Location: Poor Streetscapes

John Brown takes a look at the drawbacks of a poorly located home.

  • Paul C

    Put simply, in a lot of newer areas, the functionality of the traditional lane or back alley has been removed/relocated to the front of the home. Access to parking from the front in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing however imo, one of the underlying causes of streetscape degradation found in newer areas is the proportions employed.

  • http://s John Brown

    Hi everyone,
    I have received a few emails, and comments on older posts asking when our book will be back in print.

    The answer – Nov 1 (hopefully).

  • http://s John Brown

    PaulC,

    Thank you for the comment about the back lane. You are correct that the shift in subdivision design sometime in the early 1980′s that eliminated the back alley (largely for economic reasons) had a big impact on the quality of the streetscape.

    What we would like people to realize are the “hidden costs” to one’s quality of life when choosing to live in a front drive subdivision with poor streetscapes and low walkabiity.

  • Brad W

    Lack of sidewalks may indicate car dependency but not necessarily a bad location – many very desirable and highly affluent areas eschew sidewalks – examples that come to mind are former suburban locations like the Bridle Path in Toronto – of course, bucolic areas certainly qualify.

    As soon as developers started building with serpentine road patterns back lanes were lost and this has been arguably detrimental to the streetscape, particularly, as densities increased. Grid patterns like those found in John’s older Calgary neighborhood facilitate the back lane and allow different densities (detached, semi, duplex, mutli-family) while preserving a relatively car free facade. It is too bad that locations such as these are rarely built.

  • Paul C

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    John, I agree. I think it would be fair to say that the walkability aspect goes beyond the streetscape as well and into the overall urban planning, where in newer areas there typically is a singular segmented approach to locating uses.

    I always find it striking when for instance one can see the coffee shop from their bedroom window, could probably hit it with a modest football pass from the balcony, yet to get there one must get in their car or traverse the obstacle course landscape…reminds me of the Family Circle cartoon strip which at times depicts the interesting circuitous travel routes of the young ones.

  • Brad W

    Does advocating for walkable locations offset car use? It makes sense that living in a walkable location lessens your dependency on the car and yet the streets in Toronto are filled with cars. The fact is the car is presently a necessary evil, even downtown. I guess that only thing you can really say about walkability in an urban context is that it gives you a choice and I am certainly willing to advocate for that.

  • Brad W

    Paul C – that is too far to walk, I think I’ll take my car :)

  • Paul C

    Brad W lol, it is not so much the distance but the journey.

    Then again after a few cups of java, leaping the sound walls and metal fences shouldn’t be a problem. :-)

  • amagin

    hey guys great work. i would like to purchase the book? when are you going to have more in stock?

  • http://s John Brown

    Amagin,
    We hope to have the book in stock by November 1. Sorry for the delay. It’s been very popular.