Comments on: DDA Takes on Transit, Energy

By: Jeff Hayner

Jeff Hayner — Mon, 12 May 2014 22:56:18 +0000

It’s Retail Incubator, although I cannot see why this would be considered an appropriate use of public funds.

By: Dave Askins

Dave Askins — Mon, 12 May 2014 13:15:43 +0000

Re: [1] The “build-out onto Fourth Avenue” is shorthand for “a buildout of the space that would result in Fourth-Avenue-facing windows and doors” not a structure to be built out in the ROW. [Although the idea has in the past been spitballed to build a giant canopy over Fourth Avenue as a kind of transit mall. With the new BTC oriented to Fifth Avenue, that wouldn't make much sense.] “Activating a sidewalk” does not mean causing the concrete to undulate; rather it means something like: Giving pedestrians something more interesting to look at than a half-height brick wall with cars parked behind it. And finally, “residential incubator” is probably just botched reporting – as I think it’s more likely “retail incubator” not “residential incubator.” I’ll review my notes.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 12 May 2014 12:59:25 +0000

“Residential Incubator” — you know, so tourists can go wave at the little Ann Arborite hatchlings.

By: Donna Estabrook

Donna Estabrook — Mon, 12 May 2014 12:38:43 +0000

My questions, exactly, Tom.

By: Tom Brandt

Tom Brandt — Mon, 12 May 2014 01:04:32 +0000

The Chronicle reports, “Splitt described how Carl Walker Inc. would also be exploring the feasibility of a first floor buildout onto Fourth Avenue – to be used, for example, as space for residential incubators, saying that a number of ideas have been floated for activating the sidewalk on Fourth Avenue.”

I don’t know what all that means. What is meant by a “first floor buildout onto Fourth Avenue”? Would some structure extend onto Fourth Avenue? If so, what does that mean for pedestrian traffic?

What is a “residential incubator”?

And finally, how does one activate a sidewalk?