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.
Developers pursue their 12-year dream of building a town.
New urbanist (NU) developments, with their interconnected streets and mix of uses are unusual by conventional development standards. Even by NU standards, Mashpee Commons occupies a world...
Gaithersburg, Maryland recently adopted a Smart Growth Policy which expands on the Neighborhood Preservation and Smart Growth Initiative passed by the State of Maryland in 1997. The Policy establishes local guidelines for Smart Growth based on the...
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...
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.
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...
Milwaukee is proving the principles of the New Urbanism in a tough real estate market — a rust belt city. The lessons can apply to other cities, towns, and even suburbs.
Housing construction in Milwaukee increased by about 80 percent in 1998,...