San Marco Boulevard: Before & After

[Overstreet]

If a narrow sidewalk was a bad thing. The truth is the tree well restricts the usable sidewalk. Although more attractive it might be it is still a narrow walk way.

[peestandingup]

Nothing against palms, I just don't think they needed so many of them. And looking at the shots along the sidewalks, they take up way too much walking space & sorta jet right out into people's paths.

Its all nice looking, but not as functional as it could have been.

[Miss Fixit]

Does anyone know the total cost of this project?

[cline]

I think around $12.8MM.

[thelakelander]

In this case, I'm fine with the palms adjacent to where buildings front the sidewalks, given the limited ROW.  However, building owners should be encouraged to install awnings on their storefronts.  Luckily, several already have them, which is different from most of our walkable commercial districts.

[exnewsman]

Palm trees say "Florida" - I'm good with that.

[thelakelander]

Ever dress up in a suit and walk five blocks in the sun and humidity on a Jacksonville street lined with palm trees and no shade?  If so, did you enjoy the environment?  Did you want to spend additional time walking around or did you hop in the car and cut on the A/C as quick as possible?  

I'm cool with palms in the right environment, but the type of tree you install in a pedestrian friendly area should have more to do with making the users of that space more comfortable.  The main purpose of a tree on a sidewalk in Florida should be to provide shade and comfort to the pedestrian, not for scenery as we drive 45 mph down the street.  This is one of the essential elements of context sensitive street design that we tend to completely overlook locally.

[vicupstate]

Ever dress up in a suit and walk five blocks in the sun and humidity on a Jacksonville street lined with palm trees and no shade?  If so, did you enjoy the environment?  Did you want to spend additional time walking around or did you hop in the car and cut on the A/C as quick as possible? 

I'm cool with palms in the right environment, but the type of tree you install in a pedestrian friendly area should have more to do with making the users of that space more comfortable.  The main purpose of a tree on a sidewalk in Florida should be to provide shade and comfort to the pedestrian, not for scenery as we drive 45 mph down the street.  This is one of the essential elements of context sensitive street design that we tend to completely overlook locally.

+ 1000

Palms are fine for a highway interchange, but are not appropriate, at least not as the dominant planting, when pedestrians are added to the mix.   

[Miss Fixit]

In this case, I'm fine with the palms adjacent to where buildings front the sidewalks, given the limited ROW.  However, building owners should be encouraged to install awnings on their storefronts.  Luckily, several already have them, which is different from most of our walkable commercial districts.

Lake, do you know the City's guidelines for awnings regarding protrusion over the sidewalk?

And I completely agree with you about the palms - we need more shade!

[thelakelander]

^Not off hand, but I know a number of businesses along San Marco Boulevard have them.

[Jdog]

It's all about the urban tree canopy.  Miami and LA been at this for awhile now. 

[Timkin]

+1

[Overstreet]

Palms will survive major storms better. They will shed palm frons rather than fall over.

[thelakelander]

At the end of the day, who are we designing the greenscape for with an urban streetscape project?  That's the most important consideration that should go into tree selection in a pedestrian oriented environment, imo. 

One of the silliest things we do (this has nothing to do with palms, btw), that I noticed is that we heavily landscape the medians of arterial highways, but fail to put any type of trees along the sidewalks.

[Dashing Dan]

Even though there are problems with the existing trees in Hemming Park, the place looks a lot better than when it was full of palms.

Palms just don't make sense in an urban environment.  Stick them out at the beach.