A European immigrant moves to USA and explains why he believes US suburbia is soul crushing (article) (define, money)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Garages are a huge deal for some urbanists, according to some literature I've read. You absolutely, positively cannot have a garage on the front of the house!
San Francisco's very urban rowhouse stock (often with garages) should refute the idea that garages ruin an urban environment.
I can assure you South Carolina does not get 95°F with 90% humidity at the same time. Nowhere in the US does; that's likely a physically impossible combination.
Dew point 95, temperature 108. If on the way up or on the way down, the combination of a dew point of 92 degrees and a temperature of 95 degrees was reached, you've got it.
while the article is exaggerating (most of it is), the mixed use places are generally in generally limited sections. European zoning laws often don't even a residential-only zoning
n Germany, the “small-scale residential” and “exclusively residential” zones—the lowest-density residential designations possible—actually allow a range of retail and other uses as of right. The general principle is that businesses that serve everyday neighborhood needs, like small bank branches, corner stores, or medical offices, ought to be allowed within walking distance of people’s homes. Bigger uses that might attract more regional traffic are separated out. And in Sweden, although amendments (or what we might call “variances”) are needed to place a shop or other commercial use in a residential district, such amendments are regularly granted.
I get the impression the author's perception is skewed by the Atlanta area, which except for a few pockets near downtown is one of the least dense of large metros and has among the fewest urban aspects the author looks for. Boston could be a better fit:
Well, in Boston—where neighborhoods in the three most urban categories made up over half of all housing—83 percent of people with strong preferences for urban neighborhoods lived in one of these three urban zones. In Atlanta—where the same top three urban categories make up barely over 10 percent of all housing—just 48 percent of people with strong preferences for urban neighborhoods lived in an urban zone.
"American zoning law (in all but its oldest cities) forecloses on the possibility of mixed-use development. This means traditional design patterns like shops and offices on the first floor with apartments above are impossible. Residences are constructed in special areas zoned for residential construction, while shopping and work take place in altogether different areas zoned for commercial development."
[/quote]
Since you brought up Chicago. It required set-back of housing after its Great Fire of 1871. For the New "Second City" arising. It basically banned NYC tenement building. Row-homes did get built. But early and ironically, more for the affluent then not. But soon lost favor too. Solid blocks of rows never really got built or just don't exist today.
Detached in Chicago can mean mere inches apart. That certainly des not change density. The city is 90% with alleys too. 1/3 of the city is its Bungalow-belt. Built 1910 to 1940. Some claim 1930. But the 30s were depression era anyway with far less housing built then the 20s. Then the 40s 50s neighborhoods they basically followed the same size lots. A couple feet wider in some.
So the RED on your map you note. Are basically the Bungalow-belt 1/3 and 40s 50s early 60s neighborhoods. The oldest neighborhoods are in BLACK and I've seen 5 story infill common too there. In neighborhoods tat gentrified. Generally in BLACK. As the Bungalow-belt generally did not have the declines.
Chicago has great housing stock that zoning helped maintain as quality construction. It held up well especially its old bungalow belt with quality craftsmanship built in.
Before the bungalow era. The "Workers Cottage home" was common. Both brick and wood-frame. Highly sought after today. 2-3 flats among bungalow neighborhoods. Were Chicago's answer to your Boston's "Triple-Decker" built for similar reasons.
But this was AMERICA. The single-family home was the Middle-Class dream and desire. The city maintains that without SPRAWL. Close-knit but a open appearance by front green-space required.
The city has a higher density then Philly that is 60% row-homes. It did that too with apartment buildings. But mostly on main-streets or near and some full blocks. Philly did much much less apartment buildings. Its rows were far predominately single-family.
Mostly old Chicago in pictures. From the Workers Cottage of the torn of the 20th century to its old Greystone homes unrestored. To over some old neighborhoods. Then the early 20th century bungalows and 50s early 60s varieties. TO ME URBAN I. AMEICAN STANDARDS. Front green-space in neighborhoods give a suburban effect. Though homes on 25'-30' x 125' lots. With alleys behind, smallish yards if the chose garages.
Your post was a quote to me with a "try", I thought it was just to me.
