I had the chance to wander Venice's "Walk Streets" the other day. For those not aware of them, Venice's Walk Streets are pedestrian-only enclaves tucked away in the fabric of Venice that harken back to another era. Basically New-Urbanist before New Urbanism, they are designed as walkways fronting the back side of a double lot (homeowners park in the alley), and create a great pedestrian network connecting Lincoln Boulevard west to Abbot Kinney.
Locational Map of Walk Streets in Venice
Close-up Diagram of Walk Streets
They were originally built in the early 1900's as part of Venice founder Abbot Kinney's vision to build a California city modeled after its Italian namesake, and were originally very popular with entertainers and workers at the Venice Pier. Now they are some of the most expensive real estate locations in the city. As the LA Times noted in this 2007 real estate profile, median home prices have increased dramatically over the last 18 years.
1990…$313,500
1995…$225,000
2000…$445,000
2004…$857,500
2006…$1,175,000
2007…$1,110,500
One afternoon exploring the streets will explain the big draw. As the LA Times notes, "A walking tour of the district . . . reveals high-density living in relative seclusion from nearby suburban sprawl, a major draw to these unusual streets." Not only is there a rich mix of architectural styles, but also a unique character within each street and a sense of reprieve and isolation from the traffic noise from nearby major streets. It would be interesting to see how residents feel about a public thoroughfare (I did notice some security cameras up), but they seem to be great templates for designing an environment for people in a city built for cars.
Central Node in middle of Walk Street - each street has a uniquely planted node
Nowita Place Triangle Park
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