I don't know which of these entities is responsible for the upkeep of Belmar's main plaza, but after 14 years, it's clear that the area needs more than daily cleaning. It's time for some serious maintenance, and probably a remodel.
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| Belmar's dry and broken fountain. |
Let's start with the the main fountain, which hasn't been turned on in years. At one time, there was a large round stone ball that turned as water flowed round it, but it cracked and was later removed. The shallow step design of the fountain encouraged children to play on it, which led to the installation of a "Warning: No Entry" sign. Compare this with Founders Fountain, the water feature in Stapleton's main plaza. Designed with a wading feature that was meant for children, it was installed in 2003 and is still up and running today. In contrast, Belmar's defunct fountain has become an unwelcoming eyesore.
Next up are the paving stones. They give the plaza it's old world charm, but the stones along Bonfils Lane (i.e. the south side of the plaza that runs between the movie theater and the steps leading up to Whole Foods) have shifted and buckled. In some areas the stones have become a tripping hazard. The ground in this area needs to be re-graded and the stones relaid so that they are flat.
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| Buckled paving stones on the south side of Belmar Plaza. |
Finally, there's the dead tree on the plaza that should have been removed and replanted but which was instead turned into a grotesque sculpture of happy bears, birds, and rabbits. Clearly someone thought this was a good idea, but let me make it absolutely clear: it wasn't. It was a terrible idea. Carvings of happy woodland animals belong in tourist trap towns in the mountains, or the yards of ramshackle homes with lace curtains, uncut grass, and a jeep or two up on blocks in the driveway. Belmar's aesthetic is modern, not rustic. Yes, whoever had the horrible idea to carve up this tree should feel deep, deep shame.
Of course, maybe deep shame is your aesthetic. If so, let me make a different argument, one from a design standpoint. The trees that line the south end of the plaza are there to mark a through-zone (the aforementioned Bonfils Lane) that connects the east and west sides of Belmar. The uniformity of these trees creates this through-zone. In other words, it's important to the function of the plaza that there be a row of trees along its south side. By turning one of these trees into a kitsch piece of mountain-art, the entire design of the plaza has been thrown off-kilter.
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| Art? No, this is the mutilated corpse of an innocent tree. |
So we come back to the fact that's it unclear who's making decisions about the Belmar Plaza. Clearly it's not someone with any professional expertise in design. It's probably someone who's just muddling along on a limited budget, and who doesn't have any clear sense that one of Belmar's most important spaces is falling apart.
Belmar's main plaza needs the attention of a landscape architect, and it needs it now. Unfortunately, I don't even know who's responsible for keeping up the plaza area, or if that entity even cares that things are starting to fall apart.
Hello--some thoughts from a Belmar resident. Another great water feature similar to the one at Union Station that is both beautiful and functional, perhaps on a smaller scale for Belmar. However, I agree that if management can't get the water features to work, redesign the space. The fallacy that the fountain is turned off due to a water shortage (a sign saying that was posted years ago) is a clear shift of the real reason.
ReplyDeleteThe tree?! It doesn't really fit our aesthetic and sadly will probably be vandalized. That's another issue. I wish Security would identify just a few of the problem times in the plaza and be more of a presence. The skateboarders aren't helping the integrity of the granite blocks and other plaza amenities.
Sorry for the rant. I guess it comes from my feeling, too, that Belmar management needs to step it up.
Glad to hear your thoughts! I've heard the water shortage story, and also another story that some slipped on the fountain and that it was turned off for liability reasons. I don't know if either is true, but current management appears fine with the fountain just sitting there, turned off.
DeleteIn terms of the plaza feeling safe, I haven't noticed the skateboarders. For me, the presence of restaurants with outdoor seating does a lot to create a sense of safety, at least when the restaurants are open.
Are there any particular times/days when you think more security would be helpful?
It's hard to pinpoint certain times but the sound is unmistakable and is there no way for security to be more of a presence in the plaza? Usually, though, when there are kids on bikes and skateboards there are a bunch of them.
DeleteI have no problems with skateboarders, but skateboard jumps and tricks don't mix with a pedestrian plaza. I can see how the dry fountain would be a big draw for skateboarders-- perhaps another reason it needs to be removed and replaced.
DeleteI can also see how having the click-clack of skateboards under my window would be frustrating.
DeleteFunny you should mention the "old world charm". What makes the Old World towns so charming, in my opinion, is that they look lived in, unafflicted by the "flip the fixer upper" mentality that prizes renovation and remodel every few years over maintenance. Yes, Belmar Plaza and Bonfils Lane may be showing signs of age, but I would suggest that adds to the character of this town center, reflecting the living presence of those who live, work, and visit here. I think it is sufficiently well maintained to prevent distress, signs of which would indeed be a cause for action. If Belmar were merely an open-air mall, a 15 year anniversary could be grounds for investment into a refresh, but it's more than a mall, would you agree?
ReplyDeleteI think changes should come organically, as the community and its needs evolve, and the next opportunity for Belmar Plaza will likely arrive once the new tenant is found to replace the Qdoba HQ. Whether it's a "destination" store, like Zara, or a bunch of smaller local/chain/specialty stores, or another business in need of an office space will probably determine what happens to the Belmar's center next, if anything. The tree sculpture is an awkward addition, and its fate will depend on the new tenant's especially since getting rid of it would be a relatively easy fix. New tenant for the old Grappa space might have an impact as well, not to mention whatever's in the cards for the Virginia-facing parking lots.
Voland-- you make good points, as always. All the best neighborhoods feel a bit lived in. They're organic in terms of how they evolve, with different property owners making different decisions. In fact, I've been using just this "lived in" argument to stay chill every time I walk by that god-awful tree.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the quality of materials and the quality of design from the original build are such that Belmar shouldn't need a 15 year refresh. The fountain, however, never really worked. It invited people to play and interact with it, and yet it was clearly not safe enough to do so.
What I'm also wondering about is how organic change happens in a development where the central core is owned by a mega-corporation that in many ways acts as an absentee landlord. To me, the carved tree is an indication that whoever is in charge locally clearly doesn't "get" Belmar. But I think you're absolutely right that any changes will be driven by the needs and/or demands of rent-paying tenants.
The tree that was carved out (art?) is something I wouldnt mind seeing at my cabin in the mountains. But on the once classy and sophisticated plaza on Belmar is just a disgrace to the designers and architects!! Please get rid of it and replace it with a new matching tree.
ReplyDeleteWow--I think a mystery might have been solved. I noticed the cleaning crew on the plaza emptying the liquid residue of the trash containers into the tree wells. Specifically the tree well of the tree we lost and that is currently an ex-tree...because it failed to thrive. Old sticky sugary soda, coffee, etc. poured daily into a tree's roots is likely to diminish it's ability to thrive. I've notified Belmar management via an email on their site. Hopefully, they'll change this practice before we lose another tree.
ReplyDeleteYuck! That does not sound like a good practice. However, the mystery of our ex-tree goes deeper. At some point over the summer, the tree (alive and green at that point) was trimmed back to a bare trunk. It was then left alone for several weeks, and actually started to grow back. That was when it was carved into an outtakes reel from Bambi. What I can't figure out is why it was trimmed so badly in the first place. It seems like there are some real issues with the landscape/maintenance crew.
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