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There are three 10+ story buildings right across the street, and another at the other end of the plaza.
There is Lincoln Heights (up Lincoln), and residential behind the plaza, and along Weber (both sides) north of Lincoln. Also both sides (and back from) along Weber south of Erb, with nothing like the kind of place I'm describing in that area either.

There are three good bus routes within a short block of the site two of which service Weber in either direction, as well as up Lincoln, and west to uptown and beyond.

I think if there is sufficient local population for all the eateries (non-licensed for alcohol) in the immediate area, surely it might be worth a shot to put one in that does serve alcohol. Preferably one that isn't part of a chain.
There are signs up at 136 Moore S (at Union, beside Len's Mill and the Spur Line trail) for a bakery/coffee shop(?) called "CE Food Experience" opening next Saturday.  Nice to see things like this opening in Midtown.
That's cool. I'll have to check that out.
It seemed that CE Food Experience was more of a catering company than actual place to go to, from what I could tell?
(01-22-2016, 08:28 PM)Elmira Guy Wrote: [ -> ]There are three 10+ story buildings right across the street, and another at the other end of the plaza.
There is Lincoln Heights (up Lincoln), and residential behind the plaza, and along Weber (both sides) north of Lincoln. Also both sides (and back from) along Weber south of Erb, with nothing like the kind of place I'm describing in that area either.

If someone puts a bar in the Bridgeport Plaza, I'll meet you there sometime for a beer. I don't like sports much, but I agree with you that it's great to have a sports bar in one's neighbourhood to have a few beers once in a while and maybe run into neighbours. One of the closer places to me was Kubby's, which didn't have a lot to recommend it (in my opinion) but was somewhere where I could reliably find someone from my block on a Friday or Saturday, before it was torn down.

I'm not sure the location on Bridgeport is going to be a big draw for neighbours from Lincoln Heights or the Mary Allen neighbourhoods, for the reason that it is such an unwalkable location that, even for clientele within walking distance, it will be competing with places much further away. I walk to Bridgeport Plaza for groceries or food, but I don't think most people do- and I don't blame them. Weber and Bridgeport both, but particularly the latter, are very unfriendly to people on foot. I love the idea of strolling out to a local and not having to worry about parking or having another beer, but the walk to Bridgeport Plaza is not going to be a pleasant stroll for most people.

That having been said, I'd be happy to be proven wrong, and a bar at this location would get some of my business, too.
(01-25-2016, 09:25 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not sure the location on Bridgeport is going to be a big draw for neighbours from Lincoln Heights or the Mary Allen neighbourhoods, for the reason that it is such an unwalkable location that, even for clientele within walking distance, it will be competing with places much further away. I walk to Bridgeport Plaza for groceries or food, but I don't think most people do- and I don't blame them. Weber and Bridgeport both, but particularly the latter, are very unfriendly to people on foot. I love the idea of strolling out to a local and not having to worry about parking or having another beer, but the walk to Bridgeport Plaza is not going to be a pleasant stroll for most people.

That having been said, I'd be happy to be proven wrong, and a bar at this location would get some of my business, too.

I usually bike to the Sobey's there. It is close. What I hate most is the blind turn in the parking lot caused by the opaque windows at Moore's. It always feels dangerous to me: if it hasn't already happened, one day a car is going to go around that turn fast and hit someone.

Crossing either Bridgeport or Weber is terrible. We've talked about Weber and the Laurel trail on another thread. The place from which it is easiest to access Bridgeport Plaza is when you have to cross neither Bridgeport or Weber. Some people (like me) do live there, but yes, people who should be able to access it more easily can't.

The web page for Bridgeport Plaza includes demographics of the area: http://www.firstcapitalrealty.ca/Propert...aspx?id=22
I approach the plaza from the southwest. I guess because of the odd geometry of the Moore/Bridgeport intersection, the crosswalk is a bit to the east, which means someone coming from the west has to jog east, cross, then jog west back to the sidewalk near the Bulk Barn; with motorists leaving the plaza in a hurry, crossing the driveways can feel dangerous. To be honest, though, I find the plaza itself not terribly poorly-designed: the sidewalk near Bulk Barn comes very close to the sidewalk on Bridgeport. In many plazas like this, all destinations are surrounded by a sea of parking with no provision for people on foot to get across it. It’s obviously not great, and it would have been so much better to simply have the buildings against the road with the parking behind, but it could be worse.

I never bike to the plaza because the way the one-way Erb and Bridgeport work, I think I’d have to take Weber to obey the rules, which I dislike (bicycling on either Erb or Bridgeport isn’t appealing to me, either). Crossing Bridgeport stinks, but it doesn’t dissuade me from walking to the plaza; I bet it does many other people, though.
I would think the buildings at Union and Moore would provide your ideal location for a Kickoff's-sized (and ideally stocked) bar. Very walkable from all sides, and rent is likely to be very reasonable.
(01-25-2016, 09:45 AM)plam Wrote: [ -> ]Crossing either Bridgeport or Weber is terrible. We've talked about Weber and the Laurel trail on another thread. The place from which it is easiest to access Bridgeport Plaza is when you have to cross neither Bridgeport or Weber. Some people (like me) do live there, but yes, people who should be able to access it more easily can't.
I've complained repeatedly about the dangers in crossing Bridgeport Rd at Laurel Cr as one might want to do when coming to the plaza from Uptown. Three or four lanes of speeding, one-way traffic with almost no breaks long enough to cross safely. This badly needs a signalized crossing similar to the one across Erb St.

