tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153985804832811048.post8231953752828994740..comments2024-03-29T03:50:00.893-04:00Comments on Urban kchoze: Ode to the multiplex: Québec's traditional urban housingsimval84http://www.blogger.com/profile/10615053214354191224noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153985804832811048.post-32330443186066253822014-06-26T20:55:19.629-04:002014-06-26T20:55:19.629-04:00The whimsical exterior staircases of the Québécois...The whimsical exterior staircases of the Québécois examples... in Canada outside Québec, exterior stairs are nowhere to be found. There may be a few ones around, but I've tried to find some on Google Maps and couldn't.<br /><br />Interesting about Cincinnati, especially since they are in relatively suburban settings. I think there's not enough love for low-rise apartment buildings with 2 to 6 units in a 2- to 3-story format. These buildings can easily "fit" in single-family areas for those who care about uniformity (I don't, but oh well). Each building requires few parking spots, so they don't need huge parking lots, they can more easily build an urban fabric. It's really too bad that in a lot of places, they lose out in zoning, banned from low-rise areas because they're multi-family housing, and banned from most multi-family zones for being low-rise and small.simval84https://www.blogger.com/profile/10615053214354191224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153985804832811048.post-628260616122854252014-06-26T15:22:57.091-04:002014-06-26T15:22:57.091-04:00One of Cincinnati's rather unique features is ...One of Cincinnati's rather unique features is the great number of 4-unit apartment buildings that were constructed in the 1930s through 1950s, a period of time when very little construction at all was happening, let alone multi-family. They're roughly the scale of a good sized single-family house, so they blend in pretty well in that respect, and while many of the later ones take on a pretty unassuming colonial revival or sometimes stripped down tudor revival style, the majority of them are a modern art deco design that's very distinctive. <br /><br />The layouts are fairly typical, with a front entry door and interior stairwell that the units are accessed from, and they're usually one bedroom apartments, so they provide very affordable units even in the more exclusive neighborhoods. Also, there's so many of them and they're fairly inexpensive, thus many of them are owner-occupied. They're good buys from a financial perspective since the rent of the other three apartments is enough to cover the mortgage on the building, basically allowing the owner to live there rent-free. They don't have the whimsical exterior staircases of the Canadian examples, but considering their small scale and versatility (they can usually fit four garages in the basement, and surface parking for four cars even on-site isn't too difficult), it's unfortunate that they don't get as much love or admiration as they deserve.<br /><br />http://goo.gl/maps/h9KKa <br />http://goo.gl/maps/c3bJB<br />http://goo.gl/maps/MPvFK<br />http://goo.gl/maps/ccuSy<br />http://goo.gl/maps/jTjQI<br />http://goo.gl/maps/V8SV9Jeffrey Jakucykhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04092631645389171565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153985804832811048.post-87221879025193307102014-06-24T21:14:35.970-04:002014-06-24T21:14:35.970-04:00Well Toronto is not the city that I'd describe...Well Toronto is not the city that I'd describe as having the most among cities outside Quebec. I guess I might as well post the results from checking the US Census data, it goes by number of units rather than height.<br /><br />Chicago:<br />SFH+Rows: 28.9%<br />2-5 units: 31.3%<br />6-49 units: 21.4%<br />50+ units: 18.2%<br />Other 0.2%<br /><br />New York City:<br />SFH+Rows: 16.2%<br />2-5 units: 23.6%<br />6-49 units: 28.8%<br />50+ units: 31.2%<br />Other 0.2%<br /><br />Los Angeles:<br />SFH+Rows: 38.6%<br />2-5 units: 11.7%<br />6-49 units: 35.5%<br />50+ units: 13.8%<br />Other 0.5%<br /><br />San Francisco:<br />SFH+Rows: 32.4%<br />2-5 units: 21.9%<br />6-49 units: 30.0%<br />50+ units: 15.4%<br />Other 0.2%<br /><br />Boston:<br />SFH+Rows: 17.9%<br />2-5 units: 38.5%<br />6-49 units: 29.5%<br />50+ units: 14.0%<br />Other 0.1%<br /><br />Newark:<br />SFH+Rows: 20.0%<br />2-5 units: 45.2%<br />6-49 units: 20.7%<br />50+ units: 13.9%<br />Other 0.1%<br /><br />Vancouver<br />SFH+Rows: 22.9%<br />Lowrise Apts: 50.4%<br />Mid/Highrise Apts: 26.6%<br />Other: 0.2%<br /><br />So most of these cities are not as different from Montreal as Toronto is. Boston and Newark are actually quite similar to Montreal. Probably Boston is most similar:<br />-2-49 unit buildings at 68% of the total<br />-Common not just in Boston but much of New England, in Providence, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Lynn, Cambridge, Somerville, Worcester , Fall River, Portland (ME), Brockton and probably several more<br />-Verandas and doors opening to the outside... not always but relatively common<br />hhttps://www.google.ca/maps/@42.090153,-71.019916,3a,75y,352.59h,96.5t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sXpWYaj4s4ir8p9UvqKA5VA!2e0<br />-Don't know how many are owner occupied<br /><br />FYI regarding verandas/balconies, in Chicago and LA I think they're pretty common too, but usually facing the back (Chicago) or side or interior courtyard (LA). Exterior stairs seem to be unique though.NickDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07006815196885883516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153985804832811048.post-85414543198820565922014-06-24T11:20:56.329-04:002014-06-24T11:20:56.329-04:00If I gave the impression that there was no small-s...If I gave the impression that there was no small-scale apartment buildings in the rest of North America, then I've given the wrong impression. They do exist, but if you check out my comparisons between Montréal and Toronto, you'll see that the census is quite clear how rare low-rise apartment buildings are in Toronto, where they form less than 20% of the housing stock, versus nearly 75% in Montréal.