5th/6th Street Livability & Circulation Study
Urban Form & Mass
Landscape architecture attempts to define and design the spaces between masses. It is the void, or open spaces, that provide social and meeting spaces for residents, neighbors, and friends.
How the masses, the buildings and walls, are arranged affect the quality of the open space. In designing and/or capturing the open spaces, the placement and construction of buildings and walls need to be considered, for they define the edges of the open spaces.
These pockets of open spaces along the 5th/ 6th Street corridor can become the discovered jewels of the neighborhood. They can be as intimate to accommodate a gathering of 2 people or provide enough room for several people to engage in a card or board game.
Park/Open Space
- When possible, if there is vacant or undeveloped property, neighborhoods should seize the opportunity to work with the City and/or landowner to create a little open space/green belt that can be utilized by the surrounding residents
- With neighborhood initiative, there may be opportunities for the residents to adopt/purchase vacant property and develop it in a manner to enhance the character of their neighborhood and particular segment of the corridor
- Aesthetically, a pocket of open space also provides visual relief to the vehicular driver
Architectural Features
In many cases, it is the architectural structure that contributes to the definition of the area’s character. Developing guiding principles for land use is not within the parameters of these Landscape Architecture Guiding Principles for 5th/6th Street, but it is important to note that these elements are some of the most visible features along the corridor.
- Commercial – Reuse
- Acknowledge and explore the potentials of existing structures
- Commercial – Compatible
- Support existing neighborhood commercial uses
- Residential
- Participate and examine benefits and downfalls of increasing density along the corridor
