Resolved: The Boilermaker is killing Utica

[gearofzanzibar]

From the Washington Times coverage of the Boilermaker. First, the good:

When it comes to throwing an after-race party, Utica's Boilermaker is second to none.

Some 40,000 runners and spectators cram the expansive parking lot behind the local F.X. Matt Brewery, known for its famous Saranac and Utica Club beers, and celebrate one of America's legendary distance runs, the Boilermaker 15K.

Now, the bad:

A final thought on Utica, home of the National Distance Running Hall of Fame since 1998: Utica is no Cooperstown. The Hall of Fame is located underneath a highway off-ramp in a seedy section of downtown. The story is that the building in which it resides was donated, but it is time to relocate the national shrine to a destination such as Boston, New York or even the District with its burgeoning National Marathon.

The full article is available at www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/19/utica-bubbles-over-for-boilermaker/

I would suggest, half-seriously, that the Boilermaker has become the longest running PR disaster in central New York history. Every year we're treated to dozens of stories about how this is the city's chance to shine, that the thousands of runners participating in the race will come, fall in love with Utica, and leave to spread the word about what a great place it is.

Well, that's the conventional wisdom.

On the other hand, it also exposes thousands of people to the very worst of Utica. Yeah, the free beer at the brewery is nice, but, unfortunately, the runners also see the rest of the city. The bombed out post-industrial buildings along Broad street. The empty, weed-filled lots surrounding the Hotel Utica. The "titty bar" right next to the much-vaunted Running Hall of Fame.

Despite the best efforts of thousands of people, and the expenditure of tens of millions of dollars, there's a better than even chance that the overall impression of Utica visitors will receive is overwhelmingly negative.

[WestmoGuy]

OMG Earle Reed is gonna cry once again.

You are absolutely correct. Every year we get the "chance to shine" garbage. They clean the streets along the course, chase the drug dealers outta West Utica for a few hours, and when it's done, Utica is Utica once more.

Wonder if Peepers sees an increase in business during Boilergasm week being next to the hall?

Plus you have Genesee Towers there also. Anyone ever been in that place? Kind alike the Center Hotel in a more modern building from what I've heard.

As Always, great wisdom Gear!!

[dgriffin]

Maybe they should run the race in reverse and end up on the Parkway or Valley View. Sort of a socio economic progression in the spirit of a race.

I guess the only surprise in this story is that there are still people who believe you can change the fortunes of any city by putting it on display, even in the best light. Of course, the true believers of that set are the ones who make a living at it.

IMVHO the City is a lost paradigm. Doesn't work anymore. Cities are too full of takers, the best and the brightest of citizens having mostly left. A typical city has too much overhead. The traditions, architecture, remembered social life and arts are strong inducements for people to attempt resurrection of a long dead body, however. But such emotions eventually lead to bizarre behavior, such as asking common men and women to contribute their money to renew and maintain the mansions of earlier robber barons who enslaved their grandparents.

For all that, cities are not going to be re-vitalized. Not going to happen. But like standing in the desert and shaking fists at the heavens, offering gifts of appeasement bought with taxpayer money, there are rainmakers to pitch their services and offer hopeful solutions that sound good but will never work. The city is dead.

American cities were "successful" in earlier centuries when there was plenty of poverty among those who did the real work. The rich, like Blandina Dudley Miller, lived off the physical efforts of the rabble, writing about her friends' beautiful homes. The gap between rich and poor was wide, and in fact enabled great public works. One set of people had money for the projects, the other set built it with their sweat for a pittance. Working men labored till they dropped and, often starving, died young. The average age of working men was young, due to poor health conditions. People worked for peanuts and lived in penury. Even in the 1930's Social Security was a good bet for the government when most old people were long gone before age 70, often before 60. I know history reads a bit differently about such glories as The Gay Nineties and Roaring Twenties, but guess who wrote all of our history? Yup, the sons of the rich. People like Blandina were the only folks who could afford to write history.

Today we have plenty of poor people, but we have nothing useful for them to do. That's the key, not "unemployment," and it was predicted long ago. And this time the middle class is supporting the poor, further protecting the rich. As protection of the rich, middle class tax dollars keep the poor quiesced just enough to forestall real revolution. Neat trick. Plus, our economic structures have become much weaker. We live in an economy that can be decimated in part by housing prices! The market lives from one bubble to the next. A service economy with no real wealth, with key underpinings now coming from outside our borders. We support the poor, as is our human duty. But the arithmetic will get ya every time. As long as the poor are in the cities ... and we have no other place for them at this time ... cities just won't add up.

Veering back closer to the topic, I think the Boilermaker is a harmless pursuit enjoyed by many thousands of citizens and visitors. No one expects to see Cooperstown when running down Whitesboro Street. And only runners who lead truly sheltered lives might be aghast at the scenery. Still, it's not unexpected that the usual corps of paid industrial cheerleaders use the event to their own purposes. Let them. They'll be gone off to the next
Big Idea when everyone finally gets the message that in tomorrow's society citizens, rather than protect themselves by entering the cities as in days of old, will be protecting themselves from the cities.

(Dave is folding up his step stool and leaving the public sphere. Thank you very much.)

[Ralph]

At some point I have to say "I told ya so", not that anyone hasn't said the same thing many times.

Utica can be brought around, "revitalized" or whatever you may want to call it.....just not the way some folks wish it will be.

Utica can still be a great place for people to live, raise their children and enjoy life.....just not the way it used to be. And quite obviously, not the way some would wish it to be.

Face it, any company CEO or otherwise that may be looking to relocate their business, or perhaps start a new branch or facility, will not pass through Downtown and around the Boilermaker course to see if this is the place to be.
They will ultimately look at where their workforce will have to relocate to, or where they will be drawing a new one from.
And certainly where they or their brass will live themselves....as well as what venues they may or may not enjoy whilst they live here.

I will not throw out the usual Cornhill or West Utica remarks, as the neighborhoods in the City are all getting to look pretty much the same.....even South Utica past the Parkway is starting to look seedy in spots.

Until the residents themselves, be it property owners or renters, have finally had enough and take a stand Utica will remain as it is or continue to decline.
It matters not who or what we elect, no matter the race or ethnicity, political party or affiliation, only when the people have had it up to HERE....will there ever be a difference.
It's become obvious that 98% of our elected officials could care less.

This sadly holds true for our national and state governments as well.

[fiona]

great essay, Dave!

[concerned]

I wonder how long the streets along the boilermaker route will last with all the extra pounding of over 10,000 feet .

These events in the city gives many Uticans a chance to forget about there hum-drum life.One thing I always notice it that the run is actually for white people. I don't think I counted 25 blacks in the crowd. I don't know what that says but it certainly speaks for something