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.

Visiting Friends

Kelly and Naomi arrived late Friday night. We had a great day Saturday before they headed off to Portland Sunday morning.

Here is a brief itinerary of a full, fun day in San Francisco.

Wake up around 8am. Cook breakfast of omelets.
Head to the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market for fun urbanity, overwhelming diversity and prices, and a good lunch of rotisserie chicken, bread and cheese, and organic peaches.
Catch the N-Judah to Golden Gate Park. Enjoy a stroll into the park to the Tour de Fat. (While I' m not a fan of alcohol in general I will not hestitate to admit that Fat Tire is my favorite beer out there.) Good beer, fun music, tons of bikes and the great people who ride them, and hilarious antics.
A side trip to the convention center to pick up the rental car. Finding the rental storefront closed. Heading to the Castro to soak in the gayness, eat a good dinner of thai food (I love pad kew mao) and some gelato.
A leisurely stroll down 18th street towards Dolores Park and the Mission. Stumbling upon Cinema in the Park at Dolores park while taking in the panoramic views of the city.
Stopping in for the first time at Bi-Rite Creamery for some of the best ice cream I've ever had in my life. [At some point I will make a posting completely dedicated to this amazing creamery].
Home on the BART for a few hours of reading and relaxation before sleep.

A perfect vacation day for all three of us. Gluttonous, exhausting, exhilarating, and filled with a diversity of urban life.