csberry

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/1179393736245110.xml&coll=1

I am a New Urbanist. I believe that our cities need to revamp the underutilized or depressed properties in and surrounding downtowns and replace them with mixed-use buildings that shift focus from auto to pedestrian transportation. With the old Heart of Huntsville mall gone, plans to turn the Pinhook Creek sewer into a riverwalk/green space, and the growing interest of people walking around downtown, it is a shame to construct another big-box development surrounded by parking lots.

While I applaud the proposed development for hiding their parking deck with retail (loved this when I was in Dallas), look at the plan McLain is holding in the picture. The entire development consists as an island separate from the VBC and downtown, surrounded by parking lots that will diminish most people's desire to walk from that area across to the park and buildings across the creek. The site is designed to have people drive there and walk amongst the buildings there, but not to venture out of the property.

Why not put the buildings fronting the creek and Clinton Avenue so people could walk from work downtown to a restaurant, eat at a restaurant/bar and then walk to the VBC for a show, attend an event at the VBC and walk back to their hotel room, or encourage employees at the offices to walk along the creek and around Big Spring Park during lunchtime? Instead, they'll drive there, only visit what is on the complex, and then drive wherever else they go...even if it is just a few blocks to their office at the AmSouth building or elsewhere downtown.

I hope the project is rejected, but considering the other options likely to pop up from local developers, this may be as good as it gets for me. *sigh*