Quote:
Originally Posted by Pedestrian
^^Because an average construction cost in SF of $330/sq ft isn't high enough. We could require better quality materials, more design reviews and let the neighbors vote on how proposals look to them (as many times as they want) and get it up to maybe $500.
My idea is to have zoning--height, type of use--and let developers take it from there, competing for buyers/tenants with, among other things, building quality. If a proposal meets the zoning restrictions, no further "review" required--let the building begin.
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Right, and the free market approach does a great job putting aesthetics, quality or safety over profit and ego.
I have no doubt that your idea would lead to a mess on the scale of what London is suffering from, with their totally unchained, wild looking highrise boom; worse yet, China and their 'loose' building requirements.
The approval process is unnecessarily slow (nearly everyone agrees), but before we suggest gutting practical regulations or standards, we should work to streamline that process reasonably and prob mitigate the onslaught of absurd appeals by the public.