2007-027 - Land Use Element and the Urban Design Element

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URBAN DESIGN ELEMENT buildings have interesting architectural details dating from their periods of construction, including art deeo canopies, fascias, cornices and storefronts. The buildings along South Main Street from First Street to Warner Avenue, are mostly one and two story structures built to the property line. This development pattern is interrupted by a few recent developments which have their buildings located at the rear of the site with the parking lot directly adjacent to the street. Building design and site development characteristics begin to change north of First Street. The urban flair is very strong, peaking in the area considered to be the financial district of Midtown, between Tenth Street and Washington Avenue. North of Washington Avenue, the building- setbacks, located on both sides of the street, varies because of surface parking lots and a few landscape strips. The southern part has the charm of a small town main street and, as it continues to the north, development is characterized by a highly urban downtown financial appearance. As it progresses further to the north, it eases back to a small scale specialty commercial area until the next major crossroads where the urban form picks up again to continue north to the Museum District eventually reaching the Main Place Mall and City Place. First Street The First Street corridor's distinctiveness is influenced by the roadway's landscaped median that gives it a special appearance. First Street is associated with the proliferation of strip commercial development lacking strong retail anchors. Some segments of this corridor do not share common features such as the landscaped median, front yard landscaping, or architectural style. Buildings next to most of First Street's major intersections exhibits various setbacks which, along with the different architectural characteristics, present a confusing visual impression. Disjointed development has led to a poorly defined streetscape as illustrated by the corner of First Street and the Santa Ana Freeway. The development of a high rise office tower tends to clash with the area's generally low rise character. The First Street corridor, which is a major form to the City, needs visual statements to create a sense of arrival and a sense of place. Seventeenth Street The Seventeenth Street corridor has been incrementally developed over the years and includes strip development and outdoor malls scattered along the length of the roadway In fact, these uses are so prevalent that they create segments of inconsistency. The entire length of this heavily traveled corridor has a tremendous potential to convey strong community images. The mixture of new and old, adjacent to one another, may provide an opportunity Rev;sei1-~M!@~ No. 2007-027 Page 30 of 35 A-13 The chaJJenge is to provide the goods and services demanded by people and to do it in such a way that enhances their living environment. II