Design Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Oxnard Placemaking, Civic Beauty & Urban Design

It’s Time to Take the Keys Away from Granddad

ByRoy June 11, 2018

June 7, 2018 By Howard Blackson III Today, San Diego is failing to accommodate our growth demands. Due to NIMBY (people who oppose any new building with a “Not In My Backyard” attitude) pressure and fear, only downtown towers and greenfield sprawl sites are far enough away from them to secure any development permits. And these aren’t…

World Class Urban Design & Economic Development Education

ByRoy May 28, 2018July 10, 2018

CityBuilding Express #CBX2018 Why spend 4 days on a tour bus with 50 mayors, developers, city council members, staff planners, supervisors, city managers, urban designers, town architects, economic development experts? For the annual CityBuilding Express (#CBX2018) event of course! There is never a dull moment with this inquisitive outspoken crowd! Nathan Norris photo Riding with 50…

2 New Hotels for Oxnard’s Riverpark – Architecture or Something Else?

ByRoy May 10, 2018May 23, 2018

We were promised by the developers that Oxnard would get two beautiful hotels. What do you think? Come to the Community Workshop and share your thoughts: Springhill Suites Marriott proposed for Riverpark: Townplace Suites Marriott proposed for Riverpark: Mixed-use building for comparison to the above proposal:…

Economic Stability Is An Urban Design Response To Social Justice

ByRoy May 7, 2018May 7, 2018

by Howard Blackson – February 20, 2017 Times they are a’changing. We all hear that the New Urbanism has a gentrification/displacement perception problem in big city discussions. One of New Urbanism’s revolution was in shifting the 60s/70s planning by numbers approaches to city issues towards a design-oriented solutions. And, our anti-modernist stance in the ‘90s…

The Swiss Army Knife “Side Hustle” House

ByRoy April 27, 2018

Side Hustle House. Source: Union Studio The Swiss Army Knife “Side Hustle” House The Side Hustle House has been designed to supplement primary income and evolve as household needs change. ROBERT STEUTEVILLE APR. 24, 2018 Note: Missing middle housing will be a topic at many sessions in CNU 26.Savannah, May 15-19. High housing costs and lack of…

The Evolution of Urban Planning

ByRoy February 6, 2018February 7, 2018

Urban planning has been around for as long as cities have existed, but the 20th century saw a number of bold ideas that radically changed the make-up of our urban centers. From garden cities to psychogeography, today’s infographic by Konstantin von der Schulenburg is an informative overview of the modern movements and ideas that shaped urban planning….

25 Solutions From A Builder’s Perspective To Fix The California Housing Crisis

ByRoy January 23, 2018January 23, 2018

It is more difficult today than it has ever been to bring new housing units to this state, but it shouldn’t be. Editorial by @HOUSINGFORLA on January 10, 2018, 12:00PM photos by HUNTER KERHART The California housing crisis is damaging our very existence. Homelessness is higher than any point during my lifetime. High housing costs are a drag…

WHY WALKABLE STREETS ARE MORE ECONOMICALLY PRODUCTIVE

ByRoy January 22, 2018January 22, 2018

Oxnard Boulevard looks like a wasteland because of us. Oxnard’s poor old run down Oxnard Boulevard looks like a wasteland because we do not stand up for our main street. Demonstrate your care for Oxnard Boulevard, by coming to city council meetings week after week, to demand that Oxnard Boulevard become a successful walking and shopping street…

Why tiny ADUs may be a big answer to the urban housing crisis

ByRoy January 20, 2018January 28, 2018

How accessory dwelling units, set to expand on the West Coast, present a small but mighty solution to affordability By Patrick Sisson Jan 16, 2018, 12:34pm EST An ADU designed by Lanefab Design/Build, a Vancouver, Canada-based firm that specializes in designing these smaller homes. Courtesy Lanefab For cities starved of new housing, staring down an affordability crisis, and desperate for…

Why We Code

ByRoy January 15, 2018January 18, 2018

Oxnard needs Form Based Zoning Codes for the Successor Agency (Redevelopment) properties. Form based codes will give developers proper guidance – they will know precisely what is wanted by Oxnard Planning before they submit a project. Without Form Based codes developers will not have proper direction and may build anything that meets current 50-year-old development standards and design…