This is the intersection of 3rd Street and 5th Avenue in International Falls.
Overwhelmingly for me, the best of this is the NE corner where Coffee Landing is located. These buildings are enjoyable to walk by and to view from across the street. They have a great connection to the street inside and out (though some windows in the side rather than a billboard might be welcomed).
The other corners are, in my opinion, completely lacking in character and interest. They are about as welcoming (and welcomed) as an ingrown toenail. The building in the SE corner is an unwelcoming brutal fortress that is only marginally helped by landscaping.
I tried to quickly find some historic photos of these corners. I’d guess that all looked more like the NE corner and were more appealing prior to the 1960’s or 70’s.
NE Corner – Coffee Landing.
SE Corner – Brutal office building
SW Corner
NW Corner – Sears
How would you rate these in terms of form and function? How well do they relate to the street? Are they pleasing to look at? Welcoming? Nice to walk by? Should they be replicated? What impact does good or bad architecture have on a community? What responsibility do architects, builders, developers, and city leaders have to insure that buildings do more than just serve the most basic needs of businesses inside them?