OT - Impressions of Bridgeport | The Boneyard

OT - Impressions of Bridgeport

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Being a native to this area, it's been quite wild to see how much Bridgeport has changed. There's a lot of history buried here. PT Barnum's cemetery is the first native American reservation in US history.

How are the reactions from visitors about the city?
 
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Being a native to this area, it's been quite wild to see how much Bridgeport has changed. There's a lot of history buried here. PT Barnum's cemetery is the first native American reservation in US history.

How are the reactions from visitors about the city?
Gangsters buried too. In undisclosed locations.
 
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Bridgeport is really not that bad and, as they continue adding housing stock to downtown, has the potential to become a liveable city. I've been to probably 100 events at the arena and ballpark with no problems. For a couple of years I also took the train into Manhattan, often returning late at night - again, without any issues. I know it's common to look down our noses at the cities, but we suburbanites should realize that the futures of our towns are tied to the nearby cities and take pleasure in their gradual recovery.
 
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JoePgh

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Not really pertinent to this OT, but I was astonished to learn that the Harbor Yard Arena bans newspapers from being taken in to the games.

Does anyone know the reason for this? Are newspapers considered a security hazard?
 
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Dump
Come on it's not that bad. You can see the improvements as some have mentioned. Once they get get rid of the last few empty warehouses with broken windows along 95 that will really help the image I think. Stamford is probably the nicest city in the state and they've been working hard on the area south of the highway to really clean it up with lots of new developments going in the last five years or so especially along the water.
 
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Come on it's not that bad. You can see the improvements as some have mentioned. Once they get get rid of the last few empty warehouses with broken windows along 95 that will really help the image I think. Stamford is probably the nicest city in the state and they've been working hard on the area south of the highway to really clean it up with lots of new developments going in the last five years or so especially along the water.

I assume you are walking to Downtown Bridgeport fro the stadium after the game. Yes it is still that bad
.
 

Monte

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I assume you are walking to Downtown Bridgeport fro the stadium after the game. Yes it is still that bad
.
Just what I was thinking; I would not want to walk the streets down there at night!
 
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I assume you are walking to Downtown Bridgeport fro the stadium after the game. Yes it is still that bad
.
I've spent my whole life except several years in this area. No, it's not. As someone pointed out, many of the criminal-minded moved out.

Bridgeport is going to see a LOT of redevelopment. I am sure some can tell it's already started. Sucks to lose some of the old factory buildings.
 
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I've spent my whole life except several years in this area. No, it's not. As someone pointed out, many of the criminal-minded moved out.

Bridgeport is going to see a LOT of redevelopment. I am sure some can tell it's already started. Sucks to lose some of the old factory buildings.
They need to lose those old factory buildings. They are dilapidated eyesores and unfortunately what you see from the highway is what forms opinions about a place. The financial crisis of 2008 was a bit of a set back I think, as places like Shelton, Trumbull, and Bridgeport were starting to become that outer ring of towns from which you could reasonably commute into the city while still owning something which is impossible southwest of there unless you have a million dollars (or two) to put down.
 
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Being a native to this area, it's been quite wild to see how much Bridgeport has changed. There's a lot of history buried here. PT Barnum's cemetery is the first native American reservation in US history.

How are the reactions from visitors about the city?
Before there was a Bridgeport the treaty between the Quinnipiacks and the planters of New Haven "reserved" land for the aboriginal natives along the east shore of New Haven--the first "reservation".
 
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Not really pertinent to this OT, but I was astonished to learn that the Harbor Yard Arena bans newspapers from being taken in to the games.

Does anyone know the reason for this? Are newspapers considered a security hazard?
I was very surprised newspapers were not allowed in the arena. We were there when it opened and I had to toss a lot of newspapers. Magazines were allowed. Told by security it was NCAA rule. But allowed last weekend in Gampel. And every other NCAA men's and women's tourney game I've gone to around the country over the years.
 
