Setting notes for "Without Stable Shelter"

[ysabetwordsmith]

Here are the setting notes for "Without Stable Shelter."


The Public Housing Authority Building in Omaha is tall and imposing, with a capacious lobby.

This high-rise apartment building, Omaha Park Towers Public Housing, has 1 amenity floor with 10 residential floors above it.

Brutalism is a type of architecture characterized by big, blocky buildings with a utilitarian ambiance. They often incorporate conspicuous chunks of concrete. The style is not just hideous but also ruinous to mental health.


Places have different definitions of low, medium, and high density. Some examples:

Orange County Florida
• Low Density Residential: Up to 4 dwelling units per acre
• Low-Medium Density Residential: Up to 10 dwelling units per acre
• Medium Density Residential: Up to 20 dwelling units per acre
• High Density Residential: Up to 50 dwelling units per acre

Idaho Housing Density Chart

Omaha Housing Density
R6 – Low-density Multi-family residential
The R6 low-density multiple-family residential district is intended to provide locations for low-density multiple-family housing in the approximate range of 20 dwelling units per acre. It provides for the integration of such buildings with lower density housing types, including single-family, duplex and townhouse residential. The R6 district applies to established neighborhoods, including those where the limited conversion of large single-family houses is necessary to extend their economic life; areas in which a mix of single- and multiple-family housing is appropriate to create an urban neighborhood; transitional areas between lower and higher intensity uses; and developing multiple-family areas. The R6 district requires review and conditional approval of supporting community facilities which generate more traffic than the basic allowed residential use.

R7 - Medium-density multi-family residential
The R7 medium-density multiple-family residential district is intended to provide locations for medium-density multiple-family housing, in the approximate range of 40 dwelling units per acre. It provides for the integration of multiple-family housing with lower density housing types. In addition, the R7 district provides for the inclusion of limited office and commercial uses by special permit within principally residential developments, subject to specific standards governing land use intensity and compatibility. This allows for a mixture of compatible uses within appropriate neighborhoods. The R7 district applies to established neighborhoods where moderately high densities are appropriate, transitional areas between lower intensity and higher intensity uses, mixed use neighborhoods, and developing multiple-family areas.

R8 – High-density multi-family residential
The R8 high-density multiple-family residential district is intended to accommodate high-density multiple-family housing. The R8 district also provides for the inclusion of limited office and commercial uses, subject to specific standards for buffering and land use intensity. This allows for a mixture of compatible uses within appropriate high-density urban neighborhoods. The R8 district is most appropriate in centrally located areas near supporting urban services; near major institutional, employment and commercial centers; and in other areas appropriate for high-density, predominantly residential uses.

Douglas County Nebraska (Omaha) Housing Density
4.15 R-2 Urban Residential Moderate Density District
A. Purpose
The R-2 district is intended to provide for moderate density residential development, with gross densities generally between 6 and 12 units per acre. These developments are characterized by single-family dwellings on moderately-sized lots along with low-density multi-unit residential structures such as duplexes and townhouses. It adapts to both established and developing neighborhoods, as well as transitions between single-family and multi-family areas. This district shall be served by central/municipal water and sewer service.

Nebraska Omaha Proposed Low-Density Suburban Development
15 Dwelling Units Per Acre (Gross)
Notable features: A variety of housing types, pedestrian-friendly street frontages, alleys and auto courts, and common open space with trails.

Nebraska Omaha Proposed Medium-Density Townhouse Development
34 Dwelling Units Per Acre (Net)
Notable features: An urban, street-oriented townhouse development integrating corner retail spaces, live-work spaces, internal auto courts with private garages, and common open space.

Nebraska Omaha Proposed Medium-Density Townhouse and Live-Work Development
44 Dwelling Units Per Acre (Net)
Notable features: New urban townhouses and live-work units served by underground parking and containing private patios and a centralized, shared courtyard space.

Nebraska Omaha Proposed High-Density Townhouse and Apartment Development
59 Dwelling Units Per Acre (Net)
Notable features: The whole block site transitions from four-story buildings with ground level retail to townhomes that rise only one level above the street at the northwest corner of the site. While the L-shaped, mixed-use apartment building is over 100 dwelling units per net acre, the surface parking area and townhouse building bring the block’s average density down to 59 units per net acre.

Nebraska Omaha Proposed High-Density Mixed-Use Development
about 57 units per acre
(No acreage listed, but townhouses and low-rise apartments typically fall in the medium-density range. It might be around 57 units per acre, perhaps a range of 75 or 95 units in the block. Figure an upper limit of 125 if you packed the smallest units. That could make the range roughly 45-75 units per acre, with an average around 60. So by some standards, it could actually go from low through medium to high-density depending on unit selection.)


Nebraska Omaha Proposed Medium-Density Carless Development Large
This block has 95 homes in 16 types. Diversity is created by allowing small developers to choose from a variety of building plans and buy a site for it in the development. Fully enclosed courtyards provide a safe place for children to play. "Panorama" units have glass walls facing the courtyards, made of smart glass that can be clear or opaque as desired. The interior of the block creates a village-like setting with public and private areas including fruit trees, gardens, and play space. Each unit has its own color, with the block customarily setting a harmonious palette of choices.

See the design process for a block. This sitemap shows different block shapes. A closeup of the block shows the floor plans of ground units. This ground floor plan includes a perimeter sketch. This cross-section shows handicap, guest, and service parking underground. Here is a long cross-section and a color cross-section.

