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The New Urbanist architects have an interesting take on this. Suburban residents like their private way of life. Their houses, yards, garages, etc. But they’re
by closeparen 5y ago
The New Urbanist architects have an interesting take on this. Suburban residents like their private way of life. Their houses, yards, garages, etc. But they’re not so much into the surrounding public realm. The stroads, the strip malls, the freeway interchanges, the parking lots. So the thought of any intensification or extension of all that, freaks them out.
It presents a hope, at least, that suburbanites could be won over with qualitatively better implementations of density, relative to the same development pattern but bigger and more intense.
- JohnWhigham 5y agoI don't bet on it happening in our lifetimes. Everyone alive now knows only the current suburban model, and people really don't like change with regards to zoning policy. Especially in Southern suburbs.
- notJim 5y agoIt's already happening. Not everywhere all at once, but it's happening. The idea that no American has ever experienced anything other than suburban housing is ludicrous.
- closeparen 5y agoI think a lot of people living in suburbia today remember, and are unhappy about, the disappearance of Main Street and the town square. A lot of that gets blamed on capitalism, developers, Walmart/Amazon, etc. but a decent part of it is required by planning codes.