4th Avenue's Walls of Voodoo
Not sure how we missed The Journal story about 4th Avenue yesterday—Curbed and The Observer both picked up on it—but it certainly is worth mentioning. Not because the gist was anything new, but because the gist is important enough to merit repeating. While the 2003 rezoning resulted in 859 new apartments—either built, under development or…
Not sure how we missed The Journal story about 4th Avenue yesterday—Curbed and The Observer both picked up on it—but it certainly is worth mentioning. Not because the gist was anything new, but because the gist is important enough to merit repeating.
While the 2003 rezoning resulted in 859 new apartments—either built, under development or in planning—the design of many of the new buildings have come under attack. They’ve done little to improve the character of the neighborhood or make it more pedestrian friendly because they have parking garages, air vents or concrete slabs at street level rather than shops and cafes, critics say.
We’ve been riffing on this subject for years—as has Streetsblog—but nice to see it getting some ink from Rupert.
quote:
because they have parking garages, air vents or concrete slabs at street level rather than shops and cafes,
are there not enough ridiculous generic shops and cafes in the city these days!? why does every street have to be modeled after some bizarro yuppie paradise!?
*rob*
Developers may come in and see that they’re building on a raceway and don’t even think about, which is obviously short-sighted and wrong…but if something was done to ‘ease’ the traffic flow on 4th avenue (think streetscape down middle a la Park avenue) it might make the street and sidewalk feel a lot less like walking down a drag strip.
Having more people on 4th Ave is a boon to the neighborhood. East Village looks like hell(and the streetscape hasn’t changed al that much in 25 years) and it hasn’t that stopped from people spending $1500 square foot. Plus I think any building over 8 or so units needs to provide parking.
Whereas most of the buildings themselves do look like crap, they have helped the neighborhood simply by being there. Having more people live on 4th has encouraged more “shops and cafes” (and bars!) both on 4th itself and in Gowanus.
It could be a lot better, but I would rather have the developments that are there than nothing.
at least you can borrow the newspaper on the way in to your numbered parking slot. i’m sure that rack is touted as an amenity.
nothing pretty about the new streetscape. benson, i’d be interested to hear how you think these ground floor vents improve the character of the neighborhood. i’d say they’re neutral to an empty lot and arguably a step down from services provided by autoshops.
i think the point is that this is a real lost opportunity; i mean, wouldn’t retail, with the possibility of lower rents than 5th avenue, at least afford the possibility of a truly interesting 4th avenue?
otoh, the new residents moving in clearly help support a more vibrant neighborhood, including more and more varied retail on 5th ave, so in that sense it is positive. just think the post was more about 4th avenue and aesthetics and lost oppties.
how have these improved the character of the neighborhood?
wait a mo – this is 4th avenue! Its a freeway anyway, who cares.
I do like the way the stoop of old houses can connect the occupants with street life. I’d love to have a stoop, but I aint got one. Sitting there drinking coffee on a sunny Saturday morning with my border collie and chatting to people passing by.
benson – you are being uncharacteristically terse this morning.
I knew benson would like them. There needs to be some intermediate disciplining of design in non-landmarked areas. Alas, I’ll be dead and buried before that happens in NYC.