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There are few people who would call Cap Hill "suburban",even in "form".
Looking at street view, the houses on Logan and Pennsylvania and Peal, etc., all look old suburban. And the construction dates back me up (early 20th century).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katarina Witt
I told you the pumpkins thing was supposed to be a joke; it's also an object lesson that they sell the same stuff as other groceries. You are the one who repeatedly made statements that TJ's had a higher turnover than "other" grocery stores, sold "different" products and wanted to get the customers in and out quicker. Most retailers want their customers to stay as long as possible on the theory that the longer you're in there, the more you'll buy, and especially the more impulse buying you'll do.
And I conceded that I do not have data to back up my assertion on that subject.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katarina Witt
I do think it's notable that the founder of TJ's once owned a chain of convenience stores.
It's now owned by Aldi's. What matters more in 2016? I'd say it's the influence of Aldi's.
I didn't read the posts in this thread. But I have something to say about parking lots. There was a YT video about that the U.S. is number 1 in three things. I can add a fourth point. The U.S. is number one in the number of parking lots. Both in absolute terms as well as per capita. The number of parking lots and the surface area that is used for parking is unbelievable. I wouldn't be surprised if more than 50% of the world parking lots are located in the U.S. It's surely convenient but it looks terrible. Why they don't build more underground carparks? At least in the downtown areas? Is the land in urban areas so cheap that it makes sense to waste the land for parking lots? Is there no better way to use the spaces? According to Google street view, even the most expensive major cities (maybe with the exception of New York) have downtown areas cluttered with parking lots. Or are those parking lots just temporary until they construct a building on those spaces?
Do Americans realize that they have a serious obsession with parking lots? I guess asphalt manufacturers in the U.S. are good at lobbying
Looking at street view, the houses on Logan and Pennsylvania and Peal, etc., all look old suburban. And the construction dates back me up (early 20th century).
And I conceded that I do not have data to back up my assertion on that subject.
It's now owned by Aldi's. What matters more in 2016? I'd say it's the influence of Aldi's.
Bungalows. Yes, they were popular in the early 20th C. Chicago city is full of them, as is Milwaukee, and of course, Denver. Not so much Minneapolis/St. Paul.
I also told you TWICE prior to the post above that the pumpkin thing was a bit of a joke. There is no place for humor with you Urbanists.
Last edited by Katarina Witt; 07-21-2016 at 04:26 PM..
I didn't read the posts in this thread. But I have something to say about parking lots. There was a YT video about that the U.S. is number 1 in three things. I can add a fourth point. The U.S. is number one in the number of parking lots. Both in absolute terms as well as per capita.
Well what's so bad about being number 1?
There are certainly worse things to be number 1 at.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lukas1973
The number of parking lots and the surface area that is used for parking is unbelievable. I wouldn't be surprised if more than 50% of the world parking lots are located in the U.S. It's surely convenient but it looks terrible. Why they don't build more underground carparks? At least in the downtown areas?
Have you thought about the expense of making underground carparks as opposed to on-street parking, parking lots, or above-ground parking structures?
Quote:
Originally Posted by lukas1973
Is the land in urban areas so cheap that it makes sense to waste the land for parking lots? Is there no better way to use the spaces? According to Google street view, even the most expensive major cities (maybe with the exception of New York) have downtown areas cluttered with parking lots. Or are those parking lots just temporary until they construct a building on those spaces?
Why do you take the position the land is being wasted? What's the matter with using land for a parking lot?
Quote:
Originally Posted by lukas1973
Do Americans realize that they have a serious obsession with parking lots? I guess asphalt manufacturers in the U.S. are good at lobbying
Asphalt is a lot cheaper than concrete. So why the obsession against parking lots?
I didn't read the posts in this thread. But I have something to say about parking lots. There was a YT video about that the U.S. is number 1 in three things. I can add a fourth point. The U.S. is number one in the number of parking lots. Both in absolute terms as well as per capita. The number of parking lots and the surface area that is used for parking is unbelievable. I wouldn't be surprised if more than 50% of the world parking lots are located in the U.S. It's surely convenient but it looks terrible. Why they don't build more underground carparks? At least in the downtown areas? Is the land in urban areas so cheap that it makes sense to waste the land for parking lots? Is there no better way to use the spaces? According to Google street view, even the most expensive major cities (maybe with the exception of New York) have downtown areas cluttered with parking lots. Or are those parking lots just temporary until they construct a building on those spaces?
Do Americans realize that they have a serious obsession with parking lots? I guess asphalt manufacturers in the U.S. are good at lobbying
The US is number one in the world in terms of pretty much all measures of things to do with cars. Highways, number of cars on the road, etc. That we're number one in terms of parking lots is not exactly surprising.
There are few urban centers in the US with land values high enough to wholly displace surface parking lots. That said, you typically see less surface parking closer to city centers, for obvious reasons.
