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Reflections upon returning from D.C.

downtown cliff

By downtown cliff
in Nashville

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downtown cliff Whistle-Stop

downtown cliff

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Hey folks,

Been gone for a few days with my much better half visiting D.C. I know the district has a lot of detractors, and has not been well governed over the years, but I just love the place. Sure, there are the killer museums, the awe-inspiring monuments, the palpable history, but it is the urbaness of the place that impressed and inspired me. Block after block of midrise buildings: residential, mixed-use, business, historic, modern, bland, bold, all mixed together. The funky boutique hotels. The constant bustle of workers and tourists. The diversity, the fusion, the whole melting pot feel of the place.

The metro (clean and efficient). The cars that know to stop for pedestrians at designated crosswalks. The boulevards, wide but still crossable. The crosswalk timers that display how many seconds you have left to cross.

Nashville will never be a D.C. We shouldn't be. We should focus on our own strengths and unique character. But, still, we can learn from other cities and copy the things that would work within our own definition of urban living. Regardless, it is always refreshing to visit other great cities.

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Hankster Town

Hankster

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Hey folks,

Been gone for a few days with my much better half visiting D.C. I know the district has a lot of detractors, and has not been well governed over the years, but I just love the place. Sure, there are the killer museums, the awe-inspiring monuments, the palpable history, but it is the urbaness of the place that impressed and inspired me. Block after block of midrise buildings: residential, mixed-use, business, historic, modern, bland, bold, all mixed together. The funky boutique hotels. The constant bustle of workers and tourists. The diversity, the fusion, the whole melting pot feel of the place.

The metro (clean and efficient). The cars that know to stop for pedestrians at designated crosswalks. The boulevards, wide but still crossable. The crosswalk timers that display how many seconds you have left to cross.

Nashville will never be a D.C. We shouldn't be. We should focus on our own strengths and unique character. But, still, we can learn from other cities and copy the things that would work within our own definition of urban living. Regardless, it is always refreshing to visit other great cities.

There are many things about DC I love too, and they're basically the things you've mentioned. It's probably the only low rise big city in the US, thanks the a citywide ordinance banning tall buildings, so that the momuments and the capital building will always stand out. Without that ordinance, the city might look much more like other eastern large cities.

We've already developed along a much different road than DC, and will never be like it. However, there is no reason why Nashville can't look at the really good things about DC and adopt them where it can. An example would be to develop the SoBro area in a similar way.

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TBurban Town

TBurban

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I've been to DC many times. I seem to recall reading something that there was a movement afoot to remove the height limitations on the buildings, but I don't know if that has gotten anywhere.

I went there this past winter, still no buildings can pass the Washington Monument. There was a big dispute in Rosslyn, Virginia about a new tower going up, but was put to the test when it rivaled the monument. Aww well, I think they actually planned to lower the tower design in Rosslyn, Ill see if i can find a rendering of it compared to the monument.

here it is:

rosslyn228_041305.gif

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TBurban Town

TBurban

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Why would a city in Virginia be affected by D.C.'s height restrictions? Is it just that they have similar restrictions in place?

Rosslyn, virginia is located directly across the Potomac river. Its in easy view of the monument. Therefore affected by the height restriction by being so close. I think the height restriction goes by mileage relevant to the monument, not just obtained within Washington DC city limits.

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fieldmarshaldj Burg

fieldmarshaldj

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Rosslyn, virginia is located directly across the Potomac river. Its in easy view of the monument. Therefore affected by the height restriction by being so close. I think the height restriction goes by mileage relevant to the monument, not just obtained within Washington DC city limits.

Actually, the high-rises in Rosslyn would be in violation of DC building height restrictions (the tallest structures, the Rosslyn Twin Towers, are 381 feet tall). The height limits for structures in DC isn't that of the Washington Monument, but cannot surpass 160 feet (there are a few that have surpassed that, excluding the churches, but by no more than 50 feet). I believe the reason for a possible restriction of height in Rosslyn has nothing to do with DC, but because of the close proximity to Reagan National Airport (similar to what caps the height limits in San Diego, California).

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downtown cliff Whistle-Stop

downtown cliff

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lol, thats funny, im in dc right now, i will post all my pictures when i get back

Very cool. I had hoped to get more pictures. The best shots were on the day I had to leave the camera at the hotel because we were visiting the White House. No cameras allowed. I love the area around 14th and G.

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