Incidentally it's only about a 10 min walk between the Plaza and Uptown, perhaps 15 min for strollers. Quite pleasant too if not for the Bridgeport Rd crossing. I would think that the plaza could attract more "foot traffic" from that area if it was safer for Uptowners to walk/bike there.
(01-25-2016, 10:08 AM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: [ -> ]I would think the buildings at Union and Moore would provide your ideal location for a Kickoff's-sized (and ideally stocked) bar. Very walkable from all sides, and rent is likely to be very reasonable.

I bet you're right.
(01-25-2016, 10:15 AM)ookpik Wrote: [ -> ]I've complained repeatedly about the dangers in crossing Bridgeport Rd at Laurel Cr as one might want to do when coming to the plaza from Uptown. Three or four lanes of speeding, one-way traffic with almost no breaks long enough to cross safely. This badly needs a signalized crossing similar to the one across Erb St.

I think this would likely be considered too close to the Devitt crossing. I don't agree with that, but I can see no other rationale. I have cumulatively wasted a lot of time walking to Devitt to cross to walk back towards Laurel on the other side. I agree with you that there should be a crossing at Laurel. But I'm not holding my breath.

Tackling those four lanes of one-way speeding traffic is called for, too.

Edit: The situation of having a crossing at Devitt on Bridgeport but not at Laurel is doubly stupid since, on Bridgeport's twin, there is a crossing at Moore (corresponding with Laurel) but not at Devitt.
(01-25-2016, 10:06 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]I approach the plaza from the southwest. I guess because of the odd geometry of the Moore/Bridgeport intersection, the crosswalk is a bit to the east, which means someone coming from the west has to jog east, cross, then jog west back to the sidewalk near the Bulk Barn; with motorists leaving the plaza in a hurry, crossing the driveways can feel dangerous.

I think that many of us are saying that the one-way-ness of Erb and Bridgeport is really pretty terrible around here.

I don't often cross Bridgeport from that direction; usually when I get onto Bridgeport from the Laurel Creek trail I'll continue on Bridgeport. And if I need to cross I can do that at Regina.

(01-25-2016, 10:06 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]To be honest, though, I find the plaza itself not terribly poorly-designed: the sidewalk near Bulk Barn comes very close to the sidewalk on Bridgeport. In many plazas like this, all destinations are surrounded by a sea of parking with no provision for people on foot to get across it. It’s obviously not great, and it would have been so much better to simply have the buildings against the road with the parking behind, but it could be worse.

I don't find it terribly designed in general. Yes, buildings against the road could've been better. For the most part I also don't find so many places where one can be hit by a car (Moore's notwithstanding). But mostly it's just a bunch of buildings.

The parking along Laurel Creek is kind of mysterious to me.

(01-25-2016, 10:06 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]I never bike to the plaza because the way the one-way Erb and Bridgeport work, I think I’d have to take Weber to obey the rules, which I dislike (bicycling on either Erb or Bridgeport isn’t appealing to me, either). Crossing Bridgeport stinks, but it doesn’t dissuade me from walking to the plaza; I bet it does many other people, though.

Seems like you're a bit too far away for Laurel Trail to work. Even if we had a separated bike lane on Bridgeport it still probably wouldn't be a great solution. Spur Line to Laurel is nice to ride but takes you out of your way. Certainly it would be nice to be able to get from Laurel Trail to Bridgeport Plaza without going counter-traffic.
(01-25-2016, 09:25 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not sure the location on Bridgeport is going to be a big draw for neighbours from Lincoln Heights or the Mary Allen neighbourhoods, for the reason that it is such an unwalkable location that, even for clientele within walking distance, it will be competing with places much further away. I walk to Bridgeport Plaza for groceries or food, but I don't think most people do- and I don't blame them. Weber and Bridgeport both, but particularly the latter, are very unfriendly to people on foot. I love the idea of strolling out to a local and not having to worry about parking or having another beer, but the walk to Bridgeport Plaza is not going to be a pleasant stroll for most people.

There's some available space at the Glenridge plaza. It sure would be convenient for me if someone could open a pub there. :-)
Speaking of pubs, can someone PLEASE open one in Belmont Village? I personally think it would make a killing, so long as it could find the right balance to cater to the neighbourhoods around it.
(01-25-2016, 04:33 PM)Section ThirtyOne Wrote: [ -> ]Speaking of pubs, can someone PLEASE open one in Belmont Village? I personally think it would make a killing, so long as it could find the right balance to cater to the neighbourhoods around it.

The old Vincenzos would have made a great spot for one!