UPTOWN: URBANISM = A-, ARCHITECTURE = C+

At Uptown, a pair of mixed-use apartment and retail buildings under construction in University Circle, developer MRN and architect Stanley Saitowitz get the urbanism mostly right, and deserve credit for their efforts.  The project is being built at the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 115^th Street (just north of Mayfield Road) in collaboration with several institutions and non-profits, including University Circle, Inc., Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Institute of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland.

 Uptown North Building, looking south on Euclid Avenue.

The developer and the architect made two important decisions that contribute to the project’s success from an urban design standpoint. 

§     First, MRN chose to make the project mixed-use.  This is significant because, by including both retail and housing, the development will invigorate the neighborhood with both commerce and new inhabitants on the streets.  MRN went further to ensure success by pursuing leases with a good variety of retailers. These include magnet tenants like Barnes & Noble books and Constantino’s market.  MRN also made sure that there will be a mix of price points for the eateries that are going into the project.  Diversity enables success.

 

§     Second, MRN and Saitowitz decided to bring the building facades right up to the sidewalk and to place parking behind the north structure.  These moves give the street a sense of enclosure and definition, making it more comfortable and welcoming to pedestrians.  The buildings also frame a new gateway into the east side culture and arts district, strengthening the sense of arrival and lending identity to this stretch of Euclid Avenue.

Uptown gateway looking southwest on Euclid Avenue. 

The principle of building close to the street and considering the pedestrian experience seems to be lost on many Cleveland designers and city officials.  (As evidenced by much of what the Cleveland Clinic has built lately, as well as University Hospital’s recently completed Seidman Cancer Center—two blocks further south on Euclid—that is decidedly non-pedestrian friendly.)

Some of the credit for the positive urban design decisions made at Uptown also goes to CWRU and the Boston firm Chan Krieger, who created the original 2004 project master plan for the university.  These two significant urban design decisions—mixed use and building to sidewalk—are already contributing more to the street life of Cleveland than any other recent construction in the city.

CRITIQUE

I have been watching the progress of Uptown for some time, and had been planning to write a post about it when both buildings are complete in late fall.  But architecture critic Steven Litt wrote an article about the development in the Plain Dealer last week.  And while many of Litt’s comments are well-observed, he didn’t seem to go deeply enough in his analysis to look at the project with a truly critical eye.¹

SO WHY THE A MINUS ON URBANISM?

Two issues raise concern regarding the urban design of Uptown: 

Disposition of buildings at Uptown (Image: The Plain Dealer) 

§   First, the developers have included in the plan a pedestrian-only alley on the south side of the south building, an apparent effort to recreate the magic of their successful development on East 4^th Street downtown.  The storefronts in Uptown’s south building will effectively have two faces, one on Euclid Avenue and the other on the pedestrian alley.  

    The concern arises over whether the activity of the shops and sidewalk cafes on the alley side will draw life away from Euclid.  Sometimes in dual-frontage shops, the street side ends up being a glorified service entry, leaving sidewalks there mostly deserted.  MRN is a savvy developer, so hopefully this concern is unfounded.  The verdict on the experiment will have to wait until Uptown is complete in October. 

Narrow sidewalk with inappropriate planting bed.

§   The other concern is that the sidewalks in front of the buildings on Euclid are only seven feet wide.  If the project is as successful as everyone hopes it will be, the sidewalks will be too narrow to handle the expected amount of foot traffic. Inappropriately designed shop entrances and planting beds will exacerbate the problem.  This concern merits its own discussion as a case study in sidewalk and storefront design, so it will be examined in a forthcoming post.

GENERIC MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE

Uptown North Building, looking northeast on Euclid Avenue.

While Uptown gets most of the urbanism right, Saitowitz' chosen mode of architectural expression is more questionable.  His buildings are pleasant enough examples of Modernism.  But they are a generic Modernism.  Their visual language doesn’t have much to do with Cleveland or Northeast Ohio.  These buildings could be anywhere in the country—New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles.  No cues within Uptown’s imagery tell us that we are in Cleveland, Ohio. Generic buildings lead to the homogeneity of our cities, a sense of disorientation, and a loss of the uniqueness that makes each city the special place that it is.

  Modernism makes for dramatic pictures though.

Modernism can be a fine and dynamic language. But Saitowitz’s Modernist interpretation misses the opportunity to draw upon the architectural legacy that exists here.  A richer kind of architecture responds to the specific climate, history, and building practices of a region. It can express this response through its form, materials, construction methods, and details.

Good architecture takes at least some of its cues from the local precedents.  In this way it can “resonate with the landscape and the cultural context” of its setting, as Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa puts it.² This approach embeds a building more fully within a place.

For example, Saitowitz expresses the rhythm of Uptown's structural bays by leaving their gray concrete columns exposed—a standard, anywhere expression of the Modernist idiom.  Imagine if the designer had chosen instead to sheath the columns with a sleek roman brick and a simple buff sandstone base.  Still tastefully modern, but a respectful acknowledgement of Uptown’s neighbors one block south, at the corner of Euclid and Mayfield. If cost was an issue, or more subtlety desired, the designer could simply have mixed bit of Ohio clay into the concrete for color.  Small, thoughtful gestures could have made the new buildings feel more like they belong in Northeast Ohio.  

Mixed-use building at the corner of Euclid and Mayfield.

DURABILITY

The appropriateness of the designer’s material selections for Ohio’s harsh climate also causes concern.  One assumes that the aluminum siding material and the projecting sunshades have been engineered to withstand our weather.  But when looking at these materials and their detailing, one wonders about their durability.  How will they look fifty years from now, seventy-five years from now?

Will the siding details and the underlying polypropylene membrane keep out the moisture of fifty rainy springs?  Will the sunshades remain straight and unbent under the burden of heavy snow and icicles that seventy-five winters bring?

The architect demonstrates his Modernist virtuosity by punching crisp window openings through the aluminum siding material on his buildings.  No question the lack of window trim gives the structures a streamlined appearance.  But window trim and sills are not just decorative affectations.  The window casings serve a very real and functional purpose:  They keep water away from the building face, protecting it from deterioration and infiltration at a vulnerable location. 

 

Some architects rely on technology—a polypropylene membrane, heavy sealants around windows—to keep weather and water out of the building. But more durable design solutions can often be found in local building practices that have been tested over time. 

FUNCTIONALITY VS. DECORATION

Shadowlines don't lie.

Finally, the shading devices above the window openings are problematic for another reason:  they will not really be effective at keeping the sun off of the glass.  Saitowitz chose to make all of the sunshades the same depth, regardless of whether the windows are three feet tall and horizontal or eight feet tall and vertical. It is clear that these metal projections will not accomplish the goal of shading the tall windows.  Apparently, the architect was not really serious about reducing heat gain and increasing energy efficiency. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that these eyebrows are mere aesthetic flourishes.

CONCLUSION

Time will reveal whether the material choices and detailing decisions made by the architect will endure.  And despite Uptown’s shortcomings, MRN, Saitowitz, and their institutional partners earn high praise for setting a good urban design precedent. If the project proves to be economically successful, Cleveland developers may take notice and follow Uptown’s urbanistic lead.  And, hopefully, government leaders will push them to do just that.  If so, Uptown will serve as a positive step forward towards better urbanism for the city and its people.

NOTES

¹ Steven Litt, ^“Modern-style buildings by architect Stanley Saitowitz give University Circle's Uptown development new sense of place,” The Plain Dealer, 8 April  2012:

http://blog.cleveland.com/architecture/2012/04/architect_stanley_saitowitz_cr.html

² Juhani Pallasmaa, “Place and Image,” from An Architecture of the Ozarks, The Works of Marlon Blackwell, by Marlon Blackwell (New York:  Princeton Architectural Press, 2005), p.30.

LESSONS TO LEARN: A TALE OF TWO TOWNHOUSES

Buildings do not exist in isolation.  They are part of a larger community, and have a responsibility to make a positive contribution to the health and life of the street.

After traveling to many beautiful cities in the U.S., I have often wondered why Cleveland doesn’t have more of the interesting townhouses and brownstones that can be found in places like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York City, and San Francisco. 

Townhouses are good for a city because they allow for more dense development than single family detached dwellings do.  This in turn means more inhabitants per acre, which can increase the viability of local retail, and also of transit, such as bus lines or streetcars.

I’m sure there is a historical reason that they are not more common in Cleveland, perhaps having to do with when the city was growing most rapidly, or the way lots were platted in Cleveland, or simply regional building traditions.  As I continue to study the city, I eventually may learn the answer to this question.

In the meantime though, I have found that if one looks hard enough, many great townhouse examples do indeed exist in Cleveland.

OLDER TOWNHOUSE EXAMPLE

Detroit-Shoreway Townhouses-West 65^th Street Elevation

Here’s a townhouse type that merits further study.  It is located on Bridge Avenue, at the corner of West 65^th Street, in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood on the near west side of Cleveland.  

Detroit-Shoreway Townhouses-Bridge Avenue Elevation

Its massing, materials, and detailing are pleasing to the eye.  The porches, steps, and bay windows make for an interesting elevation, animating the street.  The details are simple and well-crafted, without being particularly extravagant.

  

The corner tower element punctuates the street intersection well, bringing distinction to this row of townhouses.  No doubt the tower’s octagonal form makes for some nice interior spaces in this unit as well.

The porches are fairly small—6’ deep by 9’ wide—but they are still useful.  Their shape and design, with an angled portion adjacent to the bay windows, allows just enough room for a chair or a bench for sitting.  Addressing the street with small, inhabitable porches brings life, interest, and activity to the street.  In addition, when residents sit on their porches, they can make connections with passersby, strengthening connections in the community. Having people out on the porches also increases security in the neighborhood, by sending the message that residents are paying attention to what is happening on the streets. 

NEWER TOWNHOUSES

Newer Townhouses-Bridge Avenue Elevation

This group of newer townhouses was constructed several years ago on Bridge Avenue, at the corner of West 52^nd Street, just a few blocks east of the older townhouse group.  These newer units have some good things going for them.  The developers can be commended for choosing to build in the city, helping to fill in the gaps in the existing urban fabric.  These townhouses also feature interesting bay windows with brackets supporting them, and a nice tower element that makes an effort to address the street corner. 

The biggest problem with these units is the battery of garage doors that face the street, and the wide swaths of concrete driveway that accompany them.  The driveways interrupt the sidewalk in numerous places, and prevent the planting of street trees for shading and aesthetics. 

In addition, the garage doors present a blank and uninviting face to the street.  They also limit the width of the front porches, making them not very useful as actual outdoor ‘rooms’ that can accommodate chairs for sitting.  And finally, the wide concrete driveways mean there are no front gardens or other elements that could be a source of interest or pleasure to the pedestrian. 

In terms of character, life, and security, these newer units do not give as much back to the street as the older townhouses do.

And it didn’t have to be this way.  That is the frustrating aspect of this newer construction.   The lot where these units are located is deep enough to allow access to the garages form behind the units.  If the garages were in the back, the front façade of the building could have been unmarred by the garage doors, and could instead have had more interesting elements facing the street, such as larger porches.

Detroit-Shoreway Townhouses-Bridge Avenue Elevation, looking west. 
Which sidewalk would be more interesting to stroll along?

Much can be learned from the existing architecture in Cleveland, and applied to new construction in order to yield more positive outcomes.  Following some simple design strategies, like “porches in front, garage doors behind”, can make a big difference.  By making more thoughtful choices, we can bring strength and vitality to our neighborhoods, and consequently improve the quality of life for all city residents.

SOME CORE PRINCIPLES

Epworth-Euclid Church
Bertram Goodhue with Walker & Weeks, c. 1928

§ Every place in the world is unique culturally, historically, and climatically.  Its architecture and  urbanism should support, protect, and reflect these qualities.

§ Our cities should be environmentally sustainable.

§ A neighborhood should have vitality, stability, and should encourage a sense of community.

§ Neighborhoods should be diverse in all aspects, including age, race, and economic level.

§ The structure of a city should help foster the realization of social and economic justice in a society.

§ The structure of a city should encourage the maintenance of physical health by its inhabitants.

§The form of a city should foster independence for all, including children, the disabled, the aged, and those of less means.

§ Public institutions, such as schools, churches, and libraries, are centers of neighborhood life.

§ Streets and public spaces within the urban fabric are the physical manifestation of the spirit of the community.

(Thank you to Professor Oscar Machado of the University of Miami for requiring that his students articulate their ideals in writing.)

FIRST POST

Fine Arts Garden Fountain

Why start a blog? 

I admit that I have been resistant to starting a blog.  I don’t even like the sound of the word.  It doesn’t sound like a place for thoughtful and enlightened discourse. And isn’t there enough noise and chatter on the internet, and in the world, already? 

But I am concerned about the state of Architecture and Urbanism in the City of Cleveland and throughout Northeast Ohio.  And I believe there is a need for more community discussion on the issues of what we build, what we preserve, what we destroy, and how we inhabit the land on which we live.

I write a lot of letters about these issues.  I write to the Plain Dealer editorial page, and to the Cleveland Landmarks Commission, and to the Mayor, and to . . . you get the idea.  And I figure, if I am making the effort to write these mini-treatises, then the world may as well hear my voice too.  I can try to do that through this forum.

Why “The Civic Art: Cleveland Architecture and Urbanism”?

I have a true passion for vibrant cities and neighborhoods.  I love that feeling of strolling down a great shopping or residential street in Philadelphia, or Madison, WI, or even in Ohio City or Cleveland Heights, and feeling the history of the place mixed with the vitality of the present.  These great streets have been inhabited over time, and they are still beloved by their residents.  It is a pleasure to just be in an authentic, thriving neighborhood.  I would like to be able to experience that more often in Cleveland, and in more parts of the City.

As an Architect and Town Planner, I try to make the world better by using the tools that I possess.  Namely, by trying to create or preserve good architecture and good neighborhoods.  By reclaiming and reviving our neighborhoods, we not only gain a place where people want to be and want to live; we can also begin to address many of the pressing issues that face our city and nation: sustainability, global warming, resource conservation and stewardship, energy independence, social justice, intolerance, public safety, access to local food, and health and wellness.  More about how better, more pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use neighborhoods can address these issues is to come in future posts.

What to Expect to Find Here

§   Commentaries, critiques, essays on timely and significant topics in Cleveland Architecture and Urban Design.

§      Copies of the aforementioned Letters to the Editor on such issues.

§      Links to important articles about Architecture, Urbanism, and City Life.

§     Photo studies of notable architectural and urban typologies to be found in the City of Cleveland and beyond.

The Way Forward

Cleveland is a great and beautiful city, yet it also faces many challenges.  By leveraging its many great assets, Cleveland has the potential to create a more sustainable, more vital built environment.  This city can be a harbinger for the rebirth of older rust-belt cities, demonstrating the way forward to long-term urban rebirth and re-vitalization.

Those in the design professions have both a significant role to play and a real responsibility to help make our world and our communities into better places to live. I intend to engage in this endeavor as well, through my work and through these words.