Quote:
Originally Posted by exit2lef
With a few exceptions, they're quite ugly. They usually involve monotonous blank walls that diminish the walk appeal of a neigbhorhood, dissuading pedestrian activity and street life.
They take eyes off the street by eliminating dwelling units on lower levels. That makes the street outside less safe and less interesting. Ground floor retail can help, but only if actually leased. Vacant retail space hurts as much as blank walls.
|
Most if not all of these have ground floor retail or some sort of lobby space on the ground floor. I can't think of one that has the parking portion on the ground floor up against the street (perhaps on a side street or alley). I don't think unless someone looks up above the first or second floor that any difference is apparent between a building with a parking podium or underground parking. Certainly no one would feel less safe or be dissuaded from walking if there was a parking podium 2 stories up rather than not when both have similar ground floors. They aren't great looking from slightly afar compared to a building without a podium, but it's not that big of a deal. And the tradeoff is height (and other cost factors).
Central Station will certainly look nice without a parking podium. But I may trade the look with underground parking for a podium if it were to push the building over 400 feet (again, the ground floor or two would look the same either way)...