Suburbs

On the Life Cycle of Suburban Malls
Using Greenwood, Indiana as an example, Eric McAfee discusses how the value of individual suburban malls depreciates over time. Shiny new shopping centers compensate for inevitable vacancies in older ones.
A Robot to Go the 'Last Mile'
Contrary to one some urbanists believe, some of the advancements of the new economy might better serve less dense, even suburban, environments. Example: a delivery robot created by the co-founders of Skype.
Minnesota History Center Exhibit Makes Room for Suburban Romance
"Suburbia," opening today at the new Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, allows a portrait of suburban living that goes well beyond the mundane. By redefining the history suburbia, the exhibit also tracks the contemporary evolution of suburbs.

Transit Use Thrives on Destination Density
If jobs, services, and other urban amenities are concentrated downtown, suburbanites can use transit to get there quickly without a car. Job sprawl makes transit useless outside central districts.
On the Eventual Energy Efficient Future of 'Solar Suburbs'
Experts say it's only a matter of time until suburbs enter a new era of energy efficiency that redefines the landscape of residential living.

Mainstreaming the Golf Cart
Seniors are on the cutting edge of a movement to make Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs), otherwise known as golf carts, a viable form of everyday transportation.

Mercedes-Benz Bets on a Suburban Future
From a new Silicon Valley facility, Mercedes' R&D department is developing car-share services based on a vision of 21st-century suburbs. The company is also testing self-driving prototypes and electric models.

Op-Ed: Stop Attacking My Suburb!
A proud suburban resident defends her neighborhood from the criticisms of city-dwellers. It's not walkable, it's not perfect, but it's home.

Cities, the Middle Class, and Children
Joel Kotkin argues that Jane Jacobs's insights are of limited value because cities are no longer useful for middle-class families.
TIF Shifts to the Suburbs in Minnesota
A common and sometimes controversial funding mechanism is growing in popularity in suburban Minnesota, even as its use in the urban core decreases.

The Changing Face of Suburban America
As the nation becomes more racially diverse, so too do the suburbs.

Most Downtowns Still Lagging Behind
Central districts have been surging back since the 1980s. But in most cities, the upper third of earners still favor outlying areas and are underrepresented closer to downtown.

Homebuyers Return to the Exurbs
It's been a while since 2008, and a new crop of homeowners is colonizing the far-flung exurbs. Mostly foreclosed and even abandoned last time around, the exurbs are still a risky buy.
Master Planned Neighborhood Focuses on Materials to Avoid Blandness
Could something as simple of the material selected for a residential tower prove the "antidote to suburban blandness"? A Parisian suburb thinks so.
A Case Study of Displacement in Suburban Marietta, Georgia
An article in City Observatory's City Commentary sheds light on an underreported fact of life in some parts of the country: suburban displacement.

Doomed Suburbs
Alana Semuels describes the structural forces that had led Cincinnati's Lincoln Heights neighborhood to the brink of extinction.

The Tragedy of San Bernardino
The focal point of California's vast Inland Empire, the suburban city of San Bernardino was brought to its knees by the Great Recession. Its civic bankruptcy and its emergence as a suburban slum is perhaps America's most tragic story of urban sprawl.

Houten, Netherlands: Where Cars and Bikes Coexist
Well-known in transportation planning circles, Houten's suburban multi-modality can be found almost nowhere else. Perimeter ring roads, train access, and bike-friendly features have cut car trips down to 44 percent.

Suburbs Jump on Ride-Hailing Bandwagon
Ride-hailing services have already conquered center cities, with companies like Uber and Lyft changing the landscape for commuters, visitors, and late-night revelers alike. The next challenge: solving the suburban-to-urban commute.

Do Millennials Opt for Cities or Suburbs? Yes.
Recent stories claiming that millenials either (a) prefer cities to suburbs or (b) prefer suburbs to cities both have some basis in reality.
Pagination
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