Seattle's bohemian culture struggles to survive as tech takes over

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by mhays

There was an understanding 20-25 years ago that to reduce sprawl, we need to make infill easier.

The plan of focusing growth into nodes made that palatable to more people (growth wasn't going to be next to them) and helped concentrate it in a way that's helped grow cohesive districts and increase transit and walk commute shares.

Absolutely. In SF, we have also taken the "node" approach, possibly because our current planning director had that job in Seattle before coming here. The most recent nodes were Rincon Hill and then the TransBay Transit District. The former has one remaining site which is controversial because building on it blocks sun and views of another building (the proposal has nevertheless been approved), and the latter has several high rises under construction. The next "node" is already known--it's called "the Hub" and is the area around the intersections of Van Ness Ave. and Market St. One highrise is currently under construction here but there are sites/proposals for at least 5 or 6 more.


http://sf-planning.org/market-street-hub-project


http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2...oot-tower.html

[James Bond Agent 007]

Originally Posted by JManc

I would have loved to have experienced Seattle circa 1991-1992.

Meh. Unless you were into Grunge, it wasn't all that different from now, except the prices.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by James Bond Agent 007

Meh. Unless you were into Grunge, it wasn't all that different from now, except the prices.

I did (experience it then) and I was/am kind of a Nirvana fan.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by James Bond Agent 007

Meh. Unless you were into Grunge, it wasn't all that different from now, except the prices.

I totally rocked the flannels and the Temple of the Dog back in my teens.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by JManc

I totally rocked the flannels and the Temple of the Dog back in my teens.

For me it was my 40s. Same decade I bought a BMW coupe. My fifties came anyway.

[destroycreate]

It's so silly. Seattle is way more dynamic, urban, walkable, vibrant, and attractive all around than 20-30 years ago. People tend to be such whiners. The only things bad about Seattle today is the cost of housing and traffic.

[jtown,man]

I don't think anything is wrong with single-family homes. It probably is how America does them. They almost always have way too much yard and parking. Single family homes are all over Tokyo, yet their neighborhoods are quite different from ours. No huge yards in the front or back. Tiny roads...Small parking areas. From the outside they seem hostile to pedestrians however nothing could be further from the truth.

If America did SF homes like the Japanese I would be begging for them to be built everywhere. However, as it currently stands, I think townhomes are our best option in most of America.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

Absolutely. In SF, we have also taken the "node" approach, possibly because our current planning director had that job in Seattle before coming here. The most recent nodes were Rincon Hill and then the TransBay Transit District. The former has one remaining site which is controversial because building on it blocks sun and views of another building (the proposal has nevertheless been approved), and the latter has several high rises under construction. The next "node" is already known--it's called "the Hub" and is the area around the intersections of Van Ness Ave. and Market St. One highrise is currently under construction here but there are sites/proposals for at least 5 or 6 more.


http://sf-planning.org/market-street-hub-project


http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2...oot-tower.html

SF is painfully slow at executing. The Moscone Center area of SOMA was planned in the 80's. Embarcadero and Mission Bay in the 90's. Rincon Hill and TransBay in the early 2000's.

[mhays]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

I don't think anything is wrong with single-family homes. It probably is how America does them. They almost always have way too much yard and parking. Single family homes are all over Tokyo, yet their neighborhoods are quite different from ours. No huge yards in the front or back. Tiny roads...Small parking areas. From the outside they seem hostile to pedestrians however nothing could be further from the truth.

If America did SF homes like the Japanese I would be begging for them to be built everywhere. However, as it currently stands, I think townhomes are our best option in most of America.

If we allowed accessory units, we'd be a little closer to what you're describing. When Seattle protects houses from that evil density and poor folks (let's be honest here), that includes stuff like nearly zero cottages in backyards.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by Doug

SF is painfully slow at executing. The Moscone Center area of SOMA was planned in the 80's. Embarcadero and Mission Bay in the 90's. Rincon Hill and TransBay in the early 2000's.

Moscone has been largely built out for some time. 706 Mission, under construction, is the last remaining parcel and was delayed by a lawsuit from the Four Seasons condo owners whose view will be impaired. They've been digging now for over a year but it takes over a year to do foundations in SF due to the need to put caisons down to bedrock and, in this case, there was a former deep foundation on that required demo.

