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Originally Posted by Busy Bee
Just forget it. I had no idea people wouldn't just instinctively know what I was talking about. In a nutshell I don't see much here that looks like they are trying to create something that will improve with age. Just standard old concrete and engineers handbook streetlights. Lame. The possibilities are endless and they seemingly didn't think of a single one.
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I think it's still too soon to tell. W/r/t the streetlights, I know CDOT is extremely strict about maintaining a limited number of designs. It's basically just this one, or the black Victorian design which would be even worse.
The asphalt you see is just a binder course, so it's not manicured at all. The final wearing course of asphalt will look nicer, it will cover the gutter and probably smooth out some of the dips but they won't put that in until after the winter at least since the batch plants are closed. There's also a lot of landscaping yet to go in, and street furniture. You can see the stubs for the pedestrian lamps. I think other furniture like benches, trashcans, etc will be installed (and maintained) by Related as they develop each building. The retaining walls further south by the underpasses have a nice "flying delta" pattern cast into them, so at least in that section they gave it some flair.
I think the important thing here is just the cross-section. The multiple allees of trees are what will give it a European feel, and it seems that they have provided adequate soil for the trees to flourish. I wish they were plane trees, of course, for that real Parisian
je ne sais quoi but I think Chicago's winters might be a little too extreme for them.