**UPDATE 11/21/08** The broken windows have been replaced in this shelter.
Just curious if anyone has heard what happened to the windows at the bus shelter that is on E. Union at 25th Ave. The windows facing the street are all broken and there’s a bunch of glass laying inside the shelter. I couldn’t tell if it was gunshots or maybe a baseball bat that was used…it was too dark to tell this morning. I’ve sent in a request to Metro to get it fixed. I also suggested that they turn this shelter around so that the opening faces the street. Due to the drug activity in this shelter, I think if it was turned so the opening faced the street, at least the police would be able to see directly into the shelter to catch the drug dealers/users. See my previous posting: http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/2008/08/27/bus-stop-shelter-drug-activity-at-25th-e-union
I’d like to encourage others to write in or call metro to help get this shelter turned around to face the street. You can contact metro using their customer service page: http://transit.metrokc.gov/cs/services.html and using one of the contact options on the left side of this web page.
Most of the bus shelters downtown do not have walls on the sides that run parallel to the street.
I would assume this is to cut down on nefarious activity as well.
and i will call the officer i spoke with tomorrow as well
i will also have a frank convo with metro about the shelter itself. personally, i’d prefer to see it removed. would be nice to know why the yoga folks moved–my guess is they got sick of their clients having to walk past people smoking crack, shooting crap into their arm, or dealing said crap.
Although I suggested turning the shelter around, I would not be opposed to seeing it removed, too. But it’s a shame that we can’t have nice things like bus shelters due to the drug dealing going on around the CD. Thanks for having a talk with metro, too.
As far as the Yoga studio moving…if I remember correctly, they moved out around the same time as the “for sale” sign went up. Of course, that might just be a coincidence and I’m not sure if that property is still on the market.
Anywho…thanks for your comments!
I emailed Metro a couple weeks ago as well about turning the shelter around. I think it would be great if others also emailed them so it has the opportunity to move up whatever priority list they might have.
The Yoga studio owner also owns the building(and used to own my vintage Honda).
The building is still for sale though they did have an offer on it at one point. It seems it failed during the feasibility study. I don’t know why he is selling
I believe the reason why the shelters don’t face the street it to provide more shelter from both rain and splashes from cars. However, it doesn’t work that way in the real world (well, it works as intended, but with unintended consequences)
Personally, I wouldn’t mind a compromise: a roof with no sides, other than the supports necessary to keep the roof intact. That way, there would be at least a bit of shelter from the rain, but it would hopefully keep the undesirables from thinking it’s their field office.
I would be fine with this option, too. In years past, this shelter did not have any windows. If I recall correctly, they (Metro) added the windows several years ago. It was better with no windows and just the roof as it kept you dry while eliminating the undesirables.