tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158467536239735339.post2541111537870772702..comments2023-10-19T05:19:01.550-08:00Comments on American Dirt: Where the Canal Walk first went wrong.AmericanDirthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04600555386886915000noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158467536239735339.post-34696275818003606412009-08-29T18:43:18.448-08:002009-08-29T18:43:18.448-08:00Thanks so much for your responses--keep them comin...Thanks so much for your responses--keep them coming!<br /><br />CorrND--<br />The chronology of development along the canal is based more on memory than anything (which of course is fallible), but the oldest structures I recall were the Residence Inn (not the Courtyard), the condos directly across from the Residence Inn (Canal Court I believe), the Indianapolis government center, and, slightly later, the fire station. I agree with you that the only design that appears incorrigible is the Gardens of Canal Court. And it is definitely a failure of occupation in the case of all the office buildings fronting the canal, but the design--particularly the fenestration and means of ingress and egress--always seemed to have office and not retail in mind. Very unfortunate.<br /><br />JC--<br />I agree with you that one could easily question if the bars of the San Antonio River Walk constitute culture, but culture, like "character", is entrenched in subjectivity and personal taste. Some would pose a convincing argument that Las Vegas is a place without culture; I would beg to differ.<br /><br />Culture or not, I still think activities that have flourished on the River Walk transcend its design limitations. But I'm glad you recognized some of the activities that the design of the River Walk precludes: roller blading and biking, for example. At times, the path of the River Walk makes perpendicular turns, leaving blind spots, while it tapers to only 3 feet or so in width, so it's way too congested. And the twists and turns keep the River Walk's visual rhythm unpredictable and exploratory. And it maintains a consistent flow of people that the Canal lacks when the weather cools. San Antonio of course has the advantage of a much longer warm season, but I was there on a weekday in March when it was a high of 45F and it was still packed. How many of those visitors were locals is another story.<br /><br />Hopefully someday the Canal Walk can surpass the River Walk in terms of what it has to offer, obviously by forging a different trajectory in doing so. I don't think restaurants will wilt in the cool weather, and perhaps it can retain a local appeal and not suffer the presence of ubiquitous chains that one finds in parts of the River Walk. I also cannot emphasize how much of an advantage Indianapolis has over San Antonio in terms of its downtown in aggregate. The Paseo del Rio and the Alamo appear to be the only shows in town; I saw virtually no evidence of condo or apartment development there, even along the River Walk (thus the overwhelmingly touristy feel). When you emerge from Indianapolis' canal, you can still find many other things to do, even if its a bit of a walk. Going to the street level in San Antonio is often desolate.AmericanDirthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600555386886915000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158467536239735339.post-58433555500667265072009-08-29T01:20:38.756-08:002009-08-29T01:20:38.756-08:00"But it also falls far short of the cultural ..."But it also falls far short of the cultural offerings of the River Walk."<br /><br />It's a canal packed with bars and restaurants on most sides. How do those qualify as "cultural offerings?"<br /><br />And while it may be more successful as a commercial venture you don't see people biking, blading, or families en masse like out canal. What you see instead our throngs of convention-goers spilling in and out of bars till all hours of the night.<br /><br />I'd rather have the challenges of our canal blended with its successes than what San Antonio has.JCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158467536239735339.post-78975116851344430722009-08-28T10:41:07.334-08:002009-08-28T10:41:07.334-08:00Wow, very thorough analysis! Lot's of interes...Wow, very thorough analysis! Lot's of interesting information I wasn't aware of (particularly that the Marriott hotels are among the oldest structures on the canal).<br /><br />Four specific areas bring me hope about the future of the canal:<br /><br />1. Obviously, The Cosmo. When they fill up, the residential density within a 2 or 3 block radius of Indiana and Michigan will probably be the highest in the city. That's a retail opportunity just waiting to be tapped into (which Flaherty & Collins are no doubt aware of, given the retail you mentioned).<br /><br />2. The ~1.5 block stretch on the east side of the canal from St. Clair north to the IU Emerging Technologies Center. The property at 9th and the canal has been for sale for years so it likely has an unacceptable price tag, but the property immediately south of it on St. Clair just recently went on the market (I first noticed the sign yesterday). Maybe we'll see some movement there.<br /><br />3. The Canal Overlook and Canal Square canal-front spaces you discussed. Nice that the developers of those projects had the foresight to include those spaces. There isn't a failure of design there as much as a "failure of occupation." If they were all instead occupied by interesting shops and cafes, etc., there would be enough density there to get people down to the canal specifically for that.<br /><br />4. The contentious state parcel across from the Indiana Historical Society we discussed on the downtown tour.<br /><br />In my opinion, the only complete, utter failure on the canal is the "ivy covered wall" of the Gardens of Canal Court. There's actually nothing behind that wall but dirt, no excuse for that horrible design.<br /><br />That complex was actually built in three phases and I've long meant to provide a thorough analysis of it. Maybe I'll do that in the near future. For all its design failures, it does house a huge number of downtown residents.CorrNDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15371462855078578516noreply@blogger.com