Discomfort is in the Eye of the Beholder.

I can't speak for when Mitch Pearlstein's experiences on Hennepin Avenue, but his offices at the Center of the American Experiment place him at the scene. Consequently, it seems odd he can't summon personal experience to illustrate Hennepin Avenue: One Mean Street. Instead, he makes generic references to  vaguely specificied past horrors.

I'm happy to stand corrected if I'm wrong. But I've spoken to any number of women as well as men over the years who say they feel a lot less comfortable on Hennepin than they do on other signature streets such as Fifth Avenue in New York, Michigan Avenue in Chicago and Connecticut Avenue in Washington.

Of course, it's possible he doesn't have any good stories about how bad it is downtown. Neither do I, despite working downtown for 15 years, walking to lunches and client meetings, attending Timberwolves games as a season ticket holder, and passing through as a runner, cyclist and transit rider.

I won't say there aren't issues downtown, but a lot of discomfort is designed in.

First of all, the skyways siphon off most of the street life. When streets are for traffic, people lose. Lack of a diverse human presence on the street creates unease — especially if the only people left on the street are the poor, the destitute and the criminal.

Second, street level facades without windows or regular foot traffic are forbidding. Block E and City Center, the two suburban-style downtown developments closest to Mitch's office, turn their backs to the street. Many businesses along Hennepin are only alive at night, including bars and theaters. Add to that entrances that only lead to elevator banks or parking ramps, and you have Gaza-in-the-making — where streets feel like blast wall-lined gauntlets instead of places where it's safe or enjoyable to stop.

And a lot more is in the eye of the beholder.

Ride an inner city bus once and it might be scary. Ride it more often and it's routine. Drive through the North Side once, and you'll have shields up the whole way. Bike through it daily and you'll say hi to people.

If you live in a city, accept responsibility for your fears. Respect the people you meet. And don't be stupid. Otherwise, you'll be like my commenter of the day.

Hennepin Ave in and around block E is disgusting. My wife and daughter are in the entertainment business, and frequently are downtown in the evening. There is absolutely no reason that groups of mannerless, vulgar, loud mouth, in-your-face, push-it-to-the-limit black youths should be allowed to loiter, and pollute our city. Add to this the uber-panhandlers that refuse to let my wife pass without giving her a hard time. And other exepiences such as where one 'sister' decided it would be 'funny' to open my daughter's car door, while she was stopped for the light at 6th and Hennepin. IT'S OUR CITY. THE OTHER 99.5% OF THE CITIZENS IN MINNEAPOLIS HAVE GOOD MANNERS. SEND THIS SCUM HOME!

posted by dgb049

Of course, Discordian Stooge has total dispensation to disagree on this.

And Norwegianity points out the Robocop subtext of Mitch's meanderings.

UPDATE: And I neglected one other obvious design factor related to discomfort downtown. Don't be female.