[bobthepanda]

Weird and interesting are a part of individual behavior, and unfortunately our economy is trending towards more consolidation.

The urban streetscapes of older cities are dominated by very similar buildings, but often the differentiation is not just a result of the architecture but of the tenants. You have multiple buildings, multiple landlords, and multiple tenants, and the combinatoric permutations of all of them produce interesting variation on just a single city block.

These days, the modern five over one probably takes an entire block or at least half of one, and the relevant landlords or HOAs basically all but forbid tenant individuality. For example, I have a balcony, but I’m not allowed to hang clothes, or flags, or art, or anything, and so the only thing that is actually out there is some basic outdoor furniture. Businesses with storefronts in these buildings also have similar restrictions, because today’s corporate landlords are used to sterile, manicured environments like malls.

[nine_k]

Isn't this one of the points that the article is making?

[bobthepanda]

No, the five over one section mostly talks about architectural choices, which is important to a degree.

This is more of an elaboration; people don’t see architectural renders when they walk down the street, they see the combination of building and tenant.

The most obvious manifestation of this is storefront areas; in old shopping districts in New York you’ll see a variety of awning shapes and colors, whereas in newer developments if you are even allowed to have one they must match every other one on the building.