Our own vintage town

[LizzieMaine]

Then again, I suspect there was also an older, gentler style of policework that might be nice to bring back.

"Aw, gee whiz, Mister Kennedy..."

 

[Forgotten Man]

I still like Willoughby. It has a built in town slogan:
A peaceful, restful place, where a man can slow down to a walk and live his life full measure.
I don't want to be ten again or lauded over by my mother as in that episode.
I volunteered to be mayor and Forgotten Man volunteered to be Chief of Police if I remember correctly. We'll put these signs at the town limits to keep undesirables out:

City code 8600H violations carry a fine of up to $1,000 and six months in jail.

Yes, that sign will be posted. I believe that I was going to have the corner on the soda fountain racket in town... But, maybe we could assemble a group of lawmen kind of like the untouchables to keep the town and streets clean of free loaders! I think I'd like to be the head of the war against dead beats. lol

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Finest law man ever, and one of my role models growing up, and now...

 

[Diamondback]

This is why the "Good Cop, Bad Cop" buddy system works so well--one gets the results, the other holds his leash until it's time to let him do his thing.

 

[jamespowers]

Yes, that sign will be posted. I believe that I was going to have the corner on the soda fountain racket in town... But, maybe we could assemble a group of lawmen kind of like the untouchables to keep the town and streets clean of free loaders! I think I'd like to be the head of the war against dead beats. lol

The War Against Deadbeats (WAD) lol lol lol lol
Ok, you can have the soda fountain racket too then. I can see the sign in the window no shoes, no combed hair, no hat, no service.

 

[Mr Vim]

So what era of architecture are we talking about? Or would it in fact have a conglomeration of different period designs as would any town that built and then replaced certain buildings?

The design of this town would be a hoot and a half.

I have an artist friend, maybe she would help design some buildings, she owes me one.

Oh and what if we called the town "Our Town" it's a little more possesive and kind of has a mission statement in it.
When people ask why we dress the way we do or why the town looks the way it does... we reply "because this is Our Town."

 

[Diamondback]

True... however, resurrecting a "deadville" would be both easier and cheaper, and has the advantage of preserving an actual historic town at the same time.

 

[jamespowers]

So what era of architecture are we talking about? Or would it in fact have a conglomeration of different period designs as would any town that built and then replaced certain buildings?

The design of this town would be a hoot and a half.

I have an artist friend, maybe she would help design some buildings, she owes me one.

Oh and what if we called the town "Our Town" it's a little more possesive and kind of has a mission statement in it.
When people ask why we dress the way we do or why the town looks the way it does... we reply "because this is Our Town."

No architecture after 1960 would be about the extent of it. No geodesic domes either.
I was trying to find a photo that would give an idea of what a downtown can look like but I can't find it now. [huh]
Our Town has been done and done and done and done.
I still like Willoughby--A peaceful, restful place, where a person can slow down to a walk and live his life full measure. :eusa_clap As opposed to living like a rat in a cage in some cases.

 

[jamespowers]

True... however, resurrecting a "deadville" would be both easier and cheaper, and has the advantage of preserving an actual historic town at the same time.

Deadville is the cemetary not the town!

 

[LizzieMaine]

No architecture after 1960 would be about the extent of it. No geodesic domes either.
I was trying to find a photo that would give an idea of what a downtown can look like but I can't find it now. [huh]
Our Town has been done and done and done and done.

Bulk of the downtown should have been built between 1885 and 1915, with each block named after the person or organization who built it, said name to be set in granite on the facade: "JONES BLOCK 1893" "ODD FELLOWS BLOCK 1904" etc. At least one block will be known as "PHOENIX ROW", marking a rebuild of a section leveled by a 19th century fire.

 

[jamespowers]

Bulk of the downtown should have been built between 1885 and 1915, with each block named after the person or organization who built it, said name to be set in granite on the facade: "JONES BLOCK 1893" "ODD FELLOWS BLOCK 1904" etc. At least one block will be known as "PHOENIX ROW", marking a rebuild of a section leveled by a 19th century fire.

Sounds good to me. I appoint you to the zoning board.

 

[jamespowers]

I found the picture I wanted as an example:

Not perfect but getting there. This has since turned into a mess by the way.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Sounds good to me. I appoint you to the zoning board.

You're talking my language there.

1. Downtown area shall be mixed use -- residential and office space shall be permitted in upper stories of all downtown structures. Ground level in all downtown structures shall be devoted to retail storefronts, with the exception of purpose-built structures such as filling stations or food stands. No downtown structure may exceed six stories in height.

