Neighborhood Aesthetics: sidewalks, curbs, lampposts, powerlines (Babylon, Levittown: fit in, power lines, houses)

[nbres]

This is an offshoot from the Nassau Suffolk comparison thread, but with the focus on Neighborhood Aesthetics.

One of the reasons I chose to live in North Babylon is because of the aesthetics. The whole Sunset City area hangs together really nice. The homes are mostly splits on well proportioned lots on curved streets with curbs and sidewalks. I love to walk and walking is much more enjoyable when there are sidewalks.

However, it seems that most developers after the mid- 1960s seem to have a total disregard for planning real communities that people would be happy living in. Instead what you have, mostly in Suffolk, are towns that look like garbage - no sidewalks, but also no curbs, utility lines running in front of the homes instead of out of sight and behind, straight blocks that are a conduit for teenage speedsters in their cars.

The best developments seem to be those completed in the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s. They combine some or all of these aesthetic qualities:

1. homes are on well proportioned lots and they are set back the same amount from the street. The setback also has to be in proportion to the height and width of the house.

2. the homes are proportional to each other - "cookie cutter" - but I like it. This doesn't mean each house has to be a complete exact copy of each other, but rather their is architectual cohesion and harmony.

3. Curved streets. But there is a rule. Pre-war (meaning before World War II) neighborhoods designed on a grid are classy: Garden City for example. Post war neighborhoods on a grid, Deer Park or Selden for example, are not classy.

4. Curbs a must. Only areas like Upper Brookville look good without curbs. Drive around Selden and see what an area looks like without curbs.

5. Sidewalks. Safe place for kids to walk, ride bicycles, exploring, etc.. Also, provides an invisible transition zone from the public area of the street and the homeowners property. Sidewalks encourage walking and thus providing a catalyst for social networking.

6. Street Lights. The more archaic looking the better. Well lit streets are important - kid safety, etc.. I hate dark gloomy streets that have those overhang lights gowing yellow spaced very far apart.

7. Utility lines should be behind the home or better, underground. Nothing ruins the view of a home like power lines strung all over the place in front of the house.

8. Parks or common lands should be incorporated into the neighborhood.

Unfortunately many of the classic neighbordoods are being taken over by the Nouve Riche. They buy up a nice and well functioning home and have it torn to the ground. In its place rises an architectual monstrosity.

I think one of the reasons why people are fed up with LI is because there are few nice neighborhoods with nice homes left that anyone can afford. Almost all the choices require some giving in to a certain unsavory aspect. Thus, when folks see those new developments in Florida or North Carolina and at affordable prices it is no wonder people are leaving here.

[Jrprofess]

Originally Posted by nbres

Instead what you have, mostly in Suffolk, are towns that look like garbage - no sidewalks, but also no curbs, utility lines running in front of the homes instead of out of sight and behind, straight blocks that are a conduit for teenage speedsters in their cars.

Uh oh Nbres...you just unleashed half this Suffolk County based discussion board on you......I think both counties have blight and beauty. Many of the nicest communities in long island do not have sidewalks, because they prefer to resemble more of a New England country style than what they might deem a much uglier city look and feel. I think there are towns with and without sidewalks, that are both very quaint and very trashy. Both counties. Not really appropriate to speak in generalities.

I think your point about developers not building nice neighborhoods with modest capes, ranches and splits is valid. With the cost of land here it is no longer practical to develop such communities. Long Island is home of the first suburb, so I suppose with such a head start on other areas the fact that the region's finite amount of land has priced out the more modest neighborhood developments seems right.

[rockypointny]

Originally Posted by nbres

This is an offshoot from the Nassau Suffolk comparison thread, but with the focus on Neighborhood Aesthetics.

One of the reasons I chose to live in North Babylon is because of the aesthetics. The whole Sunset City area hangs together really nice. The homes are mostly splits on well proportioned lots on curved streets with curbs and sidewalks. I love to walk and walking is much more enjoyable when there are sidewalks.

However, it seems that most developers after the mid- 1960s seem to have a total disregard for planning real communities that people would be happy living in. Instead what you have, mostly in Suffolk, are towns that look like garbage - no sidewalks, but also no curbs, utility lines running in front of the homes instead of out of sight and behind, straight blocks that are a conduit for teenage speedsters in their cars.

The best developments seem to be those completed in the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s. They combine some or all of these aesthetic qualities:

1. homes are on well proportioned lots and they are set back the same amount from the street. The setback also has to be in proportion to the height and width of the house.

2. the homes are proportional to each other - "cookie cutter" - but I like it. This doesn't mean each house has to be a complete exact copy of each other, but rather their is architectual cohesion and harmony.

