The Allure Of Urban Villages

"Promising not only new homes but also new hometown lifestyles, these so-called "urban villages"...aim to marry the affordability and family focus of traditional suburban developments with the density and convenience of city life.

he quality of life in the villages is being touted as better than in traditional suburbs: With 12,000 residents already, they boast built-in networks of clubs and activities and pedestrian-friendly layouts designed to get residents out of their cars and into each others' living rooms.

But not everyone is thrilled. Environmentalists complain that forests and animal habitat were gobbled up to make way for houses and roads. Longtime rural residents feel their quiet lifestyle slipping away as thousands of new commuters pile onto already cramped roads."