George Kinen’s Recent Comments

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  1950's USA models for export!

  A few years ago, I received some international visitors to my office in DC - I work as an architect for a national non-profit entity which advocates preservation and revitalization.  The international visitors from one of the Baltic republics of the former Soviet Union were two young men in their late 20'/early 30's and they were being shepherded around the USA to see how we do real estate/urban/suburban development.   Their trip had included Houston, Los Angeles, and probably Phoenix - essentially all the car-dominated cities of the American southwest.  Their American handlers were working for the US State Department or one of our international development agencies.

  When I heard of the cities they had visited, I told them to be very careful about the 1950's American suburban model - single family detached houses of low density, car-only transportation on freeways, and separation of land uses & building types.  I said that if they followed this model, they would find themselves trapped in their cars without alternative transit options or those at home would be trapped in their houses without shopping or other attractions close at hand.

  I said that they should think about extending their tramlines out suburban boulevards and line the boulevards with medium height buildings with commercial use on lower floors and apartments above.  On the blocks behind the boulevards, I said place the smaller apartment buildings and then townhouses and then semi-detached houses.  Finally, beyond the semi-detached housing one could find other housing options for those with more means.  I said that you would really want to provide options for housing and transportation.   These fellows came from a country with some significant historic urban centers and the US handlers, I thought, were presenting a failed 1950's model for development.  The model I was describing really can be found in many 1920's neighborhoods around American cities - if the transit lines have survived.   I did not even get into the matters of energy and resource use.On What green looks like to the world's emerging economies posted 3 years, 9 months ago 8 Responses

• Click here to view comment in original post

  1950's USA models for export!

  A few years ago, I received some international visitors to my office in DC - I work as an architect for a national non-profit entity which advocates preservation and revitalization.  The international visitors from one of the Baltic republics of the former Soviet Union were two young men in their late 20'/early 30's and they were being shepherded around the USA to see how we do real estate/urban/suburban development.   Their trip had included Houston, Los Angeles, and probably Phoenix - essentially all the car-dominated cities of the American southwest.  Their American handlers were working for the US State Department or one of our international development agencies.

  When I heard of the cities they had visited, I told them to be very careful about the 1950's American suburban model - single family detached houses of low density, car-only transportation on freeways, and separation of land uses & building types.  I said that if they followed this model, they would find themselves trapped in their cars without alternative transit options or those at home would be trapped in their houses without shopping or other attractions close at hand.

  I said that they should think about extending their tramlines out suburban boulevards and line the boulevards with medium height buildings with commercial use on lower floors and apartments above.  On the blocks behind the boulevards, I said place the smaller apartment buildings and then townhouses and then semi-detached houses.  Finally, beyond the semi-detached housing one could find other housing options for those with more means.  I said that you would really want to provide options for housing and transportation.   These fellows came from a country with some significant historic urban centers and the US handlers, I thought, were presenting a failed 1950's model for development.  The model I was describing really can be found in many 1920's neighborhoods around American cities - if the transit lines have survived.   I did not even get into the matters of energy and resource use.On What green looks like to the world's emerging economies posted 3 years, 9 months ago 8 Responses