Alongside Safeway…
FIGURE 5 – For about the next 60 feet, it is difficult for two people to walk 2 abreast. The view is dull, dull, dull.
Figure 5: For about the next 60 feet along Safeway, the 5-6 foot wide sidewalk is narrowed by a fire hydrant and light pole, which allows 3 spots for street parking to remain here. Here it is difficult for two people to walk 2 abreast along this short stretch.
In Figure 5 above, the visual monotony of the pedestrian experience when walking right alongside Safeway is apparent. The bricks are a rich material, but the repetition of nothing but columns for the next 200 feet is pretty dull. Looking in at a covered parking lot of cars is dull. Of course, in the rain and in the summer, the Safeway shoppers who drive there appreciate the covered parking for their car. Life is full of trade-offs. [The original plan had the parking lot on the roof and at least 3 retail concessions on the ground floor. Now there is nothing on the ground floor of Safeway but a boring escalator lobby with a few vending machines.]
FIGURE 6 – Visual experience of the Safeway when standing across the street is pretty good.
Figure 6: However the pedestrian’s visual experience of the Safeway when standing across the street, is not so monotonous. At that distance from that vantage point, there is a feeling of some interesting multi-story architectural articulation. Bikers were disappointed the redevelopment did not include a bike lane. In response, for their safety, they occupy the whole lane.
80% of Safeway Frontage has 9 foot Sidewalk
FIGURE 7 – Back on the Safeway side, but now walking beyond the three on-street parking spaces, the sidewalk widens another 3 feet to reach a comfortable 9 feet. Lack of interesting architectural articulation on the ground level makes the walk dull but wide enough to walk two abreast.
Figure 7: Back on the Safeway side, but now walking beyond the short stretch with three on-street parking spaces, the sidewalk widens to include another 3 feet. With 9 feet, it is possible for 2 people to walk abreast, in spite of the street trees. The ground level view is dull.
FIGURE 8 – Lalahpolitico is now standing at State Street and the corner of the new Safeway and State Street, looking back down First.
Figure 8: Standing by State Street and the corner of the new Safeway, Lalahpolitico looks back up First Street. The wide angle lens makes things look more distant than in real life. The view confirms that the sidewalk is 9 foot wide along 80% of Safeway frontage. It also confirms the pedestrian’s visual experience is monotonous. There is no ground floor retail…
