Haverhill, Massachusetts

 

Although it's a state route, the street is narrow which slows traffic. On street parking is a physical barrier between pedestrians on the narrow sidewalk and moving cars in the street. This part of Haverill survived the "urban renewal" demolition that affected other parts of town. Three to four story buildings. Built to the front property line. Limited on site parking. Traditional architecture and building materials.  Small town urbanism.

Related: Why walkable streets are more economically productive.

The Importance of Awnings and Canopies in Walkable Places

Something as simple as an awning can make a place much more friendly to pedestrians.  In 90 degree heat the shade provided by awnings might even determine whether or not people will walk at all. The shade provided can compensate for a lack of trees in places where it might be difficult to plant them.

 

These are a few images showing how much shade a built-in canopy can make versus an attached awning and no awning at all.  Most of the buildings in the images are single story so an awning or shade canopy becomes even more important.

 

Good Main Street Urban Design in Downtown Burbank

There are many great urban design elements in just this one little section of downtown Burbank.

 

 

Nice wide sidewalk, street trees, benches for sitting, narrowed street at a mid block crossing, pergola that calls out the paseo to the parking in the rear. (See the picture below.) The location of the office building on this frontage is unfortunate. Offices are no longer permitted on the ground floor along San Fernando Boulevard in downtown. The other corner of this building at the end of the block has a good restaurant with lots of patio dining so it's not a complete disaster. (Notice the ribbon of bricks. Typical of downtown redevelopment in the past, but Nate Hood of Strong Towns will be happy to know that I have observed workers systematically filling in grout and maintaining the investment rather than letting it decay.)

This paseo is one of a half dozen in downtown Burbank. It makes San Fernando easily accessible from the parking in the rear and it is also a perfect place for a mid block crossing. This paseo is also a great opportunity to inject some excitement and visual interest into downtown. 

 

 

Mid block crossing that narrows the street which slows vehicles and makes the crossing shorter and safer for pedestrians. The street trees are a simple row with a large canopy that makes this the favorite downtown block for many people.

 

The design elements in these photos are repeated throughout downtown Burbank and make it a highly trafficked shopping and entertainment destination in the eastern San Fernando Valley. Some cities have successful spaces like this, but they refuse to implement similar improvements in other parts of their cities. They seem to think it's just fine for the charming little downtown district, but the real money is made elsewhere. The reality is that shopping districts like this generally are more profitable per square foot than the larger big box properties many cities pursue. I'm not sure why more cities don't aggressively encourage the growth of their traditional downtowns.

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.

The Power of the Food Truck

It's like magic. Quick and easy food and some live music scattered throughout Magnolia Park Burbank and people turn out in droves. Especially on a hot summer evening. With so many people present you can get a feel for what the area could (will?) be like every weekend as interesting shops and restaurants begin to fill more of the buildings. This event is officially called "Ladies Night Out" because it was originally the salon, and boutique owners - mostly women  - who wanted to attract customers beyond the normal closing times of 5 and 6 PM. It now draws women, men, and families. You'll see lots of strollers and lots of people walking dogs. 

I spoke with the owner of Bearded Lady Vintage who explained that he doesn't make a lot of sales on this evening because his stuff is larger and can't be carried around while you're visiting food trucks. He said that many people discover his store and then return on the weekend to buy something. That's the big benefit of evenings like this. People who would have otherwise never walked past these businesses are given a reason to and then discover great alternatives to the often predictable merchandise found in chain stores.

Evenings like this build on the investments the city has made including, wide, well-maintained sidewalks, street trees, built in benches, and attractive and safe crosswalks. The business owners are wisely taking advantage of these investments and creating something very exciting for the City of Burbank. Just looking at these pictures makes you want to be there.

If you want to encourage people to walk...

It really doesn't take much. Sometimes it's as simple as keeping the sidewalks level and planting some trees.

"Numerous small, inexpensive but vital differences needed to make the streetscape appealing."

It's really not that difficult to create a real, livable, walkable, vital neighborhood as demonstrated in these drawings.