Canter Group Planning & Design Blog

  This local landscape strip in the parking area exhibits several flaws.  The area is too narrow for the selected tree species (Live Oak) The topsoil within the planting area has been eroded away either by foot traffic or rainfall, or both There is no mulch around the tree to aid in moisture retention. It is possible that the soil is so compacted that the roots must surface to get the oxygen needed to survive. A path is not provided between areas separated by the landscape strip, making traversing an area like this, with exposed roots, hazardous to pedestrians.  A mitigating feature is that the planting strip is, placed at a 90 degree agnle with reference to the store entry so that pedestrians are not forced to cross the strip in order to reach the front entry. Some Suggested Design Considerations Ensure the species of tree is well suited at maturity for the space provided.  Know the characteristics of the development of the root system. At ...

Don't forget that once a passenger leaves a vehicle, the passenger has become a pedestrian.  This photograph is of a parking lot at a local restaurant.  The gutter of this style inlet is heavily sloped, and it's location can lead to serious injury to a pedestrian leaving a vehicle.

There are a lot of great designers out there offering workable ideas for stormwater treatment and control.  Parking lot bioswales (depressed areas to treat and/or control storomwater runoff are a great example of their thinking.  This is only one example:   With anything, once it's built, it requires maintenance to function properly.  The permitted facility shown below is rather new (around a year old) and it's intended function is already significantly impaired. Here' is what sometimes happens: Outlet structure blocked by debris and dead plant material. Landscaping/sod has died and sides are eroded.

Went to the Musem of Florida History on July 4th.  What a great place!  Exhibits cover Florida History from ancient times through the 20th century. Cafe and Gift Shop, visits are free (donations are encouraged), tours are available if desired.  Parking is available in the parking garage next door ($5), tokens are gotten from the gift shop. Here is the location: Museum of Florida History R.A. Gray Building 500 South Bronough Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250 (850) 245-6400 Here are a few photos:

Utility Screen after about 1.5 years

While finishing a recent project, we received a request from Tallahassee Growth Management to consider screening the required fire apparatus and backflow preventers from drivers on the adjacent roadway.  The challenge was to find a way to make these less noticeable and still maintain the required 7-foot clearance around the equipment. BEFORE   We decided to camouflage the backflow preventer by approximating the background color of the landscaping behind the units, and block the view to traffic with landscaping.       We photographed the surrounding installed landscaping, then use Adobe Illustrator to match the average color with Pantone color chips.  The result was presented to the Owner for approval.      Covers for the irrigation and potable water backflow preventers were added.  As in many construction projects, the instructions were "creatively" interpreted by the ones doing the ...

 This famous Bread Company is located on a major roadway in St. Petersburg, Florida.  It’s close to mid-day.  Can you tell if it’s open for business? This structure meets most of the parameters for situation according to Form Based Codes:  It addresses the street with the front of the building pushed as close as possible to roadway, still allowing for a sidewalk in front; Parking is located at the rear and is accessed by an alley on the corner and by a small drive/roadway along the rear.  The building façade includes windows along the front, so there is no bare wall. But it looks lifeless.   At the driveway / alley looking across the front. At the driveway /alley, looking the other way. It looks forced and pretentious. Notice the backflow preventers out front. At the front… At the front…apparently no signs allowed. Not even way-finding.  Below is a view across the street, with more of the same...  Sunken Gardens...

Proof from outside my office.  Accessibility for man and beast.  This family gathered on the walk, then got bored and stood in the street.  A passing car stopped and honked;  a move that was probably misinterpreted.   Another group joined them in the street from across the way, then they all waited.   Another honk from the car, and they all used the roadway for a runway, and were in V formation before they were 3 feet off the ground.

This pelican sculpture is repeated at several locations in Market Square, a local shopping area.   The nest below the pelican is made of reinforcing bar. (Rebar).  Liriope muscari is planted along side the pier posts.

          Maclay gardens, located in Tallahassee, Florida  is a remarkable example of landscape architecture.  Since the State of Florida acquired the property in 1994, the gardens and park were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Killearn Plantation Archeological and Historic District. 1      According to the State of Florida, Maclay Gardens, part of a 1,184-acre state park, located in Tallahassee, Florida, was once home to Native Americans.  In 1825, the site became part of a land grant to the Marquis de Lafayette, and until the late 1800’s was occupied by a community of farmers (owners as well as tenant farmers) and their employees. 2      After operating as a quail plantation, the land was purchased by Alfred Maclay, a New York financier, in 1923 and used as a family retreat and hunting lodge.  1 http://www.floridastateparks.org/resources/doc/individualparks/bro...

Historic Jekyll Island is located on the Georgia Coast.  The center of the Island, the Jekyll Island Club Historic District has been listed since 1978 in the National Register of Historic Places.  Although it’s owned by the State of Georgia, a small amount of commercial and residential development is allowed. Also located near the Historic District is the ruins of the Horton House, occupied by Major William Horton (ca. 1742).  The Jekyll Island Authority and the Fanning Institute are currently working on their 2010 Master Plan. LINK: http://www.jekyllislandhistory.com/index.shtml Master Plan Site: http://www.jekyllmasterplan.org/

Mission San Luis was built in 1633 in what is now Tallahassee, Florida, about 2 miles from the Capitol.  In 1704 it was evacuated and burned to keep it from falling into the hands of British and Creek Indian raiders.  Beginning in 1996, Renker Eich Parks Architects, of St. Petersburg, Florida, with Herchel Sheperd, FAIA, undertook designing the reconstruction of many of the buildings in the mission using archeological and historical evidence to conjecture the architecture of the buildings to how they would originally have been built. The buildings that have since been reconstructed include the Church, the Convento, the Council House, the Chief's House, the Fort and Blockhouse, and a typical Spanish House as well as many minor features around the site.- ( Wikipedia Article Link )   Reconstructed Council House Council House Interior Council House Interior-Roof Blacksmith Shop Fort with dry moat Church Interior Church Interior Spanish House Spanish House ...