Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In

We've got a barn-burner for you today, but first, let's look back at where we are in our first round matchups:

parking madness 2019_dc pike
false

We've closed the polls on some earlier matchups, with Houston narrowly defeating Boston, Pittsburgh also squeaking by Portland, and Providence absolutely destroying Austin (we suppose that happens when an entire city is completely reimagined rather than just a developer building a nice building on a former parking crater).

But those earlier battles were just prologue for today's matchup featuring a neighborhood in our nation's capital against a piece of the heartland. Here goes:

DC-Pike

This entry comes from Friend of Streetsblog Maren Hill, who told us about the development of Pike & Rose, a new mixed-use neighborhood on the Rockville Pike in the DC suburb of Montgomery County:

The area was formerly a strip mall but has been redeveloped with pedestrian scale streets, public parks and artwork, and squares with street furniture and events. The area now includes condos and apartments, bars, restaurants, and retail (both chain and local), and offices, The building architecture is all unique so it doesn't look like some creepy model city project, it looks like an attractive walkable neighborhood. Pike & Rose is on Metro, and has nearby existing and planned bike infrastructure.

Hill added that the neighborhood is "a great example of the suburbs doing transit oriented mixed-use redevelopment not infill development to transform their parking craters." The photos below tell the story:

Pike and Rose before and after
Indianapolis

This one comes to us from reader Austin Gibble, who called his Indianapolis submission a "most improved parking crater" and provided aerial and streetview imagery from 2014 and 2018.

"The additions include a transit center, a 28-story residential tower with a grocery store, apartments attached to the side of what was a single-use parking garage, and other mixed-use developments," Gibble said.

Indianapolis Streetview 2014
false
Indianapolis Streetview 2018
false
Indianapolis Aerial 2014
false
Indianapolis Aerial 2018
false

So who will move on? Vote below:

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Wednesday’s Headlines

Goodbye Transit Month, hello Walktober!

October 1, 2025

Testing the MASCOTS Plan During the Week Without Driving

Abby Arnold returns with her second (annual?) series chronicling a Week Without Driving.

September 30, 2025

Q&A: Rebecca Saltzman and her New Role at Bike East Bay

Transit advocate, bike advocate, former BART director, El Cerrito City Council... Bike East Bay's new leader has done some of everything in the world of safe and livable streets.

September 30, 2025

Last Chance for Input on La Puente’s Housing Element Update

Take the survey: building rule changes allow for faster home development, including on church grounds, commercially zoned land, and to replace lost affordable housing.

September 30, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines

As October is nigh, attention begins to drift away from Sacramento for now...

September 30, 2025

More Transit Means Safer Streets

Promoting transit isn't just a social good. It's also a tool to achieve Vision Zero.

September 29, 2025
See all posts