Simple Urbanism

The building is simple and plain, but it's placed right at the sidewalk and integrates well into the public realm. Four floors of residential above. Simple urbanism. Nothing fancy. Just put the mixed-use building in the right place on the property.  The queen palms are nice accent trees that help define the outdoor room, but they don't provide shade which is important on the north side of the street.  The shade in the colonnade depends on the time of day. (These pictures were taken around 9 AM.) It would make a great place for some outdoor dining without intruding on the sidewalk.

Verdugo Avenue, Burbank, CA

There are two to three blocks of development like this along Verdugo Avenue in Burbank, CA. One and two story buildings built to the sidewalk with parking in the rear. All built before the current very high parking requirements. It immediately abuts duplex and single family residential zones and is within a 1/4 - 1/2 mile walk of many residents. A bike lane runs most of the length of Verdugo Avenue through the city including at this point so it is also easily accessible by bike. This strip of buildings could use some investment - a small mixed-use project was recently approved at the other end of the block - or at a minimum a new coat of paint and some street trees, but it is otherwise a charming and functioning commercial neighborhood. 

Glasgow Tailors

Remnants of what used to be there. This was the entrance to a building in downtown LA that no longer exists. It seems odd they didn't remove the tiled entry when they demolished the building, but I'm glad it is still there to be discovered.

Urban Vignettes

I really enjoy coming upon charming little urban vignettes like this. It makes exploring neighborhoods a lot of fun. This one is in Downtown Fullerton, California on a Saturday morning last Summer. 

Mini Shop

A very small shop in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. I couldn't tell if this is a remnant of a larger tenant space or if it was designed this way, but I thought it was the kind of place that makes a neighborhood feel unique and helps locals feel a sense of pride in the character of their neighborhood and make them feel that even in the sprawling city their neighborhood is a place worth caring about.

Magnolia Park

Magnolia Park is one of several charming neighborhoods in Burbank, California. I like this picture for a couple reasons. First, someone is taking a picture that they likely uploaded to Instagram or Facebook so the other perspective of this shot is online somewhere. Second, rather than placing the tables, chairs, and umbrellas against the window of the cafe the business owner chose to place then in the very generous public right-of-way. This is less of an intrusion into where people walk, but it also brings the action further into the public realm. Notice also how the parked cars provide a protective buffer between the traffic on the street and the people sitting down. The tree well is very large to accommodate the root system of the enormous ficus tree which, although it grows quick;y and provides a dense tree canopy is probably not the best choice for a street tree.

Getting Your Bearings

There are places in Southern California that offer views that help make sense of the region. A place to see the whole city. A place to figure out where you are and get some context. Often these are hillside places such as the Griffith Observatory, but sometimes they are man-made such as the Hollywood and Highland complex in Hollywood where the picture below was taken. To see the proximity and connection to downtown is helpful especially to tourists who find themselves overwhelmed by the sprawling nature of the city.  When you see it this way it can sort of start to makes more sense.

An Alley in Fullerton

This is an alley made hospitable to pedestrians (customers!). It connects to parking lots behind these building and provides rear entrances as well as patios for several pubs and restaurants that wouldn't fit in the front along the street. There doesn't seem to be physically much required for this very simple transformation. Paving and lighting, bollards at the far end to prevent cars near the patios. There may have been electrical utility lines that were placed underground. That would be very costly, but is not absolutely necessary. What's the saying? Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Use what you've got to make a gradual transformation happen.

  

 

Old Urbanism

A few shots of Old Towne Orange, California. This downtown reflects many of the ideals of today's "New Urbanism." It's not a perfect place. There's a lot of cut-through car traffic and not too far from the center it peters out into typical auto oriented southern California land use patterns. Orange's downtown is large enough, however, to be a good reference point for the city's residents when developers or planners want to convey any idea. "Do you like downtown? That's what we want to replicate." Or conversely, "We intend for this to be nothing like downtown." My favorite picture is the one of the circle with the fountain in the center. 

 

Blending Old With New

The top photo is the older original strip of commercial buildings and the more recent construction across the street is below. Besides the difference in height they did a decent job integrating the new construction into the neighborhood. It's built to the sidewalk and there are first floor commercial uses as with the older buildings.  There was  also a somewhat halfhearted attempt to break up the large, singular building by modulating the facade and painting the different sections a variety of colors.

 

Billboard

This billboard towers over the charming cottage apartment. At its base it is painted to match the building. I guess it could be worse. It could be an electronic billboard.  I wonder if they get cheaper rent.

No Trespassing in the Public Right of Way

Welcome to downtown.