Lack of off street parking can be a great thing for neighborhoods is a great thing (zoning, property)

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by turf3

Yes, a service passageway behind a building, just like I said. This is what Americans think of when you say "alleys".

And that is a nice clean neat alley. Most are a whole lot dingier, cluttered and dirty.

[citizensadvocate]

Originally Posted by Foamposite

The driveway free rowhomes I posted are definitely nicer looking than the ones with driveways. And I kinda think the point of living in a core neighborhood of a very urban city is that it isn't autocentric.

I really wish there can be an overhaul on the design of parking in cities and towns. I believe instead of a requiring a private parking lot for each business which can only be used when patronizing that business or by the resident but is empty rest of the time and off limits to others. Which is a very waste of space. Parking speculations should be block specific based on how many homes, bedrooms, office/shop space etc. i.e how many inhabitants, workers, and visitors. Parking should be available to all occupants of the block. A fee can be charged for those who leave their cars longer than they need to do business within the block.
It appears this is one of the few things Downtown LA has made strides on.

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

I really wish there can be an overhaul on the design of parking in cities and towns. I believe instead of a requiring a private parking lot for each business which can only be used when patronizing that business or by the resident but is empty rest of the time and off limits to others. Which is a very waste of space. Parking speculations should be block specific based on how many homes, bedrooms, office/shop space etc. i.e how many inhabitants, workers, and visitors. Parking should be available to all occupants of the block. A fee can be charged for those who leave their cars longer than they need to do business within the block.
It appears this is one of the few things Downtown LA has made strides on.

Policing such a system is difficult and expensive. Large cities have entire bureaucracies to administer parking. Besides the hatred that the general public has for such organizations there is the very real concern for abuse and corruption.

[ilovelondon]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

I really wish there can be an overhaul on the design of parking in cities and towns. I believe instead of a requiring a private parking lot for each business which can only be used when patronizing that business or by the resident but is empty rest of the time and off limits to others. Which is a very waste of space. Parking speculations should be block specific based on how many homes, bedrooms, office/shop space etc. i.e how many inhabitants, workers, and visitors. Parking should be available to all occupants of the block. A fee can be charged for those who leave their cars longer than they need to do business within the block.
It appears this is one of the few things Downtown LA has made strides on.

Car-centric problems

Would this be considered an American-style alleyway? https://goo.gl/maps/EK1d4n91cJ92
The only difference between that and the pics I've posted is the type of use.

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by ilovelondon

Car-centric problems

Would this be considered an American-style alleyway? https://goo.gl/maps/EK1d4n91cJ92
The only difference between that and the pics I've posted is the type of use.

Pretty much. But American alleys usually don't have names so no addresses just 'rear of XYZ street' Yes use is a big difference. Alleys are for service use to support the buildings operation.

[Katarina Witt]

We have this little alleyway in my little hipster town.
Louisville Elementary Home Tour

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by ilovelondon

Car-centric problems

Would this be considered an American-style alleyway? https://goo.gl/maps/EK1d4n91cJ92
The only difference between that and the pics I've posted is the type of use.

Yeah... car-Centric America. Stupid them. Get your intent. Funny ... ok. Showing a industrial alley to lessen with a smile.....

***** I will move on with my post that OFF-STREET PARKING is -- NOT terrible in a city and alleys are maybe outdated today..... but can serve a purpose still and more parking even it transit is used for work. They may want a car for other things. No it isn't densest NYC.

Using Chicago's alleys as examples. They are behind housing. Most industrial areas actually have no alleys. They have ther own corridors in the city. Just the way it was laid out and evolved. Different cities differ in housing styles to street-grids to no street-grid cities.

But in this city ..... you can goggle street-views in much of the city randomly. Nearly half the times..... you will get a alley view anyway just randomly searching. Most of the North-Side especially. Less the Southside.

No one is arguing London's wealthy-class neighborhoods that can go back a few centuries.... have much grandeur and great architecture to be proud of. I'm not going TO STOOP TO ESSEN LONDON OR THE UK even if .... it is supposed to just be funny.