I haven't been to South Carolina, but I've never experienced heat & humidity that prevented a leisurely walk to the point of "I wish I could be in a car".
That's South Carolina in the summer during the day. The only time it is ok if the walk ends in the pool. Now I get heat rash staying outside more than 15 minutes when it is hot and humid.
Since you brought up Chicago. It required set-back of housing after its Great Fire of 1871. For the New "Second City" arising. It basically banned NYC tenement building. Row-homes did get built. But early and ironically, more for the affluent then not. But soon lost favor too. Solid blocks of rows never really got built or just don't exist today.
Detached in Chicago can mean mere inches apart. That certainly des not change density. The city is 90% with alleys too. 1/3 of the city is its Bungalow-belt. Built 1910 to 1940. Some claim 1930. But the 30s were depression era anyway with far less housing built then the 20s. Then the 40s 50s neighborhoods they basically followed the same size lots. A couple feet wider in some.
So the RED on your map you note. Are basically the Bungalow-belt 1/3 and 40s 50s early 60s neighborhoods. The oldest neighborhoods are in BLACK and I've seen 5 story infill common too there. In neighborhoods tat gentrified. Generally in BLACK. As the Bungalow-belt generally did not have the declines.
Chicago has great housing stock that zoning helped maintain as quality construction. It held up well especially its old bungalow belt with quality craftsmanship built in.
Before the bungalow era. The "Workers Cottage home" was common. Both brick and wood-frame. Highly sought after today. 2-3 flats among bungalow neighborhoods. Were Chicago's answer to your Boston's "Triple-Decker" built for similar reasons.
But this was AMERICA. The single-family home was the Middle-Class dream and desire. The city maintains that without SPRAWL. Close-knit but a open appearance by front green-space required.
The city has a higher density then Philly that is 60% row-homes. It did that too with apartment buildings. But mostly on main-streets or near and some full blocks. Philly did much much less apartment buildings. Its rows were far predominately single-family.
Mostly old Chicago in pictures. From the Workers Cottage of the torn of the 20th century to its old Greystone homes unrestored. To over some old neighborhoods. Then the early 20th century bungalows and 50s early 60s varieties. TO ME URBAN I. AMEICAN STANDARDS. Front green-space in neighborhoods give a suburban effect. Though homes on 25'-30' x 125' lots. With alleys behind, smallish yards if the chose garages.[/quote]
Exactly, best of both worlds.
Last edited by sstsunami55; 03-10-2017 at 07:53 AM..
How about a city whose garages are in alleyways and access to them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Edward234
San Francisco's very urban rowhouse stock (often with garages) should refute the idea that garages ruin an urban environment.
I am not the one who has a problem with front-facing garages. It is a principle of "New Urbanism". Re: alleys and garages, I'd really like to have that extra green space than an alley, and I like an attached garage. New Urbanism
Dew point 95, temperature 108. If on the way up or on the way down, the combination of a dew point of 92 degrees and a temperature of 95 degrees was reached, you've got it.
I think "95 degrees with 90% humidity" is a kind of saying. It means hot and humid! As jade408 says, the only good walk in that kind of weather ends at the pool!
I haven't been to South Carolina, but I've never experienced heat & humidity that prevented a leisurely walk to the point of "I wish I could be in a car".
You should try coming here during the summer months of June, July and August.. Yesterday, on March 9th 2017 it was a stifling 73F.
Just for fun, I pulled up last year's weather for a week, July 25-31st-2016. The highs were 99, 95, 99, 91, 91, 91 and 97. The lows at around 3 AM were 77, 77, 77, 77, 75, 73 and 73F. Heck at 8 PM the temps were still 82-84F on some days. The humidity was between 50 and 59 % ( I will grant you that, it was not 90 %). https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/...th=7&year=2016
You may be a superman or superwoman and take a leisurely stroll at 99F weather without any issues. But I would not, and neither would any sensible Greenville native venture out for a leisure stroll at 99F ( But I would venture out for work in that weather provided most of the time was spent in car with AC or indoors).
