I’m in the construction business and all the equipment for sprinklers, fire alarms and smoke control in an event space that size would cost millions. The permits alone would cost hundreds of thousands.
Sure it’s “safer” now but this means only the most wealthy galleries and production companies can afford to legally display their art/music/dance.
Entire neighborhoods in NYC that used to be working art spaces that you could explore are now reduced to a few snooty chain galleries. In poorer areas you can still find warehouses like in this. However, national media hysteria may now shut them all down.
Sure, it was dangerous as hell and the buildings could have killed us any moment. But it was exciting, educational and some of greatest memories I have from being young.
Kids are meant to play in the sticks and mud. Not sit at home in bubblewrap. At what point does all this “safety” legislation start harming their mental health?
Kids are probably taking so many drugs today because every other aspect of their lives is so damn monitored, regulated and controlled. They can’t legally build racers, treehouses, go camping without permits, etc, etc. Their every move is being tracked on GPS. Dating is reduced to an algorithm. 90% of what I did as a kid is outlawed or overpriced today. The only mystery left in their lives is hiding and getting high...
Maybe part of the solution is to simplify code so that common sense saftey issues is mandated. Codes have gotten so elaborate and the ADA has complicated the situation even further. Problem is that its not just state by state but also city by city where codes need to be brought into line and simplified...perhaps following MAGA