Mission Bay was planned to be built over decades. To me it's pretty remarkable it's almost built out too. I didn't expect to see that in my lifetime.

All the areas you mentioned except Transbay are fully built except for infill here and there. The lots immediately next to the Transbay Transit Center have to await the Transit Center being finished (it opens in a couple of weeks) because the construction was staging on them.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

I don't think anything is wrong with single-family homes. It probably is how America does them. They almost always have way too much yard and parking. Single family homes are all over Tokyo, yet their neighborhoods are quite different from ours. No huge yards in the front or back. Tiny roads...Small parking areas. From the outside they seem hostile to pedestrians however nothing could be further from the truth.

If America did SF homes like the Japanese I would be begging for them to be built everywhere. However, as it currently stands, I think townhomes are our best option in most of America.

I have a SFH and I wish our front/ back yards were a fraction of their sizes. It's added work maintaining and watering.

[dc_denizen]

Just fill your yard with native grasses. Instant nature preserve

[montréaliste]

Originally Posted by dc_denizen

Just fill your yard with native grasses. Instant nature preserve

It ain’t never that easy, none.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by dc_denizen

Just fill your yard with native grasses. Instant nature preserve

The HOA might have thing or two to say about that.

[McBane]

As someone from Philadelphia, it's hard to be sympathetic. There are many US cities that would kill to have Seattle's "problems." Cities change and with change, there's always winners and losers. On the whole however, Seattle is a booming city.

[Via Chicago]

the whole point of buying a house is so you dont have to deal with silly paternalistic busy bodys like HOAs.

our yard is currently 100% vegetables, scatted with some sunflowers, native plants, and trees. not a shred of grass

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

the whole point of buying a house is so you dont have to deal with silly paternalistic busy bodys like HOAs.

our yard is currently 100% vegetables, scatted with some sunflowers, native plants, and trees. not a shred of grass

So are you capable of ignoring it when your next door neighbor paints his house passionate pink and invites his kid's punk rock band to practice in his garage?

Just piling yard waste "near" the property line got Rand Paul some broken ribs.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

So are you capable of ignoring it when your next door neighbor paints his house passionate pink

sure. his house, his paint choice.

fortunately, the VAST majority of buildings in our neighborhood are vintage brick buildings that don't require paint. they already are the color they have always been and always will be.

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

and invites his kid's punk rock band to practice in his garage?

that's what noise statutes are for; you don't need a neighborhood HOA to address that.

[Via Chicago]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

So are you capable of ignoring it when your next door neighbor paints his house passionate pink and invites his kid's punk rock band to practice in his garage?

yes? theres a group of 3 or 4 guys who live in the building directly next door to us who are all in their 30s/40s and still play in punk bands. lots of people in the neighborhood keep roosters and chickens..they crow. i enjoy sitting on the stoop with my morning coffee and listening to them as the sun rises. theres community gardens on vacant lots. some warehouses host clandestine venues. everyone in the neighborhood plays music during the day. lots of it is old mexican country songs...i enjoy hearing it drift over while i garden and have a beer on sunny Saturday afternoons. id say almost every block in the neighborhood has parties during the summer with live bands in their backyard. there was a quincinera that went until 3AM last weekend with tamborazo music...thats why i have a white noise machine (or, we just show up with some beer and hang out at the party..everyone knows each other). the houses in our neighborhoods are painted every color under the rainbow...some even have murals. theres garage doors on our block with Cubs and Sox logos hand painted on. another garage has the virgin mary. the building across from us is used by a group of guys who make tamales to sell during the day. i can walk outside my door and buy a taco or a paleta from a cart if i so choose. other people set up grills and sell food out of their front yards. kids play in fire hydrants in the street on hot days. its a real, vibrant, pulsing, organic urban neighborhood, not some manufactured and sanitized developer-approved subdivision. thats why we live here.

[JManc]

Don't you guys live in multi-family buildings? Different animal compared to SFH neighborhood's. I have a SFH and if my neighbor painted his house pink or shit in the pool, it would affect my property value. Plus, you really can't compare eclectic urban neighborhoods to my sterile soul-robbing neighborhood in suburbia.