After nearly 20 years, has the New Urbanist development Kentlands been successful at achieving its goal of creating a strong community?
"But does a traditional neighborhood design really create a strong sense of community? How can you tell? After all, this is not an obvious visual characteristic; it's a perception."
"Kentlands is almost 20 years old. If the theory works, it would be evident by now there."
"After extensive interviews with six Kentlands homeowners, I believe the answer to the community question is clearly 'yes.'"
"Of course, six people is a minuscule fraction of the Kentlands' several thousand residents. However, my conclusion echoes that of Joongsub Kim, an architecture professor at Lawrence Technical University in Southfield, Mich., who has lived in and studied the dynamics of Kentlands and a nearby conventional subdivision for 10 years. He has interviewed more than 425 households in both communities."
FULL STORY: At Kentlands, New Urbanism Has Unlocked a Sense of Community
The Same Old Misconceptions
Misconceptions about New Urbanism persist.
Is New Urbanism Best Suited to the Suburbs?
25 years after development started on Gaithersburg's model New Urbanist community Kentlands, Dan Malouff surveys the movement's impact on America's development patterns. He argues its products are more necessary in less-urban environments.
A Better Understanding of Smart Growth Benefits
Smart Growth creates compact, multimodal communities where residents consume less land, drive less, and rely more on non-auto modes. Planners have important stories to tell about the benefits of Smart Growth.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