<br /><br />The main points I wished to convey were:<br /><br />1- How frequent these are. They aren't only housing for very big cities, but common even in small villages.<br /><br />2- Their particular form with verandas, balconies and exterior stairs, which seems to be nearly unique in North America for low-rise apartment buildings.<br /><br />3- The fact that every unit has a door on the outside rather than a door opening on an interior public space.<br />4- How they are often owner-occupied.<br /><br />Now, it's just my opinion, but I think the Québec multiplex has many advantages over the types of duplexes or triplexes you indicated, thanks to the presence of a lot of semi-private areas and individual doors which avoid giving the impression of blank walls.simval84https://www.blogger.com/profile/10615053214354191224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153985804832811048.post-21623762462849851962014-06-24T10:58:52.993-04:002014-06-24T10:58:52.993-04:00I will say though, that while most American cities...I will say though, that while most American cities are single family home dominated, there are some cities with small scale multifamily.<br /><br />Chicago<br /><br />There's lots of "2 flats" and "3 flats", although I think these are mostly 4 units each<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@41.94448,-87.651783,3a,75y,197.9h,99.06t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sur9G8uawlwv2fXHNDLlafw!2e0<br /><br />And not just the flat roofed buildings, some of the gabled roofed buildings are multi-family, this one even has a spiral staircase! (spiral staircases are rare in Chicago though, it's mostly indoor common stairs or maybe 2 entrances next to each other)<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@41.855925,-87.654109,3a,75y,178.97h,92.01t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sCsqpe9b6uBjdRoJDLjNwcQ!2e0<br /><br />In Boston and much of New England, even small towns, you have the "triple deckers"<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Boston,+MA/@42.315064,-71.101153,3a,75y,332.48h,96.95t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1soKI_KS9oQH7zmp643ssaxA!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x89e3652d0d3d311b:0x787cbf240162e8a0<br /><br />Not sure if San Francisco have a name for theirs, but there's a lot of buildings like this<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@37.765749,-122.435327,3a,75y,15.16h,95.23t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1ssgHmKYh6UXd-gYgJ7pDzpA!2e0<br /><br />In New York, those of Manhattan are more on the large side (though a lot are not huge but more around a dozen units)<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@40.72919,-73.985491,3a,75y,211.4h,122.84t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sVwA47PXVmEFbQ5XqWnObWg!2e0<br />But Brooklyn and Queens are full of 2-4 storey buildings, and while some might look like row houses, I think most are functionally multi-family<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@40.688582,-73.943081,3a,75y,86.66h,99.6t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s-_HjV5kNlwqy8ELm4Paydw!2e0<br />Denser parts of New Jersey too, both new<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@40.727281,-74.168966,3a,75y,196.71h,93.22t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sHpWbZKPxKIgS86WO30P3XA!2e0<br />And old<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@40.726078,-74.15742,3a,75y,213.02h,102.61t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s_xcS0vvjL6qu2ABzgZTlhg!2e0<br /><br />In some cities a lot of it is post WWII <br /><br />Vancouver Specials (mostly duplexes)<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.26756,-123.042066,3a,75y,206.11h,87.98t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sg3GS-hT3NGlKxcDZYsttRA!2e0<br /><br />Toronto<br />Lots of these peppered throughout Toronto's more working class and middle class neighbourhoods<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.604843,-79.494836,3a,75y,340.97h,95.75t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1svxmIekZ3egEnzs0BuZG8kw!2e0<br />Some are a bit bigger (8 units?)<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Toronto,+ON/@43.693163,-79.454801,3a,75y,169.99h,93.52t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sW_bff4iJ2cuwhcro4f2x3Q!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x89d4cb90d7c63ba5:0x323555502ab4c477<br /><br />LA too (and San Diego, Oakland and Miami are similar), though my guess is these are less likely owner occupied.<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@34.055147,-118.29761,3a,75y,119.02h,96.26t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s8XZJjcaCc1qB97F67wT9_w!2e0<br /><br />Even Detroit has loads of duplexes<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@42.39485,-83.124923,3a,75y,163.6h,84.85t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s1XwPSeaBZx9BKATshmKmpQ!2e0<br />Or at least had, they're mostly in the more central neighbourhoods, which are losing population fastest (about 85% pop loss since 1950, compared to about 40% for the post-1920s single family neighbourhoods). Many midwestern cities have these, even here in Kitchener-Waterloo there's a few.<br /><br />I would agree that Montreal is one of a few areas where small apartments (2-5 units) are very common though, along with Chicago, New England, San Francisco, New York City and NE NJ. New England might be the only place where you can find them in significant numbers in small towns though, and not just the big city.<br />https://www.google.ca/maps/@42.772424,-71.093997,3a,75y,253.46h,96.23t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sxo_fconvcJKdmadiOVBkJQ!2e0NickDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07006815196885883516noreply@blogger.com