NEW URBANISM’S TRUE ROOTS part 4

NEW URBANISM’S TRUE ROOTS:
GREENFIELD TRADITIONAL TOWN PLANNING OR URBAN INFILL REVITALIZATION

By Steve Wright

As New Urbanism looks back over its first decade-plus of existence, a key question arises: are the movement’s true roots in building new towns such as Seaside and Kentlands, or should they lie in rebuilding Main Street America?

Will Selman, a senior planning analyst in charge of New Urbanist development for the Lancaster County, PA Planning Commission, believes said