Archives
Welcome to the archives of Better Cities & Towns, a publication founded by Robert Steuteville as New Urban News in 1996. This archive holds two decades of the best news and analysis on compact, mixed-use growth and development, from 1996 to 2015.
Middleton Glen, a senior independent living facility, is slated for fall, 1999, completion in the 149-acre Middleton Hills traditional neighborhood development (TND) in Madison, Wisconsin. Essex Corporation, the developer of the three-storey, 55-...
An innovative public/private partnership between Bechtel Enterprises and local agencies in Portland, Oregon has been formed to build the $125 million, 5.5 mile light rail extension connecting downtown to the airport, scheduled for completion by 2001...
The American Institute of Architects recently created a Center for Livable Communities, which is directed by Stephanie Bothwell, a long-time new urbanist.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking at giving regulatory breaks to a downtown Atlanta development on the basis that the project will reduce long-term pollution compared to sprawling suburban construction. The redevelopment of the...
Town Planning Collaborative and HomeStyles Publishing and Marketing recently released the third volume in their groundbreaking TND Series, which provides plans for a variety of neotraditional building types — single family detached homes, both large...
Jobs Fishing Road This 22.6-acre village abutting the south of Mashpee Commons’ downtown represents a continuation of the commercial development, but it will be slightly less urban in character. Plans call for 37,500 square feet of retail space...
The City of North Richland Hills, Texas, approved a 330 acre new town center, to be developed by Arcadia Realty Corp. of Dallas and designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk and Company. Projected to have a $628 million value in 10 years, the project is...
St. Joe Corporation, the largest private landowner in Florida, recently presented concept plans at Seaside’s Town Hall for their proposed 495-acre neotraditional development The Villages at Seagrove. The 1,237-unit development connects directly to...
Rosemary Beach, a traditional neighborhood development (TND) under construction in South Walton County, Florida, has received a strong sales response to the six live/work sites recently placed on the market. Buyers have committed to purchase five of...
An innovative process was used by citizens in the town of Palmer, Alaska, to create a new urbanist town plan. A citizens group called Parks, Arts, Recreation, Culture and Sport (PARCS) raised money to fund a 10-day design charette with architecture...
A study comparing four traditional neighborhood developments (TNDs) in separate regions of the U.S. with nearby suburban housing presented further evidence that buyers are willing to pay an average of $20,000 more for homes in communities with new...
The National Town Builders Association offers information on existing and planned traditional neighborhood developments nationwide at its Web site, www.townbuild.com. The Web site includes images and plans for many of the projects.