Mayoral candidate @christianwolmar proposes pedestrianisation of Oxford Street @standardnews

London mayoral candidate @christianwolmar proposes pedestrianisation of Oxford Street: http://t.co/HhgpZYMtCY pic.twitter.com/KvnEUl3jca
— Carlton Reid (@carltonreid) September 12, 2014

— @BrentToderian in @planetizen — Tall Tower Debates Could Use Less Dogma, Better Design

It's the debate about tall buildings, possibly the most polarizing argument in CNU circles (arguably even more than the lingering traditional vs contemporary architecture debate), and maybe in urbanism circles in general.

In previous posts and talks, I've discussed the importance of what I call "density done well." It might be impossible to discuss the controversial issue of density (still referred to by some politicians as “the d-word”) without discussing height. In fact, height is often more polarizing and controversial than density itself. Height and density have a relationship, one that can be over-simplified or mischaracterized, but they aren’t the same thing - you can have density without height, and yes, you can have height without density. Read more: Tall Tower Debates Could Use Less Dogma, Better Design | Planetizen: The Urban Planning, Design, and Development Network

Stealth waterfront park privatization underway in #Nanaimo

#Vancouver's Seawall has been named Canada's best public place - but it's also a neighborhood & multi-modal corridor. pic.twitter.com/zATF7zAeSg
— Brent Toderian (@BrentToderian) September 8, 2014

Nanaimo’s seawall parks and neighbourhoods are first rate and our best asset. Our City Hall has just passed an upzoning for a pie-in-the-sky “Hilton” hotel development on the waterfront and our City Hall is considering privatizing large portions of our waterfront Georgia Park.

This stealth privatization is being done on 3 fronts: 

• an outright “lease” turning parkland over to the developer for a loading zone area (semi’s and delivery vans servicing a 300+ room hotel, patio areas for hotel cafes and lounges and a “grand staircase” creating a flow from the hotel lobby directly down to the waterfront promenade).

• portraying the aggressive extension of its lobby into and onto our parkland by a “grand staircase” connecting to the harbour side promenade as a community benefit. “Connectivity” between Front Street through the hotel to the staircase. This staircase is to be included in lands under their control by a 60 year lease agreement.

• perhaps most objectionably of all, the agreement with Staff to apply the very modest Community Amenity Contribution created by the huge uplift in value created by City concessions to be spent only on areas immediately surrounding their property and in concert with their landscape architects.

Staff report to Council here. 

Up-zoning to 114.3 m height and FAR of 12 approved Sept 3 at a well attended public hearing, a large majority of delegates speaking against the height and massing application and the park give-away . Sale of land currently designated lane-way that runs the property perimeter on the north and east sides (which alternatively could have been added to this park area which has been overdue for a redesign for at least 15 years). If there was a strong evidence based argument on which the City made these decisions, I didn’t hear it expressed by Council, it wasn’t made by the proponent at the public hearing and I see no sign of it in the Staff report.

The park lease provision, if the idea itself isn’t pulled off the table now just weeks before the municipal election, will require a referendum. Opposition to the loss of control over parkland, especially a much-loved and popular waterfront park, is strong, broad and spreading.

More background and further thoughts here. 

@1sidewalkballet @andrewtrevjones @NanaimoBulletin @neil21 They should NOT privatize public space. Especially for that abomination.
— Wise Monkeys (@wisemonkeysblog) August 20, 2014

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TO financial district=$375m property tax revenue/per sq km, compared to $6m per sq km rest of the city @jen_keesmaat

Financial district in Toronto = $375 million in property tax revenue per sq km, compared to $6 m per sq km for the rest of the city. #TOpoli

— jennifer keesmaat (@jen_keesmaat) September 6, 2014

SF Polk Streetscape Project Overview @walksf @FolksForPolk

Post by Walk San Francisco.

Check out what happened on Robson Street this summer @LatsAP @Penalosa_G

Post by 8-80 Cities.

A wealth-creating pattern of development @neil21 @StrongTowns

Post by The Sidewalk Ballet.