Travel observations and new developments of other cities and countries

[smeagolsfree]

They could always hang ivy off of it to hide the shape. 

[markhollin]

Philadelphia's renderings for 500 South Broad, 43 stories, 542', 468 units (courtesy of YIMBY Philadelphia):

[smeagolsfree]

I wonder what the width of that lot is?

[nashville born]

Even though I'm right down the road from Philly, didn't realize it's such a concrete jungle.

 

[markhollin]

Miami's Freedom Park renderings for new soccer stadium, surrounding athletic fields, etc. (courtesy of YIMBY Florida):
 

[markhollin]

San Francisco's renderings for Energy Hub Tower, 21 stories, 194 units, 368,000 sq. ft. office space, 289 capacity garage (courtesy of YIMBY San Fran):

[MontanaGuy]

6 hours ago, markhollin said:

San Francisco's renderings for Energy Hub Tower, 21 stories, 194 units, 368,000 sq. ft. office space, 289 capacity garage (courtesy of YIMBY San Fran):

It's very weird but strangely interesting, like some kind of alien colony from another galaxy!  I like the twisting lines of the base of the building but they need to cut back on that foliage, especially at the top.

[BnaBreaker]

Shenzhen, China 

Do yourself a favor and click on the following link for a version of the photo that is much larger than the annoyingly automatically resized version seen below:

https://drscdn.500px.org/photo/1050272489/q%3D80_m%3D2000/v2?sig=aa8e64a17bb60fb5697e81fef0cd8ecb3a96c43acde0455632caf286630289db

Edited July 18, 2022 by BnaBreaker

[Binbin98]

Photos of Denver at night/dusk

[markhollin]

Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, National Museum of Gospel Music rendering for former Pilgrim Baptist Church, originally built in 1891 as a synagogue (courtesy of YIMBY Chicago):
 

[Nashvillain]

Interesting article talking about how small businesses thrive in micro spaces throughout Tokyo: 

Why Neighborhoods and Small Businesses Thrive in Tokyo

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-21/tokyo-s-urban-planning-secrets-revealed-in-new-book?cmpid=BBD072222_CITYLAB&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=220722&utm_campaign=citylabdaily

[colemangaines]

1 hour ago, Nashvillain said:

Interesting article talking about how small businesses thrive in micro spaces throughout Tokyo: 

Why Neighborhoods and Small Businesses Thrive in Tokyo

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-21/tokyo-s-urban-planning-secrets-revealed-in-new-book?cmpid=BBD072222_CITYLAB&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=220722&utm_campaign=citylabdaily

One thing I love about east Asia in general is they often allow retail spaces to be absolutely tiny. Coffee shops/lunch places with 1-2 employees, maybe 4 seats max. Walking down one city block in Busan you might pass 20 different businesses, and there were still larger footprint places when it was more appropriate. I think it ties in a lot to Strong Town's/Charles Marohn's idea of incremental growth and risk. I feel like if we allowed smaller retail spaces in America it would encourage a lot of people to make the plunge and try opening up a business.

[MontanaGuy]

1 hour ago, colemangaines said:

One thing I love about east Asia in general is they often allow retail spaces to be absolutely tiny. Coffee shops/lunch places with 1-2 employees, maybe 4 seats max.

I agree, I've seen places like that in Hong Kong and parts of China I've been to but the one thing those places have in common is a massive amount of foot traffic so it's feasible that something like that could operate in downtown Nashville.  However after seeing how street vendors in downtown are about to be banned it makes me wonder how existing traditional businesses would respond to such an idea, I'm guessing not very well but I do think it's an interesting idea. 

[markhollin]

Renderings for Miami's Brickell Gateway, 61 stories, 746', 504 units, 18,267 sq. ft. of retail, and 348 capacity garage (courtesy of YIMBY Florida):
 

[smeagolsfree]

Saudi's planning 75-mile-wide -1600' skyscraper to house 5 million people

 

Saudi Planning Skyscraper That's 75 Miles Wide (msn.com)

[nashville born]

57 minutes ago, smeagolsfree said:

Saudi's planning 75-mile-wide -1600' skyscraper to house 5 million people

 

Saudi Planning Skyscraper That's 75 Miles Wide (msn.com)

(insert side eye gaze here)

[smeagolsfree]

Don't shoot the messenger!

[MontanaGuy]

4 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

Saudi's planning 75-mile-wide -1600' skyscraper to house 5 million people

 

Very interesting but wildly unrealistic.  I don't see how that could possibly result in greater prosperity or opportunity for Saudi Arabia and it comes across as an egotistical project that serves no real purpose other than to show off their wealth!

[nashville born]

22 hours ago, smeagolsfree said:

Don't shoot the messenger!

Lmbo!  Sorry, Ron.  That side eye was intended for the idea, not for the messenger!  I remain a HUGE fan of your messages!!!!  Keep 'em coming!

[GregH]

On 7/23/2022 at 2:18 PM, MontanaGuy said:

I agree, I've seen places like that in Hong Kong and parts of China I've been to but the one thing those places have in common is a massive amount of foot traffic so it's feasible that something like that could operate in downtown Nashville.  However after seeing how street vendors in downtown are about to be banned it makes me wonder how existing traditional businesses would respond to such an idea, I'm guessing not very well but I do think it's an interesting idea. 

I think going small would be a great way to save retail in the US and bring down operating expenses for potential business owners. There's tons of things that can only be done profitably if the expenses are low enough and I think a lot of niche retail (and food) falls into that category. Right now in the US you kind of need to be either big (wal mart) or have high prices (bougie fashion etc) for a lot of businesses to work, which sucks for people with good ideas and passion but not a lot of resources. 

I don't know if commercial landlords would really be interested, but for example I went to the Canal St. Market in NYC a few weeks ago which has a lot of small, farmer's-market-y spaces for retail https://canalstreet.market/ and it was pretty cool.

[smeagolsfree]

20 hours ago, nashville born said:

Lmbo!  Sorry, Ron.  That side eye was intended for the idea, not for the messenger!  I remain a HUGE fan of your messages!!!!  Keep 'em coming!

No worries I was being funny

[markhollin]

NYC's rendering of 415 Madison Ave. at 40 stories, 605', 285,000 sq. ft. of office space (courtesy of YIMBY New York):
 

[rolly]

That's quite cool. And any time you're dropping in 40 stories of office space that's very cool. 

[markhollin]

Philadelphia's renderings for the Drexel Univ. Life Sciences Bldg., 12 stories, 252', 500,000 sq. ft. (courtesy of YIMBY Philadelphia): 

[Nashvillain]

Just spent a couple days in Knoxville. I haven't been back in that city since graduating from UTK in 2003. While there hasn't been a ton of new building in the downtown/old town core, there has been a ton of reuse and reinvestment in the extant building stock. Market Square in particular was a revelation. I'm pretty sure The Tomato Head was the only thing there in 2003 and, surprisingly, it's still there but has been joined by a whole gang of new restaurants and shops. While it hosts the Farmer's Market and was the sight of a community event/concert on Friday night, it didn't need any programmed events to feel like the communal center/living room of the city. Too bad Nashville doesn't have an equivalent space of its own. 

Edited July 31, 2022 by Nashvillain