Posts Tagged ‘land’

Get to Know New Urbanist Communities

These small towns offer walkability and a close-knit atmosphere

In 1979, builder and developer Robert Davis founded the town of Seaside, Fla. on 80 acres of land he inherited from his grandfather. He hoped the new development would recapture the idyllic feeling of his childhood vacations by the Florida shore. Seaside is now cited as the first example of new urbanism, a design movement that strives to create walkable, sustainable communities with a diverse range of housing and jobs. As people react to the suburban sprawl prevalent in the United States, more new urban towns are cropping up around the country. Read the rest of this entry »

Get That Small-Town Feeling Near a Big City

New urbanist communities’ accessibility recall the best of the past

If you want a traditional small-town feel without moving to the middle of nowhere, consider a place like Promenade in the city of Hercules, Calif.

Built near the waterfront of the San Francisco Bay and about 20 miles northeast of San Francisco, the houses have a historical look with Victorian, Craftsman or Italianate design. All have front porches to encourage neighborliness, are built close together and garages are, in many cases, located in the back of the houses or accessible by alleyways. Streets are narrow to slow down traffic. Read the rest of this entry »