EcoDensity

As an urbanist concerned about global warming and a whole host of other issues that face our country I think about how decisions at the city planning level play a role in either mitigating or exacerbating these problems.

I believe that densifying our city neighborhoods that are currently zoned single-family is the planning challenge of the next century. The reason this will be so challenging is because it confronts what has become considered a tenet of the American dream: single-family home ownership.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the issue of sustainability and ecological footprint calls into question whether single-family housing is a way of living which the planet can handle in the long run. On the other hand I'm not a big fan of skyscraper living either. I think the future of the world lies in mid-level high rise. Getting middle America to see mid-rise condominium living as the new American dream may seem like a pipe dream now, but with the resurgence of city living I don't think it's an impossibility. Post-war Federal legislation helped create the single-family living as an integral part of the American dream and I think that if a progressive Congress is elected with a Progressive president in the next election cycle it's possible for Congress to make higher density living a part of the future American dream within a comprehensive global warming legislation package.

Vancouver, BC's Mayor Sam Sullivan calls this Ecodensity.

In the end maybe I should just move to Vancouver and forget all the pretty talk.

Blue Star Corner

When I first heard about Blue Star Corner at a Green Building presentation a few weeks ago I was pretty skeptical. Any developer worth his/her starch can make a cardboard box look like a Spanish villa in a presentation. And while, in the photos and drawings, Blue Star Corner looked pretty cool I was luke warm about its location, access to transit, and overall ability to make Emeryville, CA look like Amsterdam. Photos

I've been back to visit three times since then and each time I've been there the project has grown on me. I've always liked the facade changes that make each house at least somewhat unique from the others. At this point the best part of the entire development is not that it is LEED for homes Certified but its landscaping. The bird houses are a stroke of genius.

Whenever you visit a development a development the question you should ask after you leave is: would I want to live there? I'm not convinced that my answer would be yes. If Blue Star Corner was located closer to accessible transit I would be there in a second. Obviously a development like this that is closer to transit would increase its retail price by between $100,00-200,000 at least, which would put it well beyond my means.

What would new developments look like if this architectural paradigm replaced the current style of boxy, industrial, condo development? I'm not sure. It's probably not dense enough for my taste and doesn't allow aging-in-place for elderly residents. But I think it's a marked improvement from many of the developments currently being build in the East Bay. Not that their terrible but this is a cut above.

Now if we could only change the name...

16th Street Station

The Western Terminus of the Trans-Continental Railroad has been in disrepair for I don't know how long. With between 1,000 and 1,500 new condominiums and low-income rental units rising around it - it is in store for a re-birth. More photos here.

I encourage anyone living in the Bay Area who is interested in historical architecture, city planning, or railroads to take the opportunity to ride your bike down and check out this amazing building.

To take it a step further, anyone interested in architecture or city planning should ride through West Oakland in general. Often cited as one of the most dangerous and poor neighborhoods in the East Bay it is full of urban neighborhood gems. Beautiful old victorian houses that sell for millions in San Francisco probably sell for under $500,000 here. Beautiful churches, a smattering of amazing art organizations, and some genuinely cool parks. West Oakland is a hidden gem.

With these new developments on the very western edge of the city will the rest of the neighborhood become gentrified? Or, in other words, will young professionals displace local residents? Or will the transition happen more slowly or not at all? The City Report can be found here.

Out of Bounds

On Monday I spent most of the day with Naomi Adiv, a friend who attends UC-Davis. She just began her final project for her Masters - walking the capital corridor rail line. We spent most of the afternoon walking from Jack London Square Station to Emeryville Station. The walk was challenging in the sun and pushed my limits in an interesting set of ways. Upon my urging we did not stay with the tracks in most of the Port of Oakland where we truly would have been in no man's land.

Our meander through West Oakland was enlightening since I had never ventured much beyond I-580. Who knew there was a trapeze school, the terminus of the transcontinental railroad, past the Mandela Gateway TOD project, through a neat neighborhood park, and up past Blue Star Corner, and the back of the the great Emeryville agglomeration of Ikea and Bay Street.

Oaklandish

Oaklandish organizes some of the most fun events in the East Bay.
Only a set of heroes would organize urban capture the flag.

