strip malls

They really, really should.

The main constraint on denser commercial and retail on streets like South Lamar is not traffic, but parking.  An architect friend told me that a surface parking space needs a minimum of 325 sf.  That's a lot.  It's so much that many of the small strip malls on South Lamar wouldn't be redeveloped even if parking minimums were eliminated.  (The City imposes other significant hurdles to redevelopment, of course.) 

I rode the commuter rail last week.  Here are my random impressions.  (If you want critical analysis, just google M1EK.)

My son and I took the 4:40 from the Convention Center north to the Howard Lane station and rode back.

 It was about an hour and a half round trip.

I rode the commuter rail last week.  Here are my random impressions.  (If you want critical analysis, just google M1EK.)

My son and I took the 4:40 from the Convention Center north to the Howard Lane station and rode back.

 It was about an hour and a half round trip.

City Council is scheduled to vote today on the East Riverside Corridor Master Plan.

 Let's hope Council ignores the Planning Commission.

City Council is scheduled to vote today on the East Riverside Corridor Master Plan.

 Let's hope Council ignores the Planning Commission.

Jude points to the Reburbia competition, a design competition "dedicated to re-envisioning the suburbs."  From the competition website:

Jude points to the Reburbia competition, a design competition "dedicated to re-envisioning the suburbs."  From the competition website:

There is a lot to like about Mueller.

 The streets are laid out in a grid with short, walkable blocks.  Homes address the street.  Garages are relegated to rear alleys.

City staff says it did.  Here is the presentation (pdf) it made to Council last week.

City staff says it did.  Here is the presentation (pdf) it made to Council last week.