What's Your Neighborhood Style?

When you think about a neighborhood that you really like, does any particular feature come to mind?  Oftentimes, neighborhoods have unique and integrated design features that stand out and make the neighborhood more memorable.  These types of design features can also help to create a sense of character in a neighborhood or place.

These integrated design features could come in many forms.  Many residential subdivisions have monument signs at the entrance, creating a gateway into the neighborhood and setting a specific style that might be repeated throughout the neighborhood.  Maybe there are decorative street lights or signs that are unique to one particular place.  Banners could be mounted on street lights throughout a more commercial neighborhood center.  Fence designs and landscaping could be consistent along streets.

Neighborhood names or themes can help in defining a neighborhood.  We have some local examples of neighborhood names that tie back to this historic owners of the land, such as Chegwyn Village.  We also have some others that may not be as well known – Newby’s First Addition (a subdivision of property completed by William T. Newby – an early settler of McMinnville) or McMinnville College Addition (the name of the local college before it was changed to Linfield College in 1922).  The Oak Ridge neighborhood includes a theme, with each street named after a wine grape variety – Pinot Noir Drive, Riesling Way, Zinfandel Court – a link to the wine industry in McMinnville.

Do you think that specialized design features make a neighborhood great?  Do you think that these things help to create a sense of character in a neighborhood?