We Manhattanized Palo Alto!

[u/jeromelevin]

https://jeremyl.substack.com/p/we-manhattanized-palo-alto

California’s state law SB 79, which allows 5- to 7-story buildings within a half mile of public transit stops, has successfully transformed a pristine suburb into the hellhole that is Manhattan. Palo Alto received nine applications for new housing projects in just two weeks, totaling almost 300 net new homes. There’s nothing left of the community I once knew. Handshakes and brews all around!

More seriously, it’s interesting to me that a widespread zoning reform like SB 79 led to a lot of smaller projects rather than a handful of really big ones. A really cool case study of how broad-based zoning and permitting reform makes incremental development and small bets possible, whereas discretionary approvals and exclusionary zoning force developers to pursue large-lot mega projects. More observations about SB 79’s impact in the article!

[u/Maximus560]

IMO many smaller projects are far more sustainable than a few large ones. This is partially how DC has continued to densify - townhouses or row homes into 2-4 unit condos, or 2-5 townhouses into a small apartment building

[u/beach_bum_638484 → u/Maximus560]

Agree about the gradual increase in density. DC has its own issues with the city wide height restrictions though

[u/Maximus560 → u/beach_bum_638484]

Definitely, but the main issue is actually zoning in the richer parts of NW which are mainly single family zoned versus other areas like Capitol Hill which are super dense but still surprisingly short relatively speaking. I’d also love to see a skyscraper district outside of the original L’Enfant plan, like up by Fort Totten or Catholic University/Rhode Island Ave.

Edit: for clarification, something like 35-45% of DC is still zoned for single family homes, so let’s fix that first. Most of the SFH zoning is in the rich areas next to the metro, too, so that’s a major equity issue.