Comments on: The Townhome Invasion! http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/ Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:25:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dean http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-12691 Dean Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:08:10 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/#comment-12691 kh, I appreciate your comments regarding Modern on 64th. It may not be for everyone, but I am so tired of the same old zero design that's out there. kh, I appreciate your comments regarding Modern on 64th. It may not be for everyone, but I am so tired of the same old zero design that’s out there.

]]> By: kh http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-12356 kh Sun, 22 Jul 2007 15:34:22 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/#comment-12356 here's another architect in seattle that's designing great looking modern townhouses, Pb Elemental: http://www.elementalarchitecture.com/projects/multi.html here’s another architect in seattle that’s designing great looking modern townhouses, Pb Elemental:

http://www.elementalarchitecture.com/projects/multi.html

]]> By: kh http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-12295 kh Fri, 20 Jul 2007 20:41:52 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/#comment-12295 seattle67, i think they do make a nice transition, espcially in the more dense areas like queen anne, capitol hill, eastlake, etc. quotes from the stranger article: "[Developers] are being allowed to do virtually whatever they want. By the time they began construction, it was too late." "It's not the density that's a problem for us," Thaler says. "We'd like development to be compatible with existing neighborhoods. There are a lot of [developers] out there who will put in any old crap. When they come in to develop... [they don't] allow for meaningful input from the neighbors." from Alan Justad of DPD, "We're hearing that some [developments] look great, but there are others that... don't fit in as well as they could. We've started to brainstorm about which [designs] work and why." i think most agree that density is not the issue, but rather what it looks like. seattle67, i think they do make a nice transition, espcially in the more dense areas like queen anne, capitol hill, eastlake, etc.

quotes from the stranger article:
“[Developers] are being allowed to do virtually whatever they want. By the time they began construction, it was too late.”

“It’s not the density that’s a problem for us,” Thaler says. “We’d like development to be compatible with existing neighborhoods. There are a lot of [developers] out there who will put in any old crap. When they come in to develop… [they don't] allow for meaningful input from the neighbors.”

from Alan Justad of DPD, “We’re hearing that some [developments] look great, but there are others that… don’t fit in as well as they could. We’ve started to brainstorm about which [designs] work and why.”

i think most agree that density is not the issue, but rather what it looks like.

]]> By: seattle67 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-12294 seattle67 Fri, 20 Jul 2007 20:00:30 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/#comment-12294 Don't townhomes make a nice transition between larger 4-story NC-40 type multi-use developments and single family zoned properties? Don’t townhomes make a nice transition between larger 4-story NC-40 type multi-use developments and single family zoned properties?

]]> By: JasonC http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-12286 JasonC Fri, 20 Jul 2007 17:03:33 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/#comment-12286 PS: I like modernon64th PS: I like modernon64th

]]> By: JasonC http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-12285 JasonC Fri, 20 Jul 2007 17:01:03 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/#comment-12285 While I agree most of the quickly-built townhouses are cheesy, especially those faux-craftsman ones, I can't blast them because of their lack of yards or "green space". Are Victorian or Georgian row houses ugly because they lack yards? What about NYC brownstones? Yards are kind of suburbany and American to me, and while they have their place and certainly don't expect them in urban construction. They can be great, but I won't fault a place for not having them. While I agree most of the quickly-built townhouses are cheesy, especially those faux-craftsman ones, I can’t blast them because of their lack of yards or “green space”. Are Victorian or Georgian row houses ugly because they lack yards? What about NYC brownstones? Yards are kind of suburbany and American to me, and while they have their place and certainly don’t expect them in urban construction. They can be great, but I won’t fault a place for not having them.

]]> By: kh http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-12242 kh Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:21:19 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/#comment-12242 mhays, i do agree... and row houses in boston & san fran are very nice and timeless as well. i guess it's the cookie cutter of less than desirable design styles that i don't appreciate. (ie. faux craftsman!) mhays, i do agree… and row houses in boston & san fran are very nice and timeless as well.

i guess it’s the cookie cutter of less than desirable design styles that i don’t appreciate. (ie. faux craftsman!)

]]> By: mhays http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-12237 mhays Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:07:49 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/#comment-12237 Even cookie cutter can be nice if done right. Walk down a London side street full of old houses! Even cookie cutter can be nice if done right. Walk down a London side street full of old houses!

]]> By: kh http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-12234 kh Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:01:02 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/#comment-12234 (minus the comma) http://www.nomo12.com

“Modernon64th is freaking hideous! It’s the sort of thing many architects would love but few others would.”

haha – i disagree, but i’m an interior designer. :) i would hope that more people have appreciation for a building that incorporated design elements and style rather than what joe builder did down the street. of course style/taste is a personal thing – i like modern design, others likes craftsman, colonial, ranch style, victorian… you get my point. that what makes walking through our neighborhoods interesting. nobody likes cookie cutter anything lined up right next to each other.

]]> By: mhays http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/comment-page-1/#comment-12230 mhays Thu, 19 Jul 2007 21:10:37 +0000 http://www.urbnlivn.com/2007/07/18/the-townhome-invasion/#comment-12230 The nomo12 link doesn't seem to work. Modernon64th is freaking hideous! It's the sort of thing many architects would love but few others would. Even a mid-quality "fake craftsman" looks better. I do like the project in NW Downtown Bellevue and some other projects that mix traditional elements with modern ones. Brian, you say townhouses don't cost less to build, but they sell for less than SFRs. Sounds inconsistent. A townhouse is just a SFR that's typically more stacked and has parking inside the unit. The living space is generally more per square foot due to the stacking and code issues compared to a basic house. But the economies of scale and (sometimes) smaller square footages keep the prices from reaching SFR level on average. The nomo12 link doesn’t seem to work. Modernon64th is freaking hideous! It’s the sort of thing many architects would love but few others would. Even a mid-quality “fake craftsman” looks better. I do like the project in NW Downtown Bellevue and some other projects that mix traditional elements with modern ones.

Brian, you say townhouses don’t cost less to build, but they sell for less than SFRs. Sounds inconsistent. A townhouse is just a SFR that’s typically more stacked and has parking inside the unit. The living space is generally more per square foot due to the stacking and code issues compared to a basic house. But the economies of scale and (sometimes) smaller square footages keep the prices from reaching SFR level on average.

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