A Tale of Two Projects

A Tale of Two Projects
Originally uploaded by ephs.

A Tale of Two Projects
Originally uploaded by ephs.

These two afforable housing projects are almost across the street from each other on Temple Street but were built about 20 years apart. The designs are certainly different but the most recent addition may not be that much of an improvement over the older project. Casa Gloria was built in the mid-1980s in a suburban- Spanish style. It's a huge complex that resemble a giant Acapulco restaurant. The newcomer, which is nearing completion across fom the Echo Park Library, does not pretend to be old and features clean lines and a good mix of textures. But it has a strange, fenced front yard that will never get used. There is also a grand entrance that is a nice way to connect to the street but it resembles a big hole. Both projects are taller than 45 feet, dwarfing the neighboring bungalows, and appear to be squeezed into the site. We hope but not optomistic that future subsidized and private housing pay as much attention to scale and size as they do design.