State Thomas Neighborhood: An Urban Bartram Park

[Metro Jacksonville]

State Thomas Neighborhood: An Urban Bartram Park



Now that we've had a chance to take a close look at Bartram Park, Metro Jacksonville takes advantage of Google Earth Streetview to illustrate the impact of modifying land use and zoning policies to encourage human scale development patterns. Today, we take a look at the revitalization of Dallas' State Thomas neighborhood, an urban version of Bartram Park-style housing stock.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-may-state-thomas-neighborhood-an-urban-bartram-park

[InnerCityPressure]

It's crazy to think that Dallas has this strong of a commitment to creating an urban lifestyle.  I grew up in Houston in the 80's and 90's.  It was like the two cities were having a housing race to build the most sprawling suburban experiences possible.  Both cities have turned the corner in this new millennium and Jacksonville seems hopelessly stuck where they were 20 years ago.  However, hope abides within many of us.  We need more action.

[John P]

I see 2 big differences. One is that it iss not a totally new neighborhood. It has history and some remaining rehabilitated properties mixed in. Second, "urban" is a negative word to a lot of people in Jacksonville because they lack perspective and exposure to positive urban environments.

[Overstreet]

I remember the on street parking "game" we played and arguments about same in our South St Louis neighborhood. I don't miss it at all.

[I-10east]

^^^I feel ya. I really think that ultra-urban areas aren't designed for you to have an automobile. That's why urbanists hates cars, high speed road infrastructure etc. In many urban areas cars are a liability; Parking fees, tolls, no reliable place to park, and in some of the shadier neighborhoods (in NY, Chicago, Philly etc) they break in them, or steal them. If that's heaven, then I rather be in hell.

[thelakelander]

^^^I feel ya. I really think that ultra-urban areas aren't designed for you to have an automobile.

Like Jacksonville's oldest neighborhoods, they were designed for the human.  Over the past half century, many areas have been significantly altered (to their detriment) to facilitate automobiles as the primary mobility choice. State Thomas is no exception in this regard.  It looked like our Eastside or Brooklyn, with a highway cutting through the area until leaders there decided to do something about it.  Today, the highways are still there, but they've been able to create a pretty nice intown environment that accommodates the car and pedestrian.

[simms3]

Dallas and Houston still maintain some of the highest car ownership rates in the country (and lowest rates of commute by transit), despite large amounts of urban poverty and simultaneous urban gentrification/redevelopment.  Typically, car ownership is easily and cheaply/freely achieved in rezoned/redeveloped urban environments in the south as abundant parking is always provided (by code) and the urban context is reconfigured in a way to still accomodate the car.

[thelakelander]

^Yes, State Thomas is a prime example of this.  Those townhomes still have their two car garages and there's surface parking too.  It's just concealed from the street.

[Overstreet]

^^^I feel ya. I really think that ultra-urban areas aren't designed for you to have an automobile. That's why urbanists hates cars, high speed road infrastructure etc. In many urban areas cars are a liability; Parking fees, tolls, no reliable place to park, and in some of the shadier neighborhoods (in NY, Chicago, Philly etc) they break in them, or steal them. If that's heaven, then I rather be in hell.

Our St Louis house, like many older areas, was built in 1928+/-.  There was a garage. There was an alley. But they were designed for little cars. They were built in the 20s where if you had a car............it was "A"  car not a car, a tuck, and  a camper. They also had postage stamp yards. There weregenerally  no swimming pools, decks, gazebos, etc.