Slog - Comments on Meanwhile, In Columbia City... http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city The tragically misnamed Columbia Plaza--an ugly parking lot with a small indoor mall of shops at its western end--will soon be morphing from this... to this: The renderings I've seen so far don't include a full front view (i.e., what things will look like from where I was when I took that first shot of Columbia Plaza), but here's one that includes the ugly-ass Bank of America drive-through building in the front (which, unfortunately, was not sold as part of the development): There's a lot I like about this project. Foremost: It will replace one of the worst-used lots in... Copyright 2008 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:56:42 -0800 Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:18:36 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Ashy Larry Where's the dice game moving?

]]> Ashy Larry http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149819 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149819 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:09:39 -0800 Comment by Catalina Vel-DuRay Erica Dear, do you ever get out to Columbia City? There's quite a few restaurants there. It's always nice to have more, of course, but you make it sound like all there is is a Burger King.

I do agree that this will be a good project for the neighborhood. I'm quite enthused.

]]> Catalina Vel-DuRay http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149823 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149823 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:12:16 -0800 Comment by Greg Open space only accessible to the residents is more defensible space. It's a big middle finger to Le Corbusier.

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149824 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149824 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:12:26 -0800 Comment by wha? What's gonna happen to the Chinese subwoofer shop in the Columbia Plaza?

]]> wha? http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149829 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149829 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:15:44 -0800 Comment by function&form re: ugly-ass Bank of America "unfortunately" not sold as part of the development...when working w/in the design-only playground of your mind please don't forget that some of the butt-ass ugly buildings serve a function that's needed in a neighborhood. You sound kind of insensitive to the long history of low income neighborhoods not having banks and fighting for them when you focus so much on how the building looks and suggest that because of design the function should be eliminated.

]]> function&form http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149832 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149832 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:17:32 -0800 Comment by Boyd main what will happen to the farmers market?

]]> Boyd main http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149840 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149840 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:24:00 -0800 Comment by laterite Very good point @5. I was thinking the same thing. Also, let's not forget that "ugly-ass Bank of America" was originally an "ugly-ass" Seafirst building, meaning it was borne of a strong local banking institution. Of course they ultimately gave in to the BofA monster, but it still means something to long-time residents. Besides, and I guess I'm the only one who has this sentiment, I kinda like the mid-60s Seafirst/BofA buildings, like this one and the one down Madison from Chop Suey. They're charming in their homeliness.

]]> laterite http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149852 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149852 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:36:32 -0800 Comment by Scottie Yahtzee I took out a $100 from that bank to loan a "friend." Never saw that again....

]]> Scottie Yahtzee http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149858 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149858 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:41:31 -0800 Comment by StC One comment in this post struck out about how great it was that the development included all underground parking.

Why does this city let any development have surface parking in the 21st century? Anybody in retail in an urban area should be trained to see parking lots as unused shelf space priced out at the same square footage as the building and unprofitable.

Big box and groceries still want surface parking, but they need their addictions tamed to reality.

The only other time surface parking seems to show up is when a developer, not the eventual end-user, does the design. Because it's cheaper for the developer even if unwanted by the end-user. That is a perfect reason for city design regulations to step in and say "no."

Surface parking is a blight.

]]> StC http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149862 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149862 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:45:25 -0800 Comment by matt daves yeah, surface parking is a blight. Make units have one space or less or provide 1/3 of units with spaces and charge the occupiers of those spaces the extra amount it costs to create them,

]]> matt daves http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149875 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149875 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:57:13 -0800 Comment by NapoleonXIV I'm sure the Columbia City Farmer's Market will be just as successful and vibrant in an underground parking garage.

]]> NapoleonXIV http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149880 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149880 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:04:35 -0800 Comment by Catalina Vel-DuRay "I'm sure the Columbia City Farmer's Market will be just as successful and vibrant in an underground parking garage."

What?!?!? Are you suggesting that cars should be relocated to accommodate some hippy love-in?

Are you a Communist?

]]> Catalina Vel-DuRay http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149912 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149912 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:34:52 -0800 Comment by Brian Columbia City yups are shaking in their crocs over the loss of the farmers market's space.

]]> Brian http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149993 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1149993 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:49:52 -0800 Comment by Martin H. Duke I've heard the city's going to shut down Edmunds St on market days.

]]> Martin H. Duke http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150010 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150010 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:40:59 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Wouldn't a single 40-100 story building cause a lot less destruction and noise than 10 4-10 story buildings?

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150050 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150050 Boom Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:37:59 -0800 Comment by Matthew Rutledge I think that Bank of America is nice, actually, it's a good example of well-preserved SeaFirst vernacular style. It will blend in well with the angular nature of this new development as well.

]]> Matthew Rutledge http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150092 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150092 Boom Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:25:59 -0800 Comment by jrrrl wouldn't a single 400-1000 story building cause a lot less destruction and noise than 10 40-100 story buildings?

]]> jrrrl http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150114 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150114 Boom Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:57:50 -0800 Comment by michael strangeways goody! Replacing an ugly-ass, low density building with a slightly less ugly-ass mid-density building!

Progress is cool!

]]> michael strangeways http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150143 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150143 Boom Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:05:41 -0800 Comment by dan Where's the taco truck gonna sit?

]]> dan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150154 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/meanwhile_in_columbia_city#c1150154 Boom Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:18:36 -0800