This set of fences doesn’t make for better neighbors on Capitol Hill.

While driving around Capitol Hill today I went down a really lovely street on 17th Avenue with row after row of co-ops, condos, old houses, and new townhomes. What was really striking about them all is how pedestrian friendly they were by opening up to the street with happy little entrances. All of them, except for the townhomes below.

Seriously, what were the designers thinking when they broke up the flow of this residential street and created what amounts to useless enclosed front yards. And I know better design it can be done, because I saw it a block later on 17th Ave where the designers used much better fencing.

Menacing townhomes on 17th with bad fencing.

Welcoming townhomes on 17th with nice fencing.