Comments on Meanwhile, In Columbia City...

Where's the dice game moving?

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.

Open space only accessible to the residents is more defensible space. It's a big middle finger to Le Corbusier.

What's gonna happen to the Chinese subwoofer shop in the Columbia Plaza?

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.

what will happen to the farmers market?

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.

I took out a $100 from that bank to loan a "friend." Never saw that again....

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.

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,

I'm sure the Columbia City Farmer's Market will be just as successful and vibrant in an underground parking garage.

"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?

Columbia City yups are shaking in their crocs over the loss of the farmers market's space.

I've heard the city's going to shut down Edmunds St on market days.

Wouldn't a single 40-100 story building cause a lot less destruction and noise than 10 4-10 story buildings?

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.

wouldn't a single 400-1000 story building cause a lot less destruction and noise than 10 40-100 story buildings?

goody! Replacing an ugly-ass, low density building with a slightly less ugly-ass mid-density building!

Progress is cool!

Where's the taco truck gonna sit?