Bronzeville Neighborhood Association

From your friends at the King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association.  Let’s hope that 2008 brings appropriate and sustainable development to Columbus’ Near East Side.

1. (Concept Design 2006) The large single building actually has a rythum that compliments the street.Looking at the black and white xerox from left to right one can see the dark area is brick, and the light area of building exterior skin is some other color and or material.So the building goes dark, light,dark,light,dark,light,and dark.This is a very old trick of the architecture trade to make the building appear more elaborate and feel like several different buildings very close together, while it is really only one building.This compliments N. Monroe Ave. between E. Broad St. and Mt. Vernon Ave. because the over whelming number of existing house front facades change from house to house as you move down the street.Creating the pleasant,friendly,unexpected quality of N. Monroe Ave. as you walk down the street.How many times have we residents on N. Monroe Ave been stopped by somebody walking or driving down the street and hear them say in an envious tone ,”I could live on this street.are there any houses for sale on this street?” It is this changing varied look of the houses that attracts people to our street.
2. ( Latest Rendition 2007) The large single building actually feels larger than it is.This massive, monolitic look does not recognize the existing varied quality of the existing housing stock.It feels out of place.This building seen from down the street will in fact loomover the street and overwhelm the surrounding houses. Its Monolithic nature will negate the playful,unexpected,pleasant rythum of this pedestrian friendly street.This is in fact a building that would be compatible on many streets in Columbus such as Morse Rd.
3. (Concept Design 2006) The roof profile is broken up and has a changing rythum that recognizes the wide variety of roof pitches on the street and that some Queen Ann houses on the street have roofs doing all kinds of variable things that are a pleasure to look at This roof contributes to the animated feel of the street.
4. ( Latest Rendition 2007) This long building has a very pedestrian roof that is not recognizing the cues on the street.Another old trick of the architecture trade is to take existing design features from surrounding buildings add them to your new building and then it will feel like the neighborhood.This is the case with the 4 little dormers popping out of the front facade roof.They are almost exactly like dormers on any number of houses on N. Monroe but on a roof of this length and bulk they look akward and to small. These dormers appear to be placed on the roof to make the neighborhood think that this building is repeating architectural features from existing houses and therefore is compatiable with the existing street.This architecture design trick did not work.
5. (Concept Design 2006) Front entry door is reached by going up 3 steps this repeats the character of N. Monroe St. The houses up and down the street between E. Broad St. and Mt. Vernon all have several steps up to the front porch entry deck.This creates a feeling of security at each residence.This is defensive space,and this is what the front porch provides.When we residents are on our porch decks we are above the street,the house feels protected and under our control.Passerby are in the subserviant position the homeowner is in the power position.This is why a lite front porch at night feels like a safe haven for pedestrians walking down a dark street like N. Monroe that does not have Pedestrian Street Lighting.Raised front porch decks create look outs on the street. Bad things are less likely to happen on streets where residents actively use their front porch.
6. (Latest Rendition 2007) This front entry door feels exposed.One step above the sidewalk and very few feet from the pedestrian sidewalk. Not a safe feeling.Most home owners would feel akward and exposed to the street sitting on such a porch.In fact most people would never use such a porch except to tie up their guard dog to protect the vunerable feeling front door. At the Mt Vernon Plaza one floor subsidized housing, this works because the units are well back from the street,the renter feels like they have some defensible space between them and passerby on the sidewalk.What mother is going to feel protected on this porch if she has small children? Who is going to have potted plants,porch furniture,and all the things that make a porch a porch sitting on this porch? The architect has created a porch nobody will use.New developments all around the USA are including useable front porches as a design feature. But here on N. Monroe where existing houses have front porches and if they do not they have a raised porch deck ,we are getting something again that one sees up and down Morse Rd.porches that nobody uses that become an architectural decoration rather than a functioning porch.
7. (Concept Design 2006) and ( Latest Rendition 2007) Green Sustainable Architectural Features have never been discussed with the surrounding neighborhood. Columbus Housing Partnership has done much to link new construction and sustainable architecture in our Bronzeville Neighborhood with their infill housing project on 21st St.Infill housing projects from San Diego,Ca.,Austin ,Tx Chicago ,Ill.,to Boston , Ma., are promoting their green sustainable architectural features with their projects at the Conceptual Design Phase when they talk to the community and go for necessary reviews of their project.We on N. Monroe want new constuction such as The Monroe Cluster to reflect the latest social,environmental,and urban trends that are at the forefront around the USA. Columbus,Ohio what good is Mayor Colemans Green Initative if Architects/Developers are not bringing to the table these issues? The architect is amiss in any infill project around the country ,who does not discuss sustainability, this is the future.
8. The Near East Area Plan, adapted by City Council on September 19, 2005, is the city’s offical guide for the Near East Side.

With the Second Baptist Church demolitions of their properties,with Rehobeth Temple church demolition of the lodge, with the demolition of the Colony Club,the arson of the house across from McNabbs Funeral Home, and the expected demolition of Centenary Church by Second Baptist Church at any time there is a lot of open land. The Mayors King Lincoln District has quickly become The King Lincoln Ghost Town District.