I don't see a problem with the 1+5 style. I think the street level retail is important for making the area seem lively especially if they are built near the cal

I don't see a problem with the 1+5 style. I think the street level retail is important for making the area seem lively especially if they are built near the caltrain station "downtowns" like Palo Alto, Mountain View or Sunnyvale. I certainly prefer this style to gated or enclosed apartment communities style. The best style I saw was in Northern Virginia where around every DC metro station was a cluster of high rise apartments, high rise offices and malls with regular suburb once you walk a couple of blocks away.