Buildings come in sizes from 2-4 stories. This catalog shows different building types and floor plans.

This panorama multifamily house has two 1-bedroom units and two 2-bedroom units per floor, with two floors, for a total of 8 units.

This panorama multifamily house has three 1-bedroom and two 2-bedroom units, for a total of 5 units.

This squarish panorama multifamily house has two 2-bedroom units per floor, with two floors, for a total of 4 units.

This rectangular panorama multifamily house has two 2-bedroom units per floor, with two floors, for a total of 4 units.

This multifamily house has three 1-bedroom units per floor, with two floors, for a total of 6 units.

This single family house has a bike garage, living room, garden, dining room, kitchen, and office on the first floor; and 3 bedrooms with a roof deck on the second floor.

This single-family house has a kitchen-dining room on the first floor, living room-office on the second, 2 bedrooms on the third, and 1 bedroom on the fourth.

This single-family house has an office, kitchen, and dining room on the first floor; office and living room on the second; 2 bedrooms on the third; and 1 bedroom on the fourth.

This single-family house has an office and living room on the first floor, kitchen-dining room on the second, and 2 bedrooms on the third.

This single-family panorama house has a kitchen-dining room on the first floor, a bedroom and a living room on the second, and another bedroom on the third.

This single-family house has a kitchen and dining room on the first floor, an office and a living room on the second, 2 bedrooms on the third, and 1 bedroom on the fourth.

This single-family panorama house has a kitchen and dining room on the first floor, an office and a living room on the second, 2 bedrooms on the third, and 1 bedroom on the fourth.

This single-family panorama house has a kitchen-dining room and a living room on the first floor; 2 bedrooms and an office on the second floor.

This single-family house has a kitchen-dining room on the first floor, an office and a living room on the second, and 2 bedrooms on the third.

This single-family house has a kitchen-dining room on the first floor and 2 bedrooms on the second.

This single-family house has a kitchen-dining room on the first floor; 2 bedrooms on the second; 1 bedroom, a roof garden, and an office on the third.

These apartment units can be combined in various configurations with the patio (or balcony on upper stories) facing the courtyard and the kitchen door facing a lobby with stairs, an elevator, and a lounge. Sometimes they connect with other community space. Units include 1-bedroom standard, 1-bedroom ADA, 2-bedroom standard, and 2-bedroom ADA. They are often used to fill in odd spaces left in the block.

This single-family accessible house has a living room, kitchen, dining room, and bedroom on the first floor; 3 bedrooms on the second floor; connected by both an elevator and a staircase. It has both a street entrance and a courtyard entrance.

Terramagne-America includes modules other than residences such as stores, offices, bicycle garages, public restrooms, laundromats, and garden plots. That makes it easy to position and budget whatever amenities people want.

The multipurpose building is mostly open space with a porch and two coat closets in front and a pair of dotties in back.

The strip mall has 3 spaces, each with its own dottie, which can be stores or offices.

The first floor of the office building has 8 offices, 5 dotties, and a large reception area. The second floor of the office building has a kitchen, file room, board room, print room, men's room, women's room, 10 private offices, and an open-office production room.

The community health center has a reception and waiting area, a conference/break room, and several clusters of offices.

The laundromat has 6 washer/dryer pairs, a double laundry sink, and two tables for folding clothes.

The restroom and shower facility has two women's rooms, two men's rooms, and two family rooms.

The small bicycle garage holds up to 8 bicycles. The large style of garage offers open parking for 25 bicycles plus 25 standard lockers. The cage offers more secure parking for 5 bicycles and there are also 5 large lockers. This facility has a bike workshop, a wood workshop, laundry, and storage.

The bicycle sale and repair shop has 25 lock stands for bicycles and 25 lockers, a dressing room, a mechanic area, and restrooms. It also has sale areas for bicycles, biking clothes, biking shoes, and other equipment.

This sitemap shows a community garden.


Shiv stays at the Abbot Center for Public Housing. In T-Omaha, several of these buildings cluster together. In some places they are divided by plazas which may be used for parking, market stalls, playing games, or other purposes. Elsewhere they are divided by parklets that offer picnic areas. The houses in the cluster are named Edith, Grace, Otheman, and Arthur. Each house has a common room, common kitchen, reading/meeting room, fitness room, and laundromat. There is also a building office and mail room. Buildings with families have a play room for children. Some other buildings have a computer room, tiny rentable offices, or other facilities.

A parklet between buildings in the public housing cluster offers picnic tables, grills, and clotheslines for people who like to hang their laundry outdoors. The common room has dining tables, booths, and a sitting area around a viewscreen. The common kitchen allows communal cooking. People often teach classes here. The mailroom includes locking post office boxes plus open cubbies for flyers. A bulletin board for announcements hangs over a loveseat in the back of the room. The exercise room provides space for yoga, dance classes, and other physical activities. A closet holds a few pieces of exercise equipment for people to share. The reading room is stocked with books and other media scavenged from whatever sources people can find. The tables and stools come from the Salvage Design Store. This allows the place to double as a study room. The laundromat has a utility sink, four washers, four dryers, a table, chairs, and a vending machine.

A Murphy bed is a space-saving device that hides a bed inside a cabinet on the wall. See Shiv's new apartment with the bed up and bed down. Looking through the kitchen window, you can see the little sink. Here is the bathroom. The bay window fills the front of the apartment.