Why are the buildings in Carmel all brown or dark red (lease, houses)

[Park Chung Hee]

At least the areas I drive through, the buildings have a very southern California vibe to them, they are very monochrome with a lot of brown tones.

Is there a city ordinance, or is that just a coincidence?

[sweetana3]

Zoning for new commercial buildings. Cary, NC had the same look. They somehow want all the buildings to blend in and look the same. There was quite the controversy over the Lowes on 31 and even it is all brick.

[ischyros]

Until recently, Carmel had an ordinance that all new buildings along Rangeline Road leading into downtown Carmel had to be all brick with a usable 2nd floor. Some companies were able to make use of it, like the Fineberg Group Building at Rangeline and Carmel Dr (which houses Noodles & Co, a barber shop, bank, and Hot Box Pizza) by putting an office of the company that owns the building on the 2nd floor. Others like the Turkey Hill market gas station right across the street have been trying to lease the 2nd floor since the place opened 2 or 3 years ago. Apparently nobody wants to put an office above a gas station. I believing the 2nd floor above the KFC on Rangeline is still vacant as well. It's also part of the reason for the horrendous new Walgreens at Rangeline and 116th St that looks like some sort of fortress on the corner. Carmel has recently relaxed these rules.

[Serious Conversation]

The same color and style makes it look clean and uniform, but also a bit bland. It's a very clean, streamlined look, but perhaps a bit too antiseptic with little variation.

[kpl1228]

Because the people aren't. Hiyoooooooooooo!

[jammwill]

Originally Posted by kpl1228

Because the people aren't. Hiyoooooooooooo!

hahaha

[rrah]

Originally Posted by ischyros

Until recently, Carmel had an ordinance that all new buildings along Rangeline Road leading into downtown Carmel had to be all brick with a usable 2nd floor. Some companies were able to make use of it, like the Fineberg Group Building at Rangeline and Carmel Dr (which houses Noodles & Co, a barber shop, bank, and Hot Box Pizza) by putting an office of the company that owns the building on the 2nd floor. Others like the Turkey Hill market gas station right across the street have been trying to lease the 2nd floor since the place opened 2 or 3 years ago. Apparently nobody wants to put an office above a gas station. I believing the 2nd floor above the KFC on Rangeline is still vacant as well. It's also part of the reason for the horrendous new Walgreens at Rangeline and 116th St that looks like some sort of fortress on the corner. Carmel has recently relaxed these rules.

Our D lives near the Turkey Hill gas station. That gas station is just so odd looking with two stories. We wondered "who would build a two-story gas station?" Now I know why. Silliness.

[Knox Harrington]

Because in Carmel, everything has to look the same.

That goes for the buildings and the people.

[W & C]

Originally Posted by Park Chung Hee

At least the areas I drive through, the buildings have a very southern California vibe to them, they are very monochrome with a lot of brown tones.

Is there a city ordinance, or is that just a coincidence?

Monochrome with a lot of brown tones is a SoCal vibe ?

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by W & C

Monochrome with a lot of brown tones is a SoCal vibe ?

Don't know about SoCal, but definitely Phoenix.