PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY FACELIFT FOR FIFTH AVENUE IN NEW YORK
From The New York Times
Many New Yorkers have come to avoid a stretch of Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan that is perpetually choked by traffic and throngs of tourists clogging the sidewalk.
Now, there is a plan to restore the luster of the famed thoroughfare by revamping a central portion of it into a showcase boulevard for strolling and shopping, like the Champs-Élysées in Paris, Calle Serrano in Madrid or Bond Street in London. [Ed: Or as envisioned for State Street in Santa Barbara.]
The proposed redesign, which was announced Thursday, would span 20 blocks south of 60th Street, between Central Park and Bryant Park. It would significantly widen the sidewalks, add seating areas and plant more than 200 trees — while taking away two of the avenue’s five traffic lanes.
Some transportation experts and urban planners said that it was a good start toward addressing the need for more open space and better mobility, including more protected bike lanes, in the most congested part of the city. Kate Slevin, the executive vice president of the Regional Plan Association, which supports the Fifth Avenue redesign, said that “as the plan advances, we hope it can go even farther” and lead to “a longer-term vision of surrounding streets in Midtown.”
Even before the pandemic, retail sales along Fifth Avenue had lagged as many shoppers stayed away, said Madelyn Wils, the interim president of the Fifth Avenue Association, which runs the business improvement district.
“The sidewalks are crowded, there’s lots of obstructions and there’s no seating or greenery,” she said.
Ms. Wils said that remaking Fifth Avenue for pedestrians would increase foot traffic, which in turn would increase property values and retail sales and generate more tax revenue and fees for city coffers.
“It’s really about balancing the street and finally giving pedestrians the space they need on Fifth Avenue,” said the city’s Ya-Ting Liu.
THE SATURDAY MORNING FARMERS MARKET has a new home in downtown Santa Barbara on State and Carrillo Streets. Farmers report the move has gone smoothly so far. And a bustling crowd on a sunny Saturday morning suggests the new visibility is attracting more people.
FORMER SANTA BARBARA Mayor Sheila Lodge — still at 95 a member of the city’s Planning Commission — has played a major role in protecting the architectural and environmental qualities that have made Santa Barbara “an uncommonplace American town.” An illustrated talk by Thomas R. Reynolds.
THE LATEST PLANS
An overview of the most recent plans for State Street. [PDF]
GRAND PASEO DESIGN CONCEPT ADVANCES
Planning team outlines a vision for transforming State Street into a pedestrian-friendly hub from the 500 block to the 1200 block. [Edhat]
COUNCIL FINDS CONSENSUS ON PEDESTRIAN-FIRST PLAN
The long-range plan focuses on existing paseos to connect areas and create new plaza-like spaces to revitalize State Street into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood. [Independent]
CITY LEADERS OPPOSE RETURNING CARS TO STATE STREET
The city council swerved away from reopening part of State Street to vehicles and instead shifted to regulating bicycles and making the street safer for pedestrians. [Noozhawk]
Excerpted from “California Editor” by Thomas M. Storke, past postmaster and longtime editor and publisher of the Santa Barbara News-Press.
The Santa Barbara Post Office apparently had been built [in 1914 at State and Anapamu, with Storke as its first postmaster] without taking into account possible future growth in population and the needs of its postal service. During the two decades between 1914 and 1934, Santa Barbara had more than tripled in population. The volume of mail had quadrupled. To move the normal daily volume of business it became necessary to lease outside space, until the situation became untenable. Something had to be done about it, and very soon.
Continue reading
STATE STREET PLANNING GETS MORE SPECIFIC
There was a palpable feeling of consensus developing at the latest meeting of the panel planning the future of State Street.
RESTAURANTS STILL SUPPORT THE PROMENADE
“Opal Restaurant & Bar and our neighbor, Carlitos Café y Cantina, have recently lost our parklets. However, we have begun a process to rebuild,” say the owners. “Maintaining the State Street promenade is the best thing for our city.” [Noozhawk]
EX-MAYOR HAL CONKLIN LIVES ON
“Santa Barbara’s downtown should invoke a sense of place, a sense of history and a sense of celebration.”
The late mayor’s exhortation was cited as the touchstone for the planning process, now nearing its final stages.
statestreeter 