Anonymous wrote:1) Raising the bar for developers' soundproofing obligations is probably a good idea in general. But that would only help to bring new buildings a little closer to the standards of the old buildings. I live in an old building with wonderfully thick walls, but I still hear plenty of street noise and amplified music that's often performed outdoors a block away. So,
2) I have a hard time believing that better insulation would make bucket drumming and such actually quiet enough that it doesn't disturb residents in their homes or workers in their offices.
3) It isn't necessarily accurate to say that gogo or even the black community was "there first" in DC. That's more true in some neighborhoods than others, and it generally assumes history began around 1950 or so. But it didn't.
Anonymous wrote:Better soundproofing is a great idea. Why does OP want people calling the cops on their neighbors unnecessarily?
People also need to just give and take. I *hate* outdoor music. My neighbor likes it and plays it all summer. I don't say boo about it because the songs are family appropriate and it turns off at sunset. Could be a lot worse and still in the letter of the law! Neighbor probably doesn't love my DD loudly announcing every thought or joke in her head but that's how it goes unless you live on multiple acres.
Anonymous wrote:I think requiring more sound proof building construction is a great idea, street music playing or no.
I say this as a white person who finds stuff like the cell phone outdoor music blasting annoying (though I would never complain in person because I grew up in DC and know better to move to a black neighborhood and then complain about go go music playing).
But haven’t you noticed that old, pre World War II construction buildings are usually way quieter than the new crap going out now? Absolutely it would be better for the new buildings to be built better, with better sound proofing. Not just to block out music but also traffic, siren, mechanical noise like AC vents, etc.
Anonymous wrote:I think requiring more sound proof building construction is a great idea, street music playing or no.
I say this as a white person who finds stuff like the cell phone outdoor music blasting annoying (though I would never complain in person because I grew up in DC and know better to move to a black neighborhood and then complain about go go music playing).
But haven’t you noticed that old, pre World War II construction buildings are usually way quieter than the new crap going out now? Absolutely it would be better for the new buildings to be built better, with better sound proofing. Not just to block out music but also traffic, siren, mechanical noise like AC vents, etc.