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.

 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.

Bike Parking Area at City Hall.  Probably just a rare instance of double standard between Government and the Public.

In 2003 Talcor Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc. decided to attempt a pedestrian friendly destination spot on the corner of East 5th Avenue and Thomasville Road in Tallahassee, Florida approximately one mile from the downtown complex. The plan was to renovate and convert an existing 21,000 square-foot furniture store, complete with loading bays, to a retail center that would include high-end, sit-down restaurants, smaller casual and fast food shops and small retail stores. The Parking Problem The challenge lay with the availability of parking, and convincing potential tenants that a retail center that would rely mainly on pedestrian traffic during daytime hours could not only survive, but be successful. Only eleven spaces were available in the existing parking lot for the furniture store. While Talcor owned adjacent office complexes with parking for 205 vehicles, only 25 to 30 spaces were available in that lot during the day until 5:00 PM. In order to compensate for lack of pa...