The US is far more single-home oriented to apartment-style buildings. I'M SURE YOU KNOW THIS. A few larger cities can have high row-housing stock also. Chicago isn't one. It's attached housing % is lower then most. A result of having its Great Fire" as even I read London did too. But for this American city it changed its housing to more separated even if inches/Centimeters. But it doesn't get labeled a city of sprawl. Its neighborhoods remain urban by American standards and on a TRUE STREET-GRID SYSTEM of streets with housing. Main streets more commercial and all with alleys in back as 90% of the city has.
* Though its bungalow-belt especially. Probably would be seen as suburban in the UK?

A typical 1920s 30s 1/3 of the city growth of 80,000 built. They held up well over row-housing in some Eastern cities and running the power-line grid and poles thru its alleyways. Created better aesthetics in this city. IMO

Examples and may as well add their alleys.

Neighborhood street
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9412...7i13312!8i6656

Its alleyway and shows some yards. Though garages shrunk the yards.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9417...7i16384!8i8192

Car ownership for this newly evolving American Middle-class. Still used the city's same street-grid continued. But shorter homes in depth ..... created a front-lawn effect. Over just some green frontage.

Apartment buildings and 2-3-flat varieties of housing added density in some and main streets muilti-residential was more common.

The city's oldest neighborhoods are most sought after today. They are more densely built though with still green frontage and soaring trees streets most preferred.

The Workers-cottage styles were the pre-bungalow-belt styles circa 1900 that are popular today.

Neighborhood street
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9480...7i16384!8i8192

Its alleyway isn't letting me go down in street-view here.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9482...7i16384!8i8192

Another wood-frame neighborhoods predating the bungalow-belt.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9223...7i16384!8i8192

Its alleyway
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9218...7i16384!8i8192


* But the densest neighborhoods and gilded-age areas are most sought after.....

Neighborhood street
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9229...7i13312!8i6656

Its converging alleyways.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9221...7i13312!8i6656

Another neighborhood street
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9225...7i13312!8i6656

Its converging alleys here
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9231...7i16384!8i8192

Mixed housing styles common too here.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9373...7i16384!8i8192

Its alley too.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9380...7i16384!8i8192

Another
Its https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9359...7i16384!8i8192

alleyway
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9365...7i16384!8i8192

Common plain old cottage homes and gemstones
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9315...7i13312!8i6656

Then you have the 1950s 60s varieties For last growth of the city proper.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7879...7i13312!8i6656

Its alleys
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7871...7i16384!8i8192

*** They are what they are. Car-Centric or not. It is the US and not NYC. Some see it as one of the Most American Big Cities. But not called sprawl by American standards.

No it is not London or the cities this city's Core. Be nice..... We are DIFFERENT NATIONS and Histories. Yet share much in culture still..... good and bad points.

Originally Posted by ilovelondon

The "Ugly" and "Dangerous" Residential Streets of London (simply because of no driveways)

Clara, please don't feel sorry for these residents. They have universal healthcare (NHS) that will cover any accidents caused by not having dedicated driveways and garages. And to make you feel better, rest assured that illegal immigrants do not have access to such benefits.

Pushing buttons here? Do you really think Americans will DEMEAN THESE GORGEOUS OLD NEIGHBORHOIDS OF LONDON'S GLORY DAYS you posted ??? No one will. But you clearly will lessen ours..... You know what they call the boastful Americans..... Ugly American I've heard. No one is putting down London here. Most are arguing on NYC densities vs the rest of the US.... not London.

[ilovelondon]

Originally Posted by DavePa

Pushing buttons here? Do you really think Americans will DEMEAN THESE GORGEOUS OLD NEIGHBORHOIDS OF LONDON'S GLORY DAYS you posted ??? No one will. But you clearly will lessen ours..... You know what they call the boastful Americans..... Ugly American I've heard. No one is putting down London here. Most are arguing on NYC densities vs the rest of the US.... not London.