It is quite strenuous to even go out when the sun is down at 8 PM, and as to carrying two grocery bags for half a mile at 82F temps - forget it. My wife and I sometimes went out for an evening stroll in our neighborhood at 9 PM for just 2500 fitbit steps and came back drenching in sweat, and had to carry a water bottle to keep ourselves hydrated.
I am not the one who has a problem with front-facing garages. It is a principle of "New Urbanism". Re: alleys and garages, I'd really like to have that extra green space than an alley, and I like an attached garage.
I've used the extra green space as a reason against more off street surface parking often. I don't particularly care about an attached garage and think some houses would look better without them but I'm not strong opposed.
Quote:
I think "95 degrees with 90% humidity" is a kind of saying. It means hot and humid! As jade408 says, the only good walk in that kind of weather ends at the pool!
Maybe I've spent too much time on the weather forum where the posters all take it literally.
Dew point 95, temperature 108. If on the way up or on the way down, the combination of a dew point of 92 degrees and a temperature of 95 degrees was reached, you've got it.
I should have said not possible in the US. High dewpoints are found in areas facing the Gulf, the south Atlantic is slightly less extreme as the Atlantic Ocean has cooler waters. But even the Gulf is hot enough to produce a literal 95°F and 90% humidity only the Persian Gulf.
Quote:
It is quite strenuous to even go out when the sun is down at 8 PM, and as to carrying two grocery bags for half a mile at 82F temps - forget it. My wife and I sometimes went out for an evening stroll in our neighborhood at 9 PM for just 2500 fitbit steps and came back drenching in sweat, and had to carry a water bottle to keep ourselves hydrated.
I can't really continue arguing since I don't live in South Carolina. But 82°F doesn't sound that hot. 82°F at sunset happens here on hot days, the streets in the town center aren't empty at those temperatures so I'm not the only one. Yea, the weather's kinda gross but being inside the whole day sounds more unpleasant, IMO. Yea, I can think of a super humid day getting drenched and annoyed at a two block walk. Never going outside and straight into your car at all times just sounds depressing and unpleasant.
I lived in a more walkable neighborhood where I'd go for short walks almost every morning (bus stop, buy a coffee, etc) regardless of how chilly it was in the winter. I liked seeing the neighborhood in all the seasons. In my current place, I'd have to drive to get anywhere and I just feel trapped and find it depressing. digging through old photos... this morning was rather crummy
Spoiler
this looks better
another instance where IMO the street looks better & cozier with the building close to the street; looks more interesting. my attempt at a walk for fun in a snowstorm in 10°F with wind didn't last that long
My Dutch husband has worked is &$^ off here as a highly skilled worker from the Netherlands for the last 11 years and wants us to go home asap .. Due to extreme ex wife problems there ( and we are in our 50's) we will be going to another EEU country .
He says he learned hate , fear and total exhaustion here and doesn't want to spend what is left of his life that way . This is a man who was in both the Royal Dutch Airforce and Army and due to the way the system is set up was also able to play some years of professional Rugby .He is no sissy .
I as alot of you know am chronically ill and he is afraid I am just going to be forgotten and is just plain worried about all of us . He says we survive , yes , but have no quality of life . He is right , whenever we go "home" to Holland I sleep for long periods of time . Once I slept nearly 3 entire months .
I have spent the majority of my life absolutely hustling to make it anyway I could here and I never realized how exhausted I was until I went somewhere completely different . He does not like the work until you drop way of thinking . He also thinks the US is one of the most inhumane places he has ever been to and he is VERY well traveled and educated .
All I can say is I told him so BEFORE we came back here . We should have just visited, I should have insisted on it and it is my mistake . He says it is absolutely not my mistake,, but I think it really is .
Lets take a look at this from another perspective. Germany for example is smaller than California but has more than twice as many people.
Since we were talking he USA State of Georgia lets share some stats:
Georgia 59,425 Square miles,
Population: 10,214,860
165 people per square mile
Germany 134,564 square miles
Population: 80,650,426
599 People per square mile
France 64,854,557 Square miles
Population: 64,854,557
307 people per square mile
United States 3,796,742 square miles
Population: 320,000,000
90.6 Per square mile
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
