The Qualities of a Great Street

[Metro Jacksonville]

The Qualities of a Great Street



Great streets are created by a mix of characteristics in a compact setting that is well integrated into the urban environment which surround them.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-jun-the-qualities-of-a-great-street

[vicupstate]

It's really good that Project for Public Spaces is coming to Jax.  They won't run out of projects anytime soon.

[Deuce]

Picture 4 is my fav. I want to hang out on that street. Perhaps we should show pictures of streetscapes to the city council and ask them which street they would want to walk on and then show them pictures of downtown jax and ask what's stopping them from doing the same here. I would be curious to know their responses.

[JeffreyS]

I think you could add Margrett street in five points to that list.

[Jason]

Great article.  And thanks for showing some local examples of great streets.

[heights unknown]

Yeah I would love to hang out or live in the area that Pic #4 is on; it's like out of a fairy tale picture book (Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, etc.).

Deuce, a City Councilman would probably agree with us on what streets they would like and yes wouldn't be able to give a solid or good answer as to what's stopping them from doing the same here, but alas, it is not all up to them regarding making our downtown or city streets look like some or all of the pics in this thread. But they can help.

Heights Unknown

[Lunican]

Photo #4 is Charleston, WV.

[thelakelander]

Here are a few more nice streets I've walked over the last week.

Kalamazoo, MI (the first pedestrian mall in the US....now its open to cars again)



Main Street - Ann Arbor, MI (we ran a video about this street a few years ago)



Garfield Place - Downtown Cincinnati (a well maintained street median)

[xian1118]

Here are a few more nice streets I've walked over the last week.

May I ask lakelander, how are you able to do so much traveling? Maybe I should be looking into this kind of position. Great photo examples, as always.

[Deuce]

Yeah, I know it's up to more than the council but they can pass tougher laws against panhandling and loitering, they can put the funds where they are needed, they can apply pressure to the appropriate city agencies to get their ass in gear, or at least I think they can do all this stuff.

[heights unknown]

Yeah, I know it's up to more than the council but they can pass tougher laws against panhandling and loitering, they can put the funds where they are needed, they can apply pressure to the appropriate city agencies to get their ass in gear, or at least I think they can do all this stuff.

They can try yes, you're right and I will agree on most of your points, but it doesn't mean that everything will get passed.  Yes, they need to at least try.

Heights Unknown

[Keith-N-Jax]

Garfield Place- nows that's really nice.

[Purplebike]

Great photo essay!  Can someone tell me more about Project for Public Spaces coming to Jax?  Thanks!

[Orlanta]

In addition to the characteristics already mentioned, new urbanist Andres Duany mentioned a couple of technical reasons why these streets are so appealing - the tight height to width ratio for the individual buildings (or facades) as opposed to one or two wide buildings per block, and that the buildings are lined up.  I know the second one seems really obvious but I'm always shocked at the ability of architects to "articulate" and ignore something so basic.   





There's one street in downtown Atlanta in the historic heart of the city that has most of these characteristics. 

Broad street