tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post8479956107662066770..comments2024-03-27T04:02:47.206-04:00Comments on Old Urbanist: Street Narrowing, circa 1200 A.D.Charlie Gardnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07317335121565650040noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post-37359731722684808432012-01-19T22:39:27.218-05:002012-01-19T22:39:27.218-05:00Arcades are of sufficient importance to count as o...Arcades are of sufficient importance to count as one of the "Six Essential Design Elements" in the proposed Maine Piscataquis Village Project. We haven't gotten as far as legally defining property rights, but we expect a public right of way to be secured for the sidewalk, and private ownership rights granted to the abutting building owner.<br /><br /> An architect student friend of mine arrived in central Bologna for the first time, looked around for about 15 minutes, and asked, "Why aren't all cities built this way?" Unfortunate we've decided to "take" private property by imposing setback restrictions instead of "giving" air space rights over the sidewalk to abutters.Piscataquis Village Projecthttps://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dfxsxhdw_251f75rgsg4noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post-42218183400480868512011-12-23T02:12:15.187-05:002011-12-23T02:12:15.187-05:00I wonder how easy it would be to expand buildings ...I wonder how easy it would be to expand buildings like this. Building codes and bureaucracy might be a formidable obstacle-- you can't just draw up a plan and start building. <br /><br />I remember seeing an image of a proposed elevated tram line for Market St. in SF which ran above the sidewalks, delivering passengers into stations which were inside the buildings, and creating an arcade for people below.alaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05334835705248693244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post-84749652464358904542011-12-01T16:04:23.277-05:002011-12-01T16:04:23.277-05:00@Charlie Gardner - ah yes, whoops!@Charlie Gardner - ah yes, whoops!David Knighthttp://www.dk-cm.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post-91612023929838857222011-11-30T11:46:51.228-05:002011-11-30T11:46:51.228-05:00Now that we're long past the golden age of awn...Now that we're long past the golden age of awnings, rain and snow are a big disincentive to walking. Arcades are a great solution- especially in northern cities where municipalities have trouble compelling property owners to shovel.<br /><br />Incidentally, I live a block away from a nice wide arcade, but it appears to have been built on private property, possibly in exchange for the provision of on-street parking in former sidewalk space:<br /><br />http://maps.google.com/maps?q=minneapolis,+mn&ll=44.975137,-93.279937&spn=0.000723,0.001206&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hnear=Minneapolis,+Hennepin,+Minnesota&gl=us&t=h&z=20&vpsrc=6Alexhttp://gettingaroundmpls.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post-37504392484322405302011-11-30T00:44:13.270-05:002011-11-30T00:44:13.270-05:00@David Knight -- yes, through Besim Hakim's fa...@David Knight -- yes, through Besim Hakim's fantastic work on Islamic cities (which I have linked at right). This idea does share some similarities as you've pointed out.Charlie Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07317335121565650040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post-9636047630562179322011-11-29T08:17:30.106-05:002011-11-29T08:17:30.106-05:00I remember working as an architect in Singapore in...I remember working as an architect in Singapore in the mid 1990s, and being told to achieve 3.6:1 plot rations (3.6 times more floor space than site area). But if looking at a whole neighbourhood, and not just one site, that dropped by a half. The streets were so wide!@BehoovingMovinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16755099168773616741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post-60094628053194060532011-11-28T22:04:01.096-05:002011-11-28T22:04:01.096-05:00Well... a lot of city governments are low on money...Well... a lot of city governments are low on money. Toronto's mayor is certainly looking to sell city assets he feels aren't necessary and make money from development fees.Nicolas Deromehttp://www.google.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post-24002597847856220472011-11-28T15:07:37.071-05:002011-11-28T15:07:37.071-05:00@Cambias Does it? Can't the pavement remain &#...@Cambias Does it? Can't the pavement remain 'public' below?<br /><br />Fantastic post. Do you know about the Islamic concept of the 'fina' - not dissimilar.David Knighthttp://www.dk-cm.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post-67265473806300968102011-11-28T10:54:20.457-05:002011-11-28T10:54:20.457-05:00The big problem with this otherwise excellent idea...The big problem with this otherwise excellent idea is that it means land and space move from public to private. To a lot of people, including the bulk of those in government, that idea is virtually obscene.Cambiashttp://www.jamescambias.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7394091530012769761.post-7950530385430949472011-11-28T08:11:37.947-05:002011-11-28T08:11:37.947-05:00I can't think of any cases in Canada where the...I can't think of any cases in Canada where the building was extended over the sidewalk, although there are still some nice examples of arcades that essentially increased the width of otherwise uncomfortably narrow sidewalks.<br /><br />The Bay, a department store in Calgary<br />http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Calgary,+AB,+Canada&hl=en&ll=51.046413,-114.065466&spn=0.003771,0.009645&sll=40.753645,-73.969445&sspn=0.004543,0.009645&vpsrc=6&hnear=Calgary,+Division+No.+6,+Alberta,+Canada&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=51.046178,-114.065488&panoid=QUEspTujUdfreNPP7nSQUg&cbp=12,247.87,,0,1.85<br /><br />At this spot in Toronto, the sidewalk outside the arcade is so narrow no-one uses it.<br />http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Toronto,+ON,+Canada&hl=en&ll=43.646382,-79.375151&spn=0.004153,0.009645&sll=51.045606,-114.065546&sspn=0.001885,0.004823&vpsrc=6&hnear=Toronto,+Toronto+Division,+Ontario,+Canada&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=43.646382,-79.375151&panoid=jhNa3ChT3idQKPQzT6nEFQ&cbp=12,99.71,,0,-9.71<br /><br />Although in all other cases, the sidewalk outside the arcade seems to be wider in Toronto:<br />http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Toronto,+ON,+Canada&hl=en&ll=43.649771,-79.374976&spn=0.004153,0.009645&sll=51.045606,-114.065546&sspn=0.001885,0.004823&vpsrc=6&hnear=Toronto,+Toronto+Division,+Ontario,+Canada&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=43.649853,-79.374654&panoid=ixSrQSW7cqNzL4Gh43KPXA&cbp=12,317.58,,0,-5.3<br /><br />I guess the city wants to keep a section of sidewalk that's under its complete control in case the building's owner becomes uncooperative.Nicolas Deromehttp://www.google.canoreply@blogger.com