Comments on: Comparing Interfaces: Real Urbanism versus Immitation Urbanism

By: Houston's Pedestrian Culture - Texas (TX) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

Houston's Pedestrian Culture - Texas (TX) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:54:16 +0000

[...] Originally Posted by irishlover Why do people always try to wish a place into something it isn't and won't ever be? Houston is Houston partly because of a lack of pedestrian culture the OP mentioned in other cities and partly because of a hundred other reasons that make our city unique. Get over yourself already. Yes Yes, woe are the people that would love to see Houston's urbanity improve. Non Natives and even Natives want a more walkable city. This is a perfect discussion and link about related to this thread. It centers around the development in Midtown in Houston. Comparing Interfaces: Real Urbanism versus Immitation Urbanism [...]

By: Rodolfo Martinez

Rodolfo Martinez — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:19:47 +0000

Should have read your article before leasing at Camden, the area looks unsafe at night, hopefully I am in the third floor and it is more dificult for burglary, however, yesterday 2 apartments were broken into… thinking about relocating now

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:04:23 +0000

Thanks for the comment, CC. I definitely agree with you about terminology, the biggest issue I’ve had is how to convey certain ideas a snippet that people outside the industry will “get” without having to think too hard about terminology. I really wrestled with how to title this article. I’ll keep your suggestions in mind for future posts on the subject!

By: CC

CC — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:42:58 +0000

Andrew
You present some good commentary on the fundamentals of quality landscape and building design in an urban environment, but I would reconsider so closely associating proper site planning with “urbanism.” Urbanism is a broad term that encompasses the full spectrum and goal of urban design – including your topic of walkability and pedestrianism. I suggest that you provide your own definition of urbanism so bloggers understand that urbanism requires good site design, but the definition of urbanism is not entirely relative to the design of sidewalks. Certainly, it is one component, but not the solitary definition. This would expand your topic and give readers more of the big picture.
Its also a good idea to qualify “good” vs. “bad” urbanism. “Bad urbanism” is somewhat of a paradox, like “bad achievement.” If urbanism is the goal of urban design, then you either have it or you don’t (or you have it sometimes or partially). This is why your definition of urbanism may enlighten your point and your readers.
Good article…and good luck!

By: Peter Brown’s traffic plan – Off the Kuff

Peter Brown’s traffic plan – Off the Kuff — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:38:05 +0000

[...] of the year when the notion of walking anywhere isn’t too appealing to most folks, though as Andrew Burleson has shown, the quality of the pedestrian experience can make a huge difference in that. Most of the year here [...]

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:40:26 +0000

Leilah:

You’re partly right, I certainly don’t think a super minimal form based code solves everything, but the primary details it would include are related to where and how you put your building and your parking on the site. So, for instance, no more podiums, no more sea of parking in front.

By focusing on eliminating the worst offenders, we may still get some Camden Midtowns, but we won’t get any more CVS. That’s a win.

Combine this with a recommended design guide (which the city already has for it’s urban corridors plan) containing more detailed architectural standards and some incentives for developers to comply with it, and you have a phenomenal transformation from where we are today without trying to force something heavy down people’s throats (which won’t work).

Over time, if we let districts (such as Midtown or the Heights) that want to create unique environments voluntarily personalize the architectural standards and make them mandatory within their boundaries (by approval of a majority of property owners), then you can have really fine-grained quality urbanism emerge while preserving the variety and freedom that make Houston so vital and entrepreneurial.

While that may not be a ‘utopian’ solution, I think it’s much more workable to focus just on the most critical issues and give people the opportunity to buy in to the full enchilada voluntarily.

By: Leilah Powell

Leilah Powell — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:41:07 +0000

Andrew, with regard to the regulatory framework for creating a good streetscape–a form-based code addressing only building placement and height would still allow if not encourage all of the poor design decisions you pointed out in your excellent comparison of the Camden vs. Post properties: lack of pedestrian access and visual interest, poor landscaping choices, etc. Percent transparency on the ground floor, awnings and arcades for shade, and multiple mid-block entry points can all be required in or immediately adjacent to downtown and will ease the way for transition to a vertically-integrated mixed use environment once the neighborhood matures.

By: What makes streetscapes walkable? Three Houston examples. « 2009 Community Development Summit

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:07:10 +0000

[...] experienced a lot of infill development in recent years — not all of it good, according to Andrew at neoHOUSTON. What makes some projects great, and others not so [...]

By: Marc Brubaker

Marc Brubaker — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:48:54 +0000

This is an excellent review of the complexes, sir. One of the reasons for all of the development to the west of Post has to do with the fact that much of it is encompassed by a tax increment reinvestment zone [including the Post complex]. Midtown is TIRZ #2.

There are more details about it in the pdf here: http://www.houstontx.gov/budget/05budadopt/XIII_PI.pdf

By: Appetitus Rationi Pareat

Appetitus Rationi Pareat — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:19:26 +0000

Great post. This should be required reading for every leader in Houston.

And you are correct, CVS has no qualms about developing urban stores if the code encourages/requires it. Here’s/A> another example of a urban CVS in my old neighborhood in Arlington. It is incorporated into the Courthouse Metro stop.

How much better would Midtown be if instead of the strip mall CVS that belongs in the burbs we had something like that?

Missed opportunities.