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I was very surprised newspapers were not allowed in the arena. We were there when it opened and I had to toss a lot of newspapers. Magazines were allowed. Told by security it was NCAA rule. But allowed last weekend in Gampel. And every other NCAA men's and women's tourney game I've gone to around the country over the years.
Why does Webster Bank Arena lie then? That's what I want to know!
 
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I was very surprised newspapers were not allowed in the arena. We were there when it opened and I had to toss a lot of newspapers. Magazines were allowed. Told by security it was NCAA rule. But allowed last weekend in Gampel. And every other NCAA men's and women's tourney game I've gone to around the country over the years.
We went to a regional in Trenton, NJ a number of years ago, and they also did not allow newspapers. In fact, security there was quite nasty about ripping newspapers out of fans hands as they entered the arena. And talk about dumps ... I'd not be in a hurry to go back!
 
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Bridgeport was a PIT when I lived there 40 years ago and it is still a PIT today. Tearing everything down should not be mistaken for development.
Granted it is a bit better....tear it all down...remove the people.....guess that makes it better, but still a hell hole. Just think, to build the arena they had to close "The Paramount"....."best damn barroom in town"!!!!
 

CBear01

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Not really pertinent to this OT, but I was astonished to learn that the Harbor Yard Arena bans newspapers from being taken in to the games.

Does anyone know the reason for this? Are newspapers considered a security hazard?

Only thing I can think of is the mess started when students would bring in newspapers to the games and then pretend to read them in front of their face when the oposing team's starting lineup was announced. Rather disrespectful and I believe the NCAA has been trying hard to get rid of this gesture. You don't see it much anymore, but you saw it when I was still in school in early 2000s.

students.jpg
 
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I assume you are walking to Downtown Bridgeport fro the stadium after the game. Yes it is still that bad
.

Oh please.....I've often parked on downtown streets and walked back after the game with no problems. The ballpark opened nearly 20 years ago and the arena more than 15. During that time I've never seen or heard of a criminal event involving patrons arriving or leaving, It's certainly been a relatively safe area to visit.

If, however, you are intimidated it's possible to get off the highway, park and return to the highway without chancing any interaction with the local rabble. EZ off. EZ on.
 
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Come on it's not that bad. You can see the improvements as some have mentioned. Once they get get rid of the last few empty warehouses with broken windows along 95 that will really help the image I think. Stamford is probably the nicest city in the state and they've been working hard on the area south of the highway to really clean it up with lots of new developments going in the last five years or so especially along the water.
Bridgeport actually has the potential to be better than Stamford, culturally, if you ask me. Easily. They are making an effort to preserve as many historical buildings of value as possible.

For what it's worth, I am a Fairfield native who moved to Bridgeport more than a year ago. Never thought I'd say this, but Bridgeport is actually a more fun place than Fairfield. You can see the history of the city in the architecture, how there was money and culture here while Fairfield and Stratfield remained farming towns.

Many cities out west would declare one block of many parts of Bridgeport to be historic districts for their towns.
 

KnightBridgeAZ

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We went to a regional in Trenton, NJ a number of years ago, and they also did not allow newspapers. In fact, security there was quite nasty about ripping newspapers out of fans hands as they entered the arena. And talk about dumps ... I'd not be in a hurry to go back!
If you are talking about Trenton - I won't be visiting there either. There is a section of Trenton someone took us to eat (he worked for the state government) and it was all-right, but I remember going on a tour of the canal and we got the "head" park ranger because he was the only one allowed to be armed. And the area around the arena was yucky, although they were improving it. But the parking was horrible, as well. (We were not there when UConn was, but RU played there in the NCAA's and we went to a concert as well).
 

KnightBridgeAZ

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As to Bridgeport, glad to hear it is improving. We visited the light house that they showed on TV (Blackstone Is. I think it is called) and there were drug deals going on in the parking lot (about 7 years ago, IIRC).
 

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