Viewscapes! We used to have many beautiful views of hills--even from downtown, and from one hill (eg, East) to another (West, South), that is going away (and has been at an accellerating rate for about 30 years).
Clouds: partly cloudy skies are beautiful, but build many buildings over TWO stories and you stop seeing the sky, let alone sunrise and sunsets. Density matters when it goes vertical. What we don't need are so many suburbs with one to five acre lawns mowed by inefficient high polluting gas-powered mowers that make our neighbors seem beyond walking distance. It would be redundant to go into the advantages of nodal development (clusters or houses with public transport and minimal services) but surrounded by greenspace--aka hamlets, villages, etc), or rings or increasingly less dense suburbs around a core on this list- serve, , but please, no more buildings over 30' high in Ithaca! Ah, the canyons of Collegetown! Yeah, the people in the top floors get nice views, but what do the pedestrians get to see? Margaret On Aug 9, 2008, at 9:12 AM, Andy Goodell wrote: > If Ithaca had a density like that, where do you envision all of the > goods we > buy coming from? How about all the things bought from Walmart, grocery > stores, and the malls? That would mean much more traffic, more people > driving, more resources for goods we probably didn't need in the first > place. > > I still don't understand why so many here are wishing for higher > housing > density. Sure it means some systems will run more efficiently, but any > population gain is going to hurt us quite a bit in the long run. If > that > housing density comes with people actually choosing better > transportation > options, growing their own food to some extent, buying local > materials, and > holding community events often, that I would welcome it, but I doubt > that > scenario is anywhere near likely to happen as long as oil is still > around. > > Maybe I'm pessimistic here? Somehow this population needs to reduce > though, > and unless you are bringing the ouskirts closer to the city then > higher > density does no good. > > -Andy > > On Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 10:45 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> >> >> And it is a tragedy that we cannot imagine a density of housing in >> Ithaca >> that could build on 5 to 6 story or even 10 story buildings, like >> neighborhoods >> in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx that maintain vibrant shopping, >> parks, >> education centers, etc and a powerful sense of community. My >> sense is >> that is >> what our downtown needs and that need will encroach on places like >> Fall >> Creek, >> where I live, and I welcome it. >> >> Eric >> >> In a message dated 8/8/2008 4:56:24 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> >> >> >>> From the New York Times: >> >> HEALTH / RESEARCH | August 5, 2008 >> Vital Signs: Patterns: In Older Neighborhoods, Less Weight Gain >> By ERIC NAGOURNEY >> A new study reports that people who live in older neighborhoods >> appear >> less >> likely to be overweight. >> >> >> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/health/research/05patt.html?ex=1218772800&en >> =97a340e2bb95a503&ei=5070&emc=eta1<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/health/research/05patt.html?ex=1218772800&en=97a340e2bb95a503&ei=5070&emc=eta1 >> >> > >> >> The article does not mention that a critical factor in neighborhood >> walkability is 1) density; and 2) as a result of density the >> presence of >> many more >> activity centers within a 10-15 minute walk of home. >> >> The fact is that older neighborhoods such as Fall Creek, South >> Side and >> Bryant Park are anywhere from five to ten times more densely built >> than >> post-1960s suburbs such as in the Town of Ithaca, Town of Dryden >> abd Town >> of Lansing. >> That means that a lot more activities, such as schools, shopping, >> places >> of >> work, etc. are within easy walking and biking distance. >> >> Ergo, more exercise, less driving, less greenhouse gas emissions, >> etc., >> etc.., etc., etc. >> >> George Frantz >> >> >> >> --- >> George R. Frantz, AICP, ASLA >> Visiting Lecturer >> Dept. of City & Regional Planning >> Cornell University >> 604 Cliff Street >> Ithaca, New York 14850 >> (607) 256-9310 >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County >> area, >> please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >> >> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >> [email protected] >> >> >> >> >> >> Eric Clay, M.Div., Ph.D. >> Community Coach >> Shared Journeys, Inc. >> 832 North Aurora Street >> Ithaca, NY 14850 >> 607-592-6874_ [EMAIL PROTECTED] (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) >> >> Shared Journeys: Make a World of Difference >> >> >> Our mission is to help individuals, families, organizations and >> communities >> care more effectively for themselves and others who are not like >> them. >> >> >> >> **************Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your >> budget? >> Read reviews on AOL Autos. >> ( >> http://autos.aol.com/cars-BMW-128-2008/expert-review?ncid=aolaut00050000000017) >> _______________________________________________ >> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County >> area, >> please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >> >> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >> [email protected] >> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org >> >> >> > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County > area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > [email protected] > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
