Ian Law of Place Alliance spoke to the 2014 ASLA Annual Meeting in Denver at the end of November about what it takes to accomplish a vision for a more dense, walkable suburban downtown.
Jared Green relays the proceedings of a session at the 2014 ASLA Annual Meeting in Denver, by Ian Law, ASLA, of Place Alliance, who "explained how even the best laid plans for retrofitting suburbia can go haywire."
Green describes one of the pitfalls Law cited during the session: "it’s particularly challenging to create a comprehensive plan that can sustain a dense, walkable downtown if there are many small landowners in a community. Ideally, 'one developer will be in control of the entire development.' Also important is that 'the goals of the developer are in synch with the goals of the community.'"
As a cautionary tale, Law detailed the experience of Malta, New York. Green describes the case study: "The community realized it needed to update itself to accommodate a new silicon chip plant that will bring in 2,000 jobs. However, they ended up creating an overly ambitious downtown revitalization plan. Instead of one downtown to replace what wasn’t working, they ended up creating three, said Law. These isolated, disconnected developments had 'too much retail for the scale of Malta.'"
The article goes on to describe a few success stories, as well, including Mizner Park in Boca Raton, Florida; Belmar in Lakewood, near Denver; and Mashpee Commons in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
FULL STORY: Revitalizing Suburbia: It’s All About Context and Scale
Debating the Feasibility of Retrofitting Suburbia
Is the challenge of retrofitting sprawl intractable or unavoidable?
Cities May Be Back, But Don't Forget About the Burbs
A review of June Williamson's new book reminds us that the need to retrofit suburbia is as urgent as ever, despite the ascendance of cities. Amanda Kolson Hurley explores the top five reasons 'why the suburbs are shaping up as the new frontier.'
Remote Work and the Shift to Suburbia
Is the growth of working from home turning America into a ‘suburban nation?’
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research