Whether or not underground carparks are feasible varies on the city. In NYC, you see them everywhere. In Boston, not so much. Why? Boston has a very high water table in much of it, so building things you want to stay dry underground is much more difficult.
Do Americans realize that they have a serious obsession with parking lots? I guess asphalt manufacturers in the U.S. are good at lobbying
Outside of NYC, all U.S. cities have to accommodate lots of parking, because all U.S. cities are car-oriented. Even SF, Philly, Chicago, etc. are very car oriented compared to Europe.
Germany actually isn't that great on this measure. Due to unfortunate postwar reconstruction, most German big city centers have plenty of parking, because they were all rebuilt in the 1950's, when driving was considered the future. There is no shortage of parking garages/ring roads/unfortunate design in all the big city centers.
Heck, I just parked right next to Köln Hbf a few weeks ago. It was quite easy to find cheap and convenient parking on a busy Friday afternoon.
Berlin appears to be more car-friendly than NYC; but probably not compared to any other American city. Its center feels like its more modern and less old urban due how much was destroyed (probably more than most big German cities) + division compared to say, Boston or San Francisco. Still pedestrian-oriented. Here's an apartment complex I found in the city center of Berlin with its own surface parking. Rare or non-existent in downtown Boston, unless you're including the West End.
Was on the East Berlin, so both the parking and buildings were communist built (the commies did build some parking...) Underneath the apartment complex was the bunker where Hitler spent his last days.
Was on the East Berlin, so both the parking and buildings were communist built (the commies did build some parking...) Underneath the apartment complex was the bunker where Hitler spent his last days.
I think the apartment complex you posted was actually for the elite Party members in the GDR (assuming this is the large complex near Potsdamer Platz). It was built shortly before reunification. Very nice housing for GDR standards.
Yeah, German cities have fairly generous parking accomodation in city centers compared to Italy, France, Spain, even UK, probably. There was a (completely understandable) postwar rush to rebuild, and that was the era of autotopia, so cars were accommodated (though not like in the U.S.).
Outside of NYC, all U.S. cities have to accommodate lots of parking, because all U.S. cities are car-oriented. Even SF, Philly, Chicago, etc. are very car oriented compared to Europe.
Germany actually isn't that great on this measure. Due to unfortunate postwar reconstruction, most German big city centers have plenty of parking, because they were all rebuilt in the 1950's, when driving was considered the future. There is no shortage of parking garages/ring roads/unfortunate design in all the big city centers.
Heck, I just parked right next to Köln Hbf a few weeks ago. It was quite easy to find cheap and convenient parking on a busy Friday afternoon.
I think it's nice when parking spaces are "hidden" in underground parking or parking garages. In my hometown Kleve they have torn down some shabby postwar buildings (mostly build in the 50s) in the city center. Before they build the new shopping center on that freed space they build some underground parking levels. But the city has still some surface parking spaces.
In the sister city Fitchburg in Massachusetts I have seen a strip mall with a huge surface parking space between the street and the stores. The distance between the stores and the street was easily more than 100m. It was like an ocean of asphalt. I can understand that it didn't make much sense to build an underground parking for this strip mall. But I don't understand that a city like Chicago has so many surface parking areas. Do they reduce those surface parking spaces and build more parking garages instead? Surface parking areas in cities like Chicago doesn't seem to be a long-term solution.
Underground parking, that I have encounter in France were terrible. I thought German underground parking structures are narrow, but they are quite spacious compared to those in France.
And I think it's nicer to use paving stones for surface parking. It doesn't make the whole area so monotonous (when the street and the surface parking areas are all asphalted).
I don't use the car that often, but it drives me crazy here in Germany when I can't find a parking lot. That is really a big advantage of the U.S.
Berlin appears to be more car-friendly than NYC; but probably not compared to any other American city. Its center feels like its more modern and less old urban due how much was destroyed (probably more than most big German cities) + division compared to say, Boston or San Francisco. Still pedestrian-oriented. Here's an apartment complex I found in the city center of Berlin with its own surface parking. Rare or non-existent in downtown Boston, unless you're including the West End.
Was on the East Berlin, so both the parking and buildings were communist built (the commies did build some parking...) Underneath the apartment complex was the bunker where Hitler spent his last days.
There is a city district (Garath) in the south of Düsseldorf. The whole district was built in the 60s. All the high rise residential apartment buildings have an underground parking level. They are often covered by green spaces. It's nice, despite the city district is often considered to be a "ghetto". But in the 60s they have thought that a household will have just one car. Today they have a serious lack of parking spaces.
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It's surely convenient but it looks terrible. Why they don't build more underground carparks? At least in the downtown areas? Is the land in urban areas so cheap that it makes sense to waste the land for parking lots? Is there no better way to use the spaces? According to Google street view, even the most expensive major cities (maybe with the exception of New York) have downtown areas cluttered with parking lots. Or are those parking lots just temporary until they construct a building on those spaces? 
