Designing Three Model Developments For Houston

Duany Plater-Zyberk and Company is on charrette designing three different sites in Houston, a city well-known for its homogeneous suburban development. Plans include a TOD, sustainability, brownfield redevelopment, and of course walkability.

1 minute read

July 1, 2007, 5:00 AM PDT

By Mike Lydon


"Frank Liu of Houston-based Lovett Homes has hired prominent architect Andres Duany of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. to create master plans for the projects.

Duany is known for his work in the "new urbanism" movement, which promotes walkable, neighborhood-based developments as an alternative to sprawl.

He is in Houston with a team of designers from his Miami-based firm to join other experts in the fields of transportation and green building in a series of charrettes - intense architectural brainstorming sessions - to come up with plans for Liu's three sites.

The proposed projects are:

• A 38-acre former Superfund area, known as the MDI site, east of downtown at 3617 Baer.

• About 120 acres in several parcels near the Fannin South light rail station.

• 110 acres in the Spring Branch area near Hammerly Boulevard and Bingle."

Thursday, June 28, 2007 in The Houston Chronicle

Young Professional

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 and Environmental 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 and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

October 14, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

Cars driving under automatic congestion pricing toll machines on Broadway next to the Trump International Hotel in Manhattan, New York City.

Data reveals that NYC’s bet on congestion pricing has paid off

After almost two years of the program, reports show positive impacts on traffic and air quality and no disruptions to parking.

October 13, 2026 - Marcelo Remond

A crane lifts a manufactured house, with is rectangular and does not yet have a roof.

HUD modernizes 50-year-old manufactured housing framework

The Next Generation Manufactured Housing Action Plan establishes new energy-efficiency standards for manufactured homes, and new guidelines for anchoring them.

October 8, 2026 - Boston Real Estate Times

construction workers on the roof of a house.

California voters weigh $11.25 billion housing bond

Prop. 1, combined with other funding, would support over 40,000 new rental units in California.

5 hours ago - Cal Matters

MIRA President Tom Kirk gestures at the opening ceremony of the solar array at the Hartford Landfill. There are rows of solar panels behind him.

Connecticut is turning landfills into green infrastructure

Twenty-nine solar arrays have been built, or approved to be built, on top of Connecticut landfills.

6 hours ago - The CT Mirror

Sheep in a field stand next to solar panels.

Trump guts ‘win-win’ solar energy program for rural farmers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s changes have made virtually all solar power ineligible for funding through the Rural Energy for America Program.

7 hours ago - Grist