Can McMansions And New Urbanism Co-Exist?

"One of the region's pioneering efforts in new urbanism is 'feathering out' from its high-density core and adding larger homes.

That seems at odds with the popular view of compact villages with condos on top of shops, but it's actually part of a larger vision, say the developers of Vermillion, a Huntersville project started nine years ago.

'New urbanism isn't just small houses on small lots and starter homes, although that's the way it came into the Charlotte market,' said Tom Low, who heads the local office of internationally known new urbanism pioneer Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co.

The Next Big Thing in the region will be the evolution of new urbanism, he believes."

A entry on the Charlotte Observer's Naked City blog also explores the question whether the developers are selling out New Urbanism principles, or simply adding diversity to the housing stock in response to market demand.

Thanks to Mary Newsom