The Night Market last weekend wasn't as exciting as I would have hoped. I think if they're able to attract both greasy and quality food vendors next time the atmosphere will be enhanced considerably. I hope the Night Market doesn't die but I think without more and more vendors, food, and more lively entertainment it is liable to not happen for a long time.

Thanks Oaklandish for making me dream of future fun events!

Barra Brava

Great fans makes great sports great.

Playing soccer as a kid made me an MLS fan.
Going to a DC United game and standing with the Barra Brava made me a DC United fan.

Black and Red Forever!

Hoover Wilderness

This past weekend Laura and I went up to the Hoover Creek Wilderness. For a weekend trip the drive was pretty long and I'm not sure it was worth it for an overnight trip. A long weekend would have been better time frame for this trip.

Having stopped by the full-of-information and friendly Bridgeport Ranger station we headed up to Green Creek trail head. The hike in was a mild and leisurely climb. The combination of the altitude and hot sun by the middle of the hike neither of us were feeling super well. After reaching Green Lake we headed up to East Lake to find a site to camp. After a short search we found a beautiful spot on the southeast side of East Lake. It was comfortable and secluded - we didn't see another campsite within a few miles of our own.

After setting up camp we packed our dinner and warm clothes into a pack and headed up toward the pass. We were hoping to eat dinner at the pass and watch the sun go down. Again, the altitude got the best of us and we only made it up as far as Hoover Lakes. The spot was unbeatable. We saw a yellow-bellied marmot and thoroughly enjoyed the Alpine views all around us. Our burritos were quite tasty too. We ate more than we could stomach (in order to reduce weight for the return hike) and ended up having terrible farting problems all night long. And I mean the worst gas I've ever had in my entire life.

As the sun began to set and we finished dinner we headed back to the campsite where we drank hot chocolate and ate a small desert. An hour or so after night fall we climbed into our sleeping bags. Unfortunately the wind howled all night and we got very little sleep. There have only been a few times in my life when I was relieved to see the sun come up and this was one of them. In the early morning light we finally got a few hours of good REM sleep.

We hiked out directly after eating and headed for Yosemite. We took the Tioga Pass Road and decided, because of time, not to enter the Yosemite Valley. From the Olmsted Point though I got to see Half Dome for the first time. I cannot wait to get back to the park sometime in September or August to see the Valley in all of its splendor.

Dancing

This afternoon for lunch my friend Dana and I met in downtown Oakland. After finishing lunch we were walking near City Center and heard live music. It was a fun Latin band and as we stolled by they played an all-time classic: 'Ajena'. Unable to control our moving hips we happily danced Merengue and Bachata.

This was good practice for Dana since she is returning to Panama for a week in order to visit the community she lived with for two years.

Dancing always makes my day.

Whitney Trainor

Hanging out with Whitney Trainor somehow always calms me. I wish she didn't live so near but yet so far.

Abbi Sanders

Abbi Sanders is one of my favorite people in the whole world.

I talked to her on the phone this morning for about twenty minutes and the short conversation made my day.

Youth Engagement

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to share some of my knowledge of real estate development with five young people who are spending their summer working on the youth engagement portion of the San Pablo Avenue Corridor Plan. My friend from graduate school, Alissa Kronovet, together with two faculty from Kennedy High School in Richmond, CA are helping these young people to make a positive impact in their community.

After a boring hour of somewhat interactive lecture about green building the real fun started when we left as a group to visit the 12th and MacDonald project site in downtown Richmond. Kinshasa Curl from the Redevelopment Agency met us there and described the goals of the project and what her role is, as a project manager with the City of Richmond, on the project. She was very enthusiastic, open to our ideas for retail on the site, and offering of herself as a mentor. She even offered to take the kids on a hard hat tour of the new Richmond Civic Center.

After our visit to the 12th and MacDonald project site the group took BART to 12th Street where we ate lunch, and walked by two AF Evans developments that are somewhat similar to what 12th and MacDonald will look like when it is complete. We then stopped by the AF Evans corporate office and spent 30 minutes talking with Muhammad Nadhiri who manages 12th and MacDonald at AF Evans . The group was engaged and interested in Muhammad's personal history, thoughts on how to make San Pablo Avenue more pedestrian friendly, and challenges of developing and building green.

It was a great day; a great escape from the office.

Photo from left to right: Marlin, Tiara, Kinshasa, Justin, Julio, Norman, Eduardo