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" . -.4 Saint Casimir's Parish National Register Historic District Historic Preservation Commission II. Recommendations for Preservation and Rehabilitation. A. ENVIRONMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD LAYOUT, AND STREETSCAPE Brick streets Repairing the neighborhood's brick streets with salvaged brick, if possible, or new brick would greatly enhance the streetscape of the neighborhood and improve its infrastructure. As noted earlier, brick tends to calm fast moving vehicles. Maintaining the existing materials and street width will retain the neighborhood's historic qualities and pedestrian friendly. environment. Brick is an attrac- tive contributing and character defining feature of the neighborhood. Cadence of houses An unbroken line of houses along a block is much friendlier and less. threatening to residents and visitors of any neighborhood than a broken line. There are some lots in the Saint Casimir neighbor- hood where the houses have been lost. Using these lots for green space, trees, landscaping, and as parkland would beautify the neighborhood. Green open lots are much more pleasant and historically appropriate than paved parking pads Neighborhood Parking and Paving Vacant Lots In an ideal world, neighborhood parking lots would clear cars off the streets and open up the street- scape for the residents to enjoy. However, this result would probably not occur. Programs that would increase homeownership and single family rentals over the long term would benefit the neighborhood in many ways, including the relief of the on -street parking difficulties. Paving vacant lots for communal parking would provide a short term solution to one problem, could exasperate current ownership problems, and spur new neighborhood challenges. • Paved pads are expensive. They cost about $3,000 per space to lay and $30 to $50 per space per month to maintain, seal, and plow. • They create drainage and environmental difficulties. • Parking lots between residential homes create dangerous hiding places for criminals and more threatening environment for residents. • More parking in the neighborhood would support more multi -occupancy rental situations. • Parking lots would also dramatically change the character of the neighbor- hood and its historic land use and layout patterns. Distribution of a set number of parking stickers per residence for on -street parking would be one so- lution to deter over capacity of vehicles in the neighborhood. Alleyways Repair and improvements made to the alleys could also alleviate the on -street parking situation. Street Lighting Street lights and alleyway lights that coordinate with the historic character of the neighborhood would be appropriate additions and would greatly enhance the neighborhood's streetscape and night atmosphere. Some street lights would not be appropriate, such as cobra headed lights and fiberglass Town and Country. the as long as they follow HPC guidelines for lighting in historic districts. - Page 5 -