And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Thursday, September 18, 2025
The Mauretania apartment, Hancock Park, Los Angeles. 1930s-2020s. Looks better with the mature greenery.
THAT is what apartments used to be like. I was born in a similar style one and spent my first years in one in west Los Angeles near UCLA. Even today these buildings blend in with the surrounding homes, are only 8 or 12 tenants and are not a plague on the neighborhood. Compare that to the kind of monstrous properties that contain hundreds of units, ALWAYS seem to attract the lowest, put a major burden on infrastructure, etc. Indeed, there was once a bit of class in housing. Great pics.
When I was going to UCLA I lived for a while in a student housing co-op that owned an apartment building designed by Richard Neutra, a student of Frank Loyd Wright. The building had been divided into numerous small rooms but still retained its original charm.
Anon- All along South Blvd. in Charlotte (same neighborhood where the Ukie girl was murdered), there are 5-6 story apartments with bland, pre-fab siding. The local joke is that the architects graduated from Moscow State circa 1985.
Here in Arlington, TX there are several apartment complexes being built. There are no curved lines. They are the most cost efficient, sterile, dystopian as possible. Outside walls are two different colors, no trim. Postage size balconies literally have the floor space of two phone booths. Warehouses for bodies. I call them cement ant hills.
Here in Atlanta, the current trend is what can only kindly be called "prison blocks." Square, no style, shades of gray and black, and completely soulless.
Here's an example. Hope it links ok: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8035004,-84.2778439,3a,90y,186.36h,95.3t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sqHjoQpF0-ER3wkcVMK-vEw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-5.299487838484666%26panoid%3DqHjoQpF0-ER3wkcVMK-vEw%26yaw%3D186.35789468164947!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
I saw on Fox Business (although I also read it several other places) that regulations, permits, and other government BS make up 43% of the cost of multi-family housing construction costs. 43%!!!!!!!! No wonder everything looks like the cheapest utilitarian crap these days. Its 23% for single family homes, so also a huge burden and another reason why housing is so unaffordable.
THAT is what apartments used to be like. I was born in a similar style one and spent my first years in one in west Los Angeles near UCLA. Even today these buildings blend in with the surrounding homes, are only 8 or 12 tenants and are not a plague on the neighborhood. Compare that to the kind of monstrous properties that contain hundreds of units, ALWAYS seem to attract the lowest, put a major burden on infrastructure, etc. Indeed, there was once a bit of class in housing. Great pics.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was going to UCLA I lived for a while in a student housing co-op that owned an apartment building designed by Richard Neutra, a student of Frank Loyd Wright. The building had been divided into numerous small rooms but still retained its original charm.
DeleteMy inlaws architect, a women who "studied" at Taliesin, left because she got tired of spending her time making life good for the Wrights.
Deleteadded some posts to support that 3rd floor balcony
ReplyDeleteappears to have re-designed the frontage as well, lengthened the distance to the curb as well
ReplyDeleteAnon- All along South Blvd. in Charlotte (same neighborhood where the Ukie girl was murdered), there are 5-6 story apartments with bland, pre-fab siding. The local joke is that the architects graduated from Moscow State circa 1985.
ReplyDeleteHere in Arlington, TX there are several apartment complexes being built. There are no curved lines. They are the most cost efficient, sterile, dystopian as possible. Outside walls are two different colors, no trim. Postage size balconies literally have the floor space of two phone booths. Warehouses for bodies. I call them cement ant hills.
ReplyDeleteHere in Atlanta, the current trend is what can only kindly be called "prison blocks." Square, no style, shades of gray and black, and completely soulless.
DeleteHere's an example. Hope it links ok: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.8035004,-84.2778439,3a,90y,186.36h,95.3t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sqHjoQpF0-ER3wkcVMK-vEw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-5.299487838484666%26panoid%3DqHjoQpF0-ER3wkcVMK-vEw%26yaw%3D186.35789468164947!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDkxNS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
DeleteI saw on Fox Business (although I also read it several other places) that regulations, permits, and other government BS make up 43% of the cost of multi-family housing construction costs. 43%!!!!!!!! No wonder everything looks like the cheapest utilitarian crap these days. Its 23% for single family homes, so also a huge burden and another reason why housing is so unaffordable.
ReplyDeleteThat huge radiator out front should keep it warm in the winter. Wait… does it get cold there?
ReplyDeleteAboard Camp Pendleton, I saw light snow and frost on some of the hills, some mornings.
ReplyDelete