How to Maximize the Vacant City Sports Space

Over the past two years, multiple vacant spots have popped up on Thayer Street following a series of business closures. There was Spat’s, Shark Bar, the Verizon store, and one that really hurt: the closing of City Sports last Fall. As soon as the “90% off closing sale” sign appeared in the window, it became obvious we would have a two-story vacant space on the corner of Thayer and Meeting Streets on our hands. Frankly, I’m still reeling. But almost a year after the closure of City Sports, it has been announced that the Southboro, Massachusetts firm Grossman Development Group will redevelop the space with hopes of completing the project in early 2017. This leaves the Brown community with a few months to consider all the possible ways to maximize the space left vacant by City Sports’ closure. We’ve had a few ideas ourselves. Upperclassman Housing Over the past few years, we’ve heard of a lot of strange places that upperclassmen have been placed after struggling through the housing lottery. Former lounges and kitchens have become “home” for an unlucky few due to reaching housing capacity. What better way to alleviate this housing conundrum by developing the vacant City Sports into a series of beds that line Thayer Street? Imagine: after getting home from the a late-night in the SciLi, you crawl into your cozy bed in an open-dormitory concept while passer-bys on the street politely look-on. Oh yeah, It’s also a former retail space that sold inline roller skates and is constantly basking in the effervescent glow of Johnny Rockets! It’s really something. A Never-Ending Small Victories Party Why go downtown to Lupo’s when you can turn up in the site that formerly housed an athletic apparel store? Why not have party-titans Small Victories situate themselves and their dance parties right in the heart of the Thayer Street commercial district? Better yet, picture that the party never ends! Just got out of Orgo on Tuesday afternoon and have some time to kill before your next class? Perhaps a quick jaunt to the former City Sports to dance to a remix of The Chainsmokers’ “Closer” is for you!  Storage Space for Better World By Design InflatablesEach Fall, Better World By Design (BWxD) brings to campus a 3-day-long conference with some of the most innovative and engaging speakers, panels, and events for the College Hill community. Together, students and speakers discuss interdisciplinary approaches to design and its ability create social and spatial solutions in a way that is accessible to all. They also have a crapton of inflatables. Where do these inflatables go during the other 362 days of the year? Do they need a place to go? How about the rotting shell of the retail space formerly known as City Sports?  A Non-Stop Consulting Info SessionFor the entire Fall summer, consulting firms hold info sessions across campus, with scores of businesswear-clad undergrads all gathering to hear about the work they do. But what if there was just one constant consulting info session happening at all times of the day, 24/7? Better yet, what if this non-stop consulting info session occupied the grave of the store formerly known as City Sports? Now that’s a workable solution.  Holding Pen for Andrews Pho Line If you’ve ever been to Andrews Commons on a weekday for lunch, you know that line for Pho is always pretty daunting. No matter how fast the BUDS staffers work, the line is always dozens and dozens people deep. What about the people in line who are left waiting outside when the line is out the door? Perhaps this calls for a holding pen for the Andrews pho line. But where would we put it? I don’t know...how about the spatially and existentially empty remnants of City Sports on Thayer Street? A shuttle can bring you from Thayer to Andrews when it's your turn to finally wait for pho inside! Relocation of Blueno the Bear There have been few divisive issues on this campus quite like Blueno the blue bear on Ruth Simmons Quad. One of the more nuanced complaints has been that--although the statue is okay--its placement right in front of Osamu on Simmons Quad is an eyesore. You know what else is an eyesore? The gaping carcass of a former City Sports. Need I say more? What do you think should be fill the empty City Sports on Thayer Street? Let us know! [poll id="6"]