Dave, it is not a competition. London's successful urbanism, with its amazing street life and public spaces, a city containing a plethora of walkable and functional neighbourhoods (where 2/3 of its residents live within a 5-minute walk of a local high street) coupled with an enviable and extensive public transport system should not be seen as an insult to other cities.

Some cities do some things well and cities around the world have some things that they can learn from each other.

Btw, I am currently in San Francisco at the moment and I love the city. Definitely in my top 10 cities worldwide, perhaps inching its way to top 5. So I don't hate US cities. I love the residential streets with no driveways and garages. The neighborhood around Lombard Street and Coit Tower seems slightly gritty (by London standards) but I love it. It feels urban and somewhat European. Looking forward to checking out the Mission and Haight.

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by ilovelondon

Dave, it is not a competition. London's successful urbanism, with its amazing street life and public spaces, a city containing a plethora of walkable and functional neighbourhoods (where 2/3 of its residents live within a 5-minute walk of a local high street) coupled with an enviable and extensive public transport system should not be seen as an insult to other cities.

Some cities do some things well and cities around the world have some things that they can learn from each other.

Seems no US city does things well for you. We should respect Nations and comment with something favorable to others once in a while too... for their examples they might give. I give you credit with able to boast for London in even in the General US and City vs City forums with pasting images from books and links. Most of us would not get away with so much. They get deleted.

You never say what can be learned. The US is a huge Nation with many larger cities. It is not all centered on one... even mighty NYC. It has land to spread and utilize green with its housing. NYC densities is more unique.

You can boast London as the première city of the world. But as you said. A whole world to recognize.
Again, most are posting on US streetscape's that include parking to alleys adding to it .... vs NYC densities that were the result of being Islands and limited space.

We might argue over our sprawling cities vs our more urban (US standard cities) in post here. But has nothing to do with London or Europe interjected by you.

Thanks for noting my street-views or REAL VIEWS in time were of any value.... I did say your affluent wealthy neighborhood built for a upper-class. Were gorgeous in architecture of course another age. The US had areas we recognize as OUR Best architecture offered from earlier times. You WRITE IT OFF. My opinion and that's it. Just others only posted on attitude of replies you made. Not your images they did respect. No one denies the US is auto-centric far more then not. We had many eras of cheap gas and in one now.

I took my post seriously too ... Thank You. You can laugh at them and these residential areas are trivial.... compared to Europe. But it also mocks a whole Nation too. Maps really are invalid for most topics on look and streets themselves.

If anyone thinks it is a competition between London and the world .... or Europe and the US? Maybe it really is you. In how many post are on London interjected can be perceived? But especially, in a reply back to them.

Try to recognize others postings sometimes.... and not act as if so inferior from London .... that it isn't worth learning from them too..... Or just respect perceptions can differ by Nation and age of their major growth. NYC is our densest.

Each city is unique. My favorite was the city of Chicago where I lived a few years. Why I post on it most by far. As I'm nearing retirement. I'm looking to warm winter locations possibly. Then living in the Northeast US as I do. But doesn't mean I dislike my state or area. But I love more tropical surroundings especially and a tank-top or short sleeves, shorts and open shoes and flip-flows. Are my preferred leisurewear. No plans to move out of this Nation though..... Visits yes in retirement especially. A benefit of a large Nation with varied climates.

Some UK residents actually LIKED THEIR VISITS TO AMERICAN CITIES .....

http://www.city-data.com/forum/unite...an-city-2.html

[ilovelondon]

You obviously deliberately missed my comment below. As I've said, I am currently in SF and I love the city. So yes, some US cities are doing it right.

Originally Posted by ilovelondon

Btw, I am currently in San Francisco at the moment and I love the city. Definitely in my top 10 cities worldwide, perhaps inching its way to top 5. So I don't hate US cities. I love the residential streets with no driveways and garages. The neighborhood around Lombard Street and Coit Tower seems slightly gritty (by London standards) but I love it. It feels urban and somewhat European. Looking forward to checking out the Mission and Haight.