Notes from the architect at 169 Ivy Street

[David Mennier]

Hi Folks,
 
Andrew Reeves is the architect for the new home at 169 Ivy Street. He has contacted me to let block residents know about the issue from an architectural point of view.
 
FYI, here are his comments:

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I'm the Architect for the project on Ivy.  I just wanted to throw in my two cents.

 

I read your email about the potential laneway closure application (very well done, fair and honest).  Besides the pros/cons you listed the community should also consider the planning and architectural impacts of their streets (with and without lane ways).  Like you mentioned this is a neighbourhood in transition and its a matter of time before other homes are bought to be demolished and or undergo major renovations.  Knowing that this is very much the future, the community should think about the holistic impacts of current and future developments and what planning moves will help make for a better community as a whole.

We have designed many infill homes (with and without laneways) and the ones that are on laneways have a huge planning advantage (my opinion) because they:

-Don't require a street front garage, carport and or surface parking pads (people before cars)

-Allow for hockey, basketball and activities in the laneways (community interaction and places for kids to play in slow moving / light traffic areas)

-Allow for two story homes and not three (with a front yard garage/carport the program goes up)

-Are more in keeping with the existing scale of the street (consistent context through time)

-Keeps the social spaces (front porch, kitchen, and living room on the ground level to promote eyes on the street and community interaction)

-Larger soft landscaped front yard (trees, landscaping and front porches make fore a more interesting street scape)

-Reduces the overall hardscape and lot coverage of the site (less heat island and site services impacts)

 

I understand how sensitive and challenging this all can be and I'm very sensitive to its impacts but I just wanted people to think about the larger picture as well before they make their own decisions.

 

If the area residents would like me to explain all this in person feel free to contact me.