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I have to be honest I don't understand why they don't just include ground floor retail and stuff. For example there is a new development called Assembly Row just outside Boston in Somerville and some of the buildings are similar to those with parking hidden inside a building or behind it but they are able to keep the ground floor really activated. The empty lots are being developed with similar style development although the buildings being built now are much taller.
Half of the Chicagoland Urbanized Area lives in areas less walkable than much of Houston. Chicago's suburbs are less walkable and less dense than areas of the Houston Urbanized Area that were developed at the same time.
Half of the Chicagoland Urbanized Area lives in areas less walkable than much of Houston. Chicago's suburbs are less walkable and less dense than areas of the Houston Urbanized Area that were developed at the same time.
What do you mean by less walkable? Lower walkscore?
I would say that if you're comparing post WW2 suburbs outside of Chicago with neighborhoods of a similar vintage in Houston, the Houston neighborhoods are likely to be slightly denser, because suburban lot sizes are smaller in the South than the Midwest. That doesn't mean the neighborhood fabric is appreciably more walkable however.
You don't need to shovel sweat in Chicago's post WW2 suburbs you cannot walk at all for a third of the year because there is 2 feet of accumulated snow on the ground.
You don't need to shovel sweat in Chicago's post WW2 suburbs you cannot walk at all for a third of the year because there is 2 feet of accumulated snow on the ground.
Snow really doesn't matter much in terms of walkability, because if there's nothing worth walking to via sidewalk within say a 10-15 minute stroll from your home you are not going to walk (unless you don't own a car at all).
Not only that, but there would not be two feet of accumulated snow on the ground in Chicago during an average winter. Average snowfall for an entire winter is around three feet, and there are enough warm days during the winter season that melt will happen and you're not going to get a continual blanket. Hell, this past year there was no snow stuck at all in January and February.
I live in frigging Suburban Chicago, and that is a once in a century phenomenon usually there is enough snow that you cannot walk anywhere for a couple months of the year.
I live in frigging Suburban Chicago, and that is a once in a century phenomenon usually there is enough snow that you cannot walk anywhere for a couple months of the year.
I have to be honest I don't understand why they don't just include ground floor retail and stuff. For example there is a new development called Assembly Row just outside Boston in Somerville and some of the buildings are similar to those with parking hidden inside a building or behind it but they are able to keep the ground floor really activated. The empty lots are being developed with similar style development although the buildings being built now are much taller.
It's one of the main issues I have a problem with as it concerns new developments in Houston. It's like developers still have a suburban mindset on building density. That last link would be far more vibrant and a far better use of land if GFR was built. There should be GFR on at least major streets. The density is nice but it's half doing it. Look at DC. I think just about every new apartment, condo, and retail building that has gone up has retail elements with it. 14th street is like a Christmas tree at night. This is why I hope that development with the Whole Foods on the bottom takes off in Midtown and becomes successful and hope that can usher more developments with GFR with it.
It's one of the main issues I have a problem with as it concerns new developments in Houston. It's like developers still have a suburban mindset on building density. That last link would be far more vibrant and a far better use of land if GFR was built. There should be GFR on at least major streets. The density is nice but it's half doing it. Look at DC. I think just about every new apartment, condo, and retail building that has gone up has retail elements with it. 14th street is like a Christmas tree at night. This is why I hope that development with the Whole Foods on the bottom takes off in Midtown and becomes successful and hope that can usher more developments with GFR with it.
While people often claim that Houston has no zoning, it does have some aspects of what is traditionally called a zoning code, such as parking minimums. It may be even though first-floor commercial is allowed they don't want to deal with the huge expansion to structured parking which would be needed in order to integrate ground-floor retail into these developments.
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