This is the first of two columns on urban planning and architectural design, both subjects that have not been addressed adequately in practice and our current codes. Urban and architectural
Our last two SMa.r.t. columns focused on the advantages of low-rise, 2- to 4-story buildings and how our typical low-rise beach-town environment is more sustainable, and has less
Last week's column by SMa.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) discussed the notable advantages of a low-rise city composed primarily of buildings no higher
SMa.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) has long advocated for a low-rise city — that is, a city primarily with buildings no taller than four stories. In
In April 1949, a large new reservoir being built under San Vicente Boulevard collapsed, killing a 62-year-old workman from Venice. The new 5-million-gallon reservoir was part of extensive work on
The Planning Commission is currently reviewing the Downtown Specific Plan. This document will govern what is built in the downtown area (Wilshire to the Freeway and Lincoln to Ocean) until
Former Speaker of the U.S. House Tip O'Neill coined the phrase, “All politics are Local.” Indeed, he's correct. Certainly residents of a state as large
Santa Monica does not have a housing crisis. The Southern Counties Association of Governments (SCAG) target for our City is 239 new units per year. This is a fair number
Curb your DA's. No, we're not talking about District Attorneys, but rather the propensity of our planning staff to negotiate Development Agreements (DAs) with the owners
A recent SMa.r.t. column on sustainability compared the City of Santa Monica's residential and commercial sectors' progress towards the City's sustainability goals. Initially,