3. Curved streets. But there is a rule. Pre-war (meaning before World War II) neighborhoods designed on a grid are classy: Garden City for example. Post war neighborhoods on a grid, Deer Park or Selden for example, are not classy.

4. Curbs a must. Only areas like Upper Brookville look good without curbs. Drive around Selden and see what an area looks like without curbs.

5. Sidewalks. Safe place for kids to walk, ride bicycles, exploring, etc.. Also, provides an invisible transition zone from the public area of the street and the homeowners property. Sidewalks encourage walking and thus providing a catalyst for social networking.

6. Street Lights. The more archaic looking the better. Well lit streets are important - kid safety, etc.. I hate dark gloomy streets that have those overhang lights gowing yellow spaced very far apart.

7. Utility lines should be behind the home or better, underground. Nothing ruins the view of a home like power lines strung all over the place in front of the house.

8. Parks or common lands should be incorporated into the neighborhood.

Unfortunately many of the classic neighbordoods are being taken over by the Nouve Riche. They buy up a nice and well functioning home and have it torn to the ground. In its place rises an architectual monstrosity.

I think one of the reasons why people are fed up with LI is because there are few nice neighborhoods with nice homes left that anyone can afford. Almost all the choices require some giving in to a certain unsavory aspect. Thus, when folks see those new developments in Florida or North Carolina and at affordable prices it is no wonder people are leaving here.

I think this is all based on personal opinion. We have new neighbors across the street from Nassau County that say they love the feel and character of our neighborhood. With the hilly terrain, winding roads, and varied home styles, curbs and sidewalks just wouldn't fit into the look of the beach area of Rocky Point. However, I do agree with you on one point, straight grid-pattern neighborhood are often not attractive in Suffolk County. If an area is hilly with winding roads, it often looks prettier and more bucolic if it lacks curbs and sidewalks. If an area is flat and has grid-pattern streets,(Medford, parts of Selden, Mastic etc.) it can often look unfinished if it lacks curbs and sidewalks.

[TeaJay]

I grew up in Levittown, and didn't really appreciate how neat that community looks until I left. (I am sure someone will correct me/point out cars up on blocks, etc) When I visit my parents I love how all the lots are level and clearly delineated, how you can't see the power lines, and the houses are mostly well-kept. I now live in Putnam County, and I wish I'd noticed before that the power lines are in front of the houses. Ugh! There are no sidewalks, which didn't bother me until I had a child, and the lots are not level at all, which is nice to look at but a pain to maintain.

[mommytochris]

Holbrook south of the LIE has these neighborhoods. The underground powerlines were a must for me when we bought here. The two dislikes I have (we live in the Parkland developement) is that the houses are too close and no basement. But the benefits far outweigh those two. We stroll the sidewalks from late winter to late fall. Surrounded by the greenbelt gives us little hiking trails and we are so convienent to commuting having all that major highways around us.

[KellyFG]

I grew up in a suffolk neighborhood with underground power lines & well planned curved streets, it was a development so there were only 5 or 6 home models & it was very consistant looking. However there were no sidewalks but then again there were no thru traffic streets so we walked, rode bikes & played in the streets with no real vehicle traffic to speak of. My Grandmothers house was in Sunset city & I spent much of my childhood there, it was pleasant.
Now I live in a much more rural place, no curbs or sidewalks-hell they just paved the roads here in the last 20 years, wires are above ground & the homes are mostly converted bungelows. Its very rustic looking & I love it. I feel like I live in a vacation house everyday. We have very little street lighting but we also have very little light pollution so the moon often provides adequate lighting and the stars are amazing when viewed in darkness.
The Vinyl or faux stucco mcmansion look that is taking over most planned developments makes me gag.
My DH is from valley stream & was amazed by the lack of sidewalks for years. Now when we venture back into his old neck of the woods he marvels at how close together the houses are & the lack of usable yard space.
There certainly is plenty of variety on LI, that is the way it should be.

[nancy thereader]

One of the reasons I chose to live in North Babylon is because of the aesthetics. The whole Sunset City area hangs together really nice. The homes are mostly splits on well proportioned lots on curved streets with curbs and sidewalks. I love to walk and walking is much more enjoyable when there are sidewalks.

Where exactly is this neighborhood, nbres? I don't think I am familiar with it and it must be right near here.
I agree with you. The many amenities of Babylon Village , lampposts, hanging baskets of flowers and (some) curved streets , some even with bridges make it a pretty place to live.

[nbres]

Just drive north on 231 and before the MRI place place make a left onto August go straight make a right onto Elkton and then a left onto Interlaken - then just drive around in the heart of Sunset City: the area has most of the features I like in a neighborhood.

[nancy thereader]

Is this South of the part of 231 that forks into one , nbres ? Or is it close to Belmont Park ?