When strip malls get replaced by better shit - Page 4

mhays · #61 Posted **Jan 8, 2019, 3:00 AM**

It shouldn't be surprising that some apartments -- a relative few -- are not built for "the norm."

ardecila · #62 Posted **Jan 8, 2019, 5:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by niwell

Kind of off-topic, but I love those small neighbourhood corner dive bars in Chicago that seemingly all share the same design. Which includes the bricked up front entrance. There must be dozens of them. Some more divey than others, but even the ones that have gone more upscale seem to have not bothered with making the entrance more inviting.

This was one of my favourites last time I was in the city (definitely on the more upscale end): https://goo.gl/maps/6X9z1JVXPb62

^ Small Bar is a treasure. One of my favorite bars in the city, along with Four Moon Tavern. But yeah, they've definitely tried to go incognito.

Worth noting that Evanston was the longtime headquarters of the Womens Christian Temperance Union while Chicago was the home of Mickey Finn and Al Capone, so emotions around liquor have always run high here. Taverns once had big plate glass windows like any other storefront, but after Prohibition, bars decided to close themselves off.

mhays · #63 Posted **Jan 8, 2019, 5:56 AM**

In my state they were REQUIRED to eliminate most windows.

toddguy · #64 Posted **Jan 9, 2019, 10:26 AM**

We need more examples. This is really one of the best things cities and even suburbs can do-eliminate stagnant ugly strip malls and increase density. I want to see some more good examples. This is too good of a thread to just rot on the vine.

muertecaza · #65 Posted **Jan 9, 2019, 5:32 PM**

Here's a recent one from Phoenix. The new apartments aren't necessarily ideal urbanism, but it's a vast improvement, especially for Phoenix standards.

https://www.google.com/maps/@33.4483...7i16384!8i8192

the urban politician · #66 Posted **Jan 9, 2019, 5:40 PM**

^ THAT, my friend, is a huge improvement

photoLith · #67 Posted **Jan 9, 2019, 5:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

^ Small Bar is a treasure. One of my favorite bars in the city, along with Four Moon Tavern. But yeah, they've definitely tried to go incognito.

Worth noting that Evanston was the longtime headquarters of the Womens Christian Temperance Union while Chicago was the home of Mickey Finn and Al Capone, so emotions around liquor have always run high here. Taverns once had big plate glass windows like any other storefront, but after Prohibition, bars decided to close themselves off.

Hmmm I wonder if that's why all the old Yinzer blue collar bars that haven't renovated don't have any windows around Pittsburgh. Those bars always seem so claustrophobic and shitty. I never saw these weird bars with no windows before I moved up here to the Northeast. Down south, the bars usually had big windows, even the older ones. So it's just a leftover of stupid prohibition mentality I guess.

SIGSEGV · #68 Posted **Jan 9, 2019, 6:23 PM**

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8025...7i13312!8i6656

vs.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8024...7i16384!8i8192

the urban politician · #69 Posted **Jan 9, 2019, 6:27 PM**

^ Wow, the before-after effect of that just hits you BAM!

I'd love to see somebody create one of those images where the picture flips back and forth between the 'before' and the 'after' to see the effect.

vanman · #70 Posted **Jan 14, 2019, 11:03 AM**

An extreme example from the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby.

McBane · #71 Posted **Jan 14, 2019, 4:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

The issue of needing two entrances is probably part of it, but also there's the simple aspect of designing the street-facing exterior in a way they feel will be attractive to the most potential customers. Having a service some customers will find appealing (free parking) prominently advertised front and centre plays into that.

This strip, built on a neighborhood commercial corridor has stores with two entrances, one in the front along the street and the other in the back where the parking lot is built. I've been to a few of the stores and inside, they are oriented towards the sidewalk. In other words, when you come in through the parking lot, you are actually entering the back of the store/restaurant. Of course, this is within a semi-urban neighborhood but still.

muertecaza · #72 Posted **Jan 14, 2019, 5:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanman

An extreme example from the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby.

For me, best one in the thread. That is awesome.

vanman · #73 Posted **Jan 15, 2019, 3:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by muertecaza

For me, best one in the thread. That is awesome.

Thanks. Here's another transformation close to downtown Vancouver.

McBane · #74 Posted **Jan 15, 2019, 4:34 AM**

Not exactly a strip mall being replaced. But in Philadelphia, the entire intersection of 33rd and Chestnut in University City got a complete makeover with four brand new buildings.

Here is the intersection in 2007 vs. 2017.

It's a pretty remarkable turnaround.

mhays · #75 Posted **Jan 15, 2019, 6:03 AM**

That dark gray dorm looks so much like a series of dorms just built at the University of Washington: https://www.google.com/maps/@47.6545.../data=!3m1!1e3

SpongeG · #76 Posted **Jan 15, 2019, 7:43 AM**

Middlegate Mall, Burnaby

https://flic.kr/p/fxVHTn

To now Highgate Village

bosaproperties.com

SpongeG · #77 Posted **Jan 15, 2019, 7:48 AM**

just a little further east the old Value Village

is now Kings Crossing

McBane · #78 Posted **Jan 15, 2019, 4:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhays

That dark gray dorm looks so much like a series of dorms just built at the University of Washington: https://www.google.com/maps/@47.6545.../data=!3m1!1e3

It's actually a hotel (the Study) that focuses on areas surrounding universities.