Economic Tremors Felt By New Urbanists

"Economic troubles spread from housing to other development sectors, including retail and offices."

2 minute read

December 12, 2008, 11:00 AM PST

By The Intrepid Staff


"From one end of the US to the other, new urbanists are entering tough times, thanks to the combination of a severe credit squeeze and a rapidly deteriorating national economy.

'All of a sudden, the phones stopped ringing - it happened very quickly,' architect John Massengale says about a drastic fall-off in work being offered to architects in greater New York.

In Chico, California, John Anderson of New Urban Builders says of the decline in activity at his development firm: 'It's been pretty frustrating.' The first residential phase of his company's Meriam Park development had to be shelved early this year despite the fact that it had been fully engineered. New Urban Builders adjusted by concentrating instead on the 250-acre development's office and mixed-use buildings, expecting to begin site work on those this fall.

But further troubles in the economy made that impossible. 'The credit crunch put us in a position where we had to put the office and mixed-use phase on hold until we can be confident that the parties building office buildings can close their financing,' Anderson says.

'Even with a robust master plan and an adopted form-based code that gives us lots of flexibility, when the tectonic plates of the credit market shift, the tremor rolls through the entire market, buffeting all projects, both conventional and new urbanist,' Anderson observes."

Thanks to The Intrepid Staff

Friday, December 5, 2008 in New Urban News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight