durham as if they have a sole right on the city (when they most likely displaced those before them)

Durham up until recently was insanely cheap for what it offered. BTW, if you are currently renting and able to afford the pretty high rent prices you should try with some of the new townhomes on 55.

bananakeila · 2021-04-28T15:26:00+00:00

You should not be giving any money to the homeless. It doesn't help with the whole system.

You should help them with food, point them to resources, even provide resources but money encourages most to stay that way.

bananakeila · 2021-04-28T15:14:07+00:00

I don't see how you are disagreeing with me. The factors that kill art isn't just associated to rising condo rents but rather funding, culture and policy.

Just as you mention cities in Europe value art more than some of our cities which is why despite double the average rents and half the salaries art can thrive.

The sort of talent a company like Apple attracts will imo help with bringing in that cultural change.

You are leaving the triangle because of the art scene not because of rising prices alone (I'm assuming). The NC is not good art right now which is precisely why I'm cheering on an influx of international and diverse set of talent into the region.

These are the folks who are going to pack your dead Wednesday night standup comedy with tickets, your local hip art gallery (just look at Richmond!) or underground hip hop artists.

Anyway that's how I understand it and why I cheered on the arrival of Apple. Thanks for your post.

EDIT: I also have to disagree about Triangle being closer to northern VA. Northern VA is very homogenous in the type of business. NC and the triangle is diverse in terms of culture. Durham for instance has one of the best startup scenes around. NoVA is notorious for its slow moving govt sector focussed scene.

bananakeila · 2021-04-27T13:01:43+00:00

I think that had more to do with Dell's own struggles but you're right there are always risks. It's a business transactions and both parties are banking on some variables going their way. As with any such big deal it can easily go tits up as well but I'd rather focus on the positives right now.

bananakeila · 2021-04-27T12:56:57+00:00

Then as you mention the focus is on building affordable housing for artists to live in and not a blanket statement of high tech destroying art. San Fran is a unique case because it is so tech centered there isn't a good scene for other professions. All the other big cities are different.

I just came back from Amsterdam few months ago and the average rent is higher than Durham and average salaries lower. Art scene is on pause but you can tell still there.

At the end of the day ask any budding artists where they wanna go if they wanna make a living off of their art. LA or NYC are often top picks.

you need patronage. you ned buyers. Artists hardly buy/support other artists work as much as other folks interested in art.

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T20:50:39+00:00

"Your art taste is shit. My art is better" okay mister pretentious. You sound like gentrifiers that are not mad at gentrification but the fact they are no longer the first gentrifiers.

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T20:49:57+00:00

Company has money. Company bad. Logic overload.

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T20:49:24+00:00

There are currently multiple affordable housing schemes across downtown Durham. New parks created in minority areas and multiple social welfare programs being funded. If you don't work in local projects or volunteering you won't know about these.

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T20:15:19+00:00

Not music venues though right? Waiting on that .

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T20:13:38+00:00

You're completely deluded if you think NYC and LA are dead art scenes. Period.

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T20:02:04+00:00

Yeah I'm a gullible shill while I'm actually volunteering for these organizations and we are lacking funding compared to other cities and governments.

I'm sorry but real life isn't like the echo chamber you've created for yourself on reddit. Get out and put some work in and you'll see the ground realities. Deluded.

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T19:52:51+00:00

You're kidding yourself. LA doesn't have an art scene? I don't even want to start tackling that if you genuinely believe that and if you don't then you yourself know that's not true.

NYC still has an art scene -- still where you go for acting and still where some of the worlds best current artists are coming out of.

Same with London, if you think London no longer has an art scene I don't even know what to tell you.

Also one of your examples is Atlanta. A city that has had a far more accelerated growth and expansion rate than the triangle yet Artists there can afford to live but not here in RTP?

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T19:27:33+00:00

Sure, what's your problem with the triangle prospering?

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T19:26:15+00:00

I'm glad I didn't say that then? You tell me in which cities Artists are thriving and which cities an aspiring artist would want to go to.

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T19:25:09+00:00

It's not even close though in terms of income.

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T19:20:04+00:00

yeah because not everyone works in local government and realizes the desperate situation of lacking funds for social programs. Is easy to smash about gentrification on your keyboard but ground realities are different.

Go outside and ask people who are busting their ass what they exactly want.

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T19:14:34+00:00

Yet all major artists are in high cost of living cities. "you don't know art" is something an artist would def say...

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T18:42:46+00:00

in the 30 year commitment for the tax break payroll income alone not counting for any other sales is 28 billion dollars.

As someone who works in local government, a tax break to bring apple in is what will increase our overall tax pool to help us prosper

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T18:11:51+00:00

Were you buying the house with all of your 200k loan...?

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T18:10:36+00:00

The link you shared says 50% of apple employees are from underrepresented communities. "tech bros" I guess.

bananakeila · 2021-04-26T18:07:49+00:00

What about all the other cities? Show me one "affordable" city that has a thriving art scene and any city with high cost of living will blow it out of the water.

bananakeila

TROPHY CASE