2. Shopping plazas, enclosed malls, "big box" retail establishments and other extreme-setback businesses are strictly prohibited within the city limits, with the following exceptions: drive-in restaurants, drive-in theatres, and used-car dealerships. In no case may such a permitted exception incorporate more than 100 parking spaces.

3. Illuminated signage shall be limited to neon-tubing or incandescent bulbs, and such signage is strongly encouraged in the downtown business district. The application of painted signage to the sides of downtown district structures is strongly encouraged. Back-lit plastic signage is strictly prohibited.

4. All on-street parking in the downtown district shall be diagonally-oriented from the sidewalk curb into the street. All such parking spaces shall be governed by meters.

 

[jamespowers]

You're talking my language there.

1. Downtown area shall be mixed use -- residential and office space shall be permitted in upper stories of all downtown structures. Ground level in all downtown structures shall be devoted to retail storefronts, with the exception of purpose-built structures such as filling stations or food stands. No downtown structure may exceed six stories in height.

2. Shopping plazas, enclosed malls, "big box" retail establishments and other extreme-setback businesses are strictly prohibited within the city limits, with the following exceptions: drive-in restaurants, drive-in theatres, and used-car dealerships. In no case may such a permitted exception incorporate more than 100 parking spaces.

3. Illuminated signage shall be limited to neon-tubing or incandescent bulbs, and such signage is strongly encouraged in the downtown business district. The application of painted signage to the sides of downtown district structures is strongly encouraged. Back-lit plastic signage is strictly prohibited.

4. All on-street parking in the downtown district shall be diagonally-oriented from the sidewalk curb into the street. All such parking spaces shall be governed by meters.

I see you have really been thinking about this stuff. lol I think I might have just stumbled on the right person for the job.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I just think about everything I hate about modern towns, and propose the opposite.

Which reminds me:

5. No chain or franchised business will be licensed for operation within the city limits unless said chain was in operation on a national or regional basis before January 1, 1948.

6. No electronic communications antenna, tower, or array operating in any frequency range in excess of 30 megacycles, whether for transmission or reception, shall be permitted within the city limits.

7. No construction permit shall be granted within the municipal limits for any single-family dwelling on any building lot larger than one half acre, unless at least three quarters of all land area in excess of one half-acre is devoted to agriculture.

8. No construction permit shall be granted within the municipal limits for any dwelling, single or multi-family, set back more than fifteen feet from the inner boundary of an existing public sidewalk, unless said dwelling is located on property recognized as an agricultural site.

 

[Viola]

But agricultural use is permitted in town? Or I can have a few hens and a rabbit hutch even on a town lot? You still sometimes see chickens even in tiny rowhome yards back home.

Also if I can't paint my house a non-beige color I shall be excessively cranky, in a hat-and-gloves sort of way.

However I know another town like one over where clotheslines are illegal. Don't they know, when clotheslines are illegal, only criminals will have nice-smelling sheets?

 

[LizzieMaine]

9. Limitied agricultural uses shall be permitted within residential neighborhoods, including the keeping of poultry, rabbits, goats, and sheep, and the cultivation of small crops. In all cases, facilities for the keeping of animals shall be subject to regular inspection to ensure humane conditions are maintained. Compost heaps shall be maintained so as to not create a public odor nuisance.

The keeping of large livestock within residential neighborhoods shall be limited to one horse, pony, ass, mule, cow, or ox per family, with said animals to be registered with the Department of Animal Control. Bulls and swine shall not be kept within residential zones. There shall be no restriction on the keeping of livestock within designated agricultural zones, except that all facilities shall be subject to regular inspection to ensure humane conditions are maintained.

10. There shall be no restrictions whatever on the painting of any dwelling within the municipal limits.

11. With the exception of licensed commercial laundries, the operation of electric or gas-operated clothes dryers shall be prohibited within the municipal limits.

 

[dhermann1]

So there were no big cities in the Golden Era? I guess Nick and Nora wouldn't be welcome??? Or Cole Porter? Or George Gershwin? Or Babe Ruth? Etc., etc.

 

[Viola]

The description doesn't sound far off Golden Era Philly, except the front yards are smaller than some neighborhoods? How big? Is this just about skyscrapers? (don't you know skyscrapers are what cursed the Phillies?)

 

[LizzieMaine]

When the population gets above 50,000 we can revisit the building-height limits. It'd be important to scale the place to suit the population we'd expect. The worst possible thing to have would be a lot of tall buildings with nobody in them -- people who want that can move to Detroit.

In all seriousness, though, I'd think it'd be entirely possible in the real world, thru careful zoning, to actually create a town with a vintage feel with a population of maybe 8 to 10 thousand, tops. Any more than that and I suspect it'd become politically impossible to manage.