Drought

I'm sure it's ok, because they can afford to water the street and fill the gutters, and do whatever because they can. 

Afford it, that is. And that is the only measurable that counts.

Scale

There's a reason why this stuff is so popular. Who cares what it is. Human scale means nothing. We exalt ourselves. We inhabit spaces that dwarf us. The organization of our lives climbs into the sky and looks down on the unwashed unfortunate below. You can't hear or smell them. But they serve a purpose. 

They make us feel on high.

Bus Dungeon Coming Along

They've driven steel, they've laid mix. All signs point to go, so that "those people" are out of sight. The Bus Dungeon under the latest Gardiner megastructure in downtown Boise. It will look so good while it's new, but it's size all but insures the same pitiful level of "service" we are all used to. And the gloss will wear off, and the group will run off to greener pastures.  All in service of the almighty automobile. It's all our fault of course.

Nothing Better Than A Empty Parking Lot

Unless, of course, that lot is chained off. For unknown reasons the people at the Electric Company are removing this lagoon from their stables of parking lots. Perhaps its in for a nice overlay and re striping, or perhaps the door rattler just forgot. The effect remains. Odd. Or something.....

More Blocks

What egregious nonsense will sprout up next, and how will it look in 2030? Will you be in the class of downtown Boise? 

Mobile Home Lot Available

An America you thought was gone. Put down your flannel long enough to realize that manufactured homes allow plenty of room to groom your beard.

Bus Dungeon Beginning

The buses come into the dark ness and slips into the bay disgorging its cargo of the never seen onto another bus to get the hell out of the business district. And the cars roll right over the top of them, in their usual position at the top of everything America desires. 

Make Way For The Legislature

Hawks Stadium

The site of the proposed ball field, if all the GBAD hubbub is to be believed. 

There it is. Is it a good idea? I would love it. But does it pass the smell test? 

Doubt it. 

But what else could happen? All the car lot F*wads have already deserted. More apartments? Maybe. Real estate office /business park? God no. Retail banking is almost as odious as the casino model which is it's spiritual cousin. 

Food Truck Rally

Record Store Day Food Truck Rally

Eight Feet

Eight more feet than the other bank tower. Whatever. I'm not unhappy that something is there, even if that something is not human scale.
It's a monument to an old paradigm. A signifier of unintended consequences.
Banks. The future will eat them for lunch. They are our pyramids. Future generations will look at these heaps in awe at our foolishness.

Right Of Way Row

Outside, the trains don't run much at all, much less on time. That time has gone for now. Waiting for a time when things might possibly get organized differently.
Thankfully, the branch line is largely intact, waiting to start up again.
Let's hope.

Green Acre

 

The place to be.
So far, we have escaped the infill, but this has come at a cost.
Sprawl.
No mixed use.
Ideally, this land would remain green, if only to provide a heat sink for the concrete jungle.
But, wait for the rebound. Progress will not be denied.
Unless, it has to.

It's not alright

Mystery Retailer
Of course it's Trader Joe's. You see the Porsche in the parking lot? It's going to be a nice little drive for our Meridian UpMobiles. Whiz down to the WF, whiz by the TJ, go back to the McMansion. Done. (Thanks to George Prentice for doing the footwork on this story. I'm not reporting, I'm lamenting.)

We Are Marching To Suburbia

Crummy screen capture. You're welcome.
Parking. The removal of parking spaces strikes a chill amongst the few onlookers who are paying attention. No word on who the prospective tenants are, but one of them is asking for a drive through. Here's hoping that we get that Arbys we have all been clamoring for, although a Wendys or Burger King would be solid as well. This is on our "gateway boulevard," as they like to trumpet. It's very revealing of the poverty of their world view. They want to drop a suburban style 4 pad development in a prominent place, and all people can talk about is the loss of parking for their god given right to drive.
I know this is reality for people, but, reality sucks.

It's old news, but kind of not really...

"Irish Pub"

Usually when there is a sign out front that says "Irish Pub", you get a helpless bullshit approximation. This time it was real and nice. You should see what a piece of shit the boardwalk has become however. -Atlantic City

Foggy O

 

Gate

A Thoughtless Place To Relax

 

Just because you can do it doesn't mean you will.

The Circle

See, you can do it.