ELEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Housing and Commercial Buildings:

 How old are the houses and buildings in the community?
-The houses in Industrial Heights look approximately about 50-60years old. This is same for the
houses in Casper Park District and Acer Tech Center and Nightingale Square have structures that
look more recent and approximately about 20years old.
 What materials are the homes and buildings constructed from?
-in all the communities, the houses appear to be constructed with bricks at the bottom and some
have wooden tops.
 Are all the houses similar in age and architecture?
-No
 How would you characterize their differences?
-The houses in Industrial Heights and Casper Park District appear to be older and Nightingale
Square and Acer Tech Center have more recent structures.
 Are the houses detached or connected to each other?
-In most of the districts, the houses are connected with some having narrow drive ways between
them. Acer Tech Center however has houses that are detached from each other.
 Are there solar panels? Windmills?
-There are no visible solar panels or windmills.
 Do the houses have space in front or behind them?
-All the houses have space in front of them and some houses have lawns in front of them.
 What is the general condition of the houses and buildings?
-Although there are some houses certainly in need of repair, most of the houses are in good
shape.
 Are there signs of disrepair (e.g., broken doors or windows, leaks, missing locks)?
-No visible signs of disrepair noted but there are some buildings in Nightingale Square on
Sherbrook Rd which have windows that appear to be broken.
 Are there signs of neighborhood pride, such as well-tended yards?
-There are well tended yards that appear need and the lawns in front of houses with lawns are
well mowed.
 Is there central heating, modern plumbing, and air conditioning?
-With no visible air conditioners hanging by the buildings, I will presume they have central
heating and air conditioning.

Open space:
 Is the county primarily rural, suburban, urban, or a mix? How much open space is there?
-The county appears to me to be a mix of suburban and urban areas. There is enough open space
with some used as recreational facilities.
 What is the quality of the space (i.e., lush green parks or rubble-filled lots)?
-Some of the spaces are used as play grounds while others have benches for pedestrians.
 What is the lot size of the houses, lawns, and flower boxes?
-Most appear to be about 4ft wide and about 20-30ft long.
 Do you see trees on the streets or a green island in the center of the streets?
-There are trees and green lawns on the street.
 Is the open space public or private? Who uses this space?
-Most open spaces appear to be public as children could be seen in the playground and
pedestrians sitting on the street benches.
Boundaries:
 What signs are there of where neighborhoods begin and end?
-There are visible signs hanging on buildings to indicate where neighborhoods begin and end.
 Are the boundaries natural (a river, a different terrain); physical (a highway, a railroad); or
economic (differences in real estate or presence of industrial or commercial units along with
residential)?
-There are no visible boundaries. The difference in real estate and economy is the most notable
boundary between these neighborhoods.
 Do the neighborhoods have an identity or a name? Do you see them displayed? Are there
unofficial names?
-The names of various neighborhoods are displayed on buildings.
“Commons”:
 What are the neighborhood hangouts (e.g., schoolyard, convenience store, bar, restaurant,
park, 24-hour drugstore)?
-Most of the hangouts are playgrounds for kids, restaurants and small parks for adults.
 What groups of people tend to gather at these hangouts?
-Most of the people noted around these areas are younger adults and kids in playgrounds
 At what time do they typically meet?  Does the commons area have a sense of territoriality, or
is it open to everyone?
-Since there are no visible signs of restriction, I presume it is open to people of all ages.
Transportation:
 How do people get in and out of the neighborhoods (e.g., car, bus, bike, walking)?
-Most people are seen riding bikes and there are cars parked by the road which could indicate
they also drive. Also, bus stops indicate some commute on the bus
 Are the streets and roads conducive to good transportation and bicycle use and also to
community life?
-The streets have no defined bicycle lanes though bicycles are seen on the streets. But overall,
the transportation system appears good.
 Are there major highways running through the county? Who do these highways?
-There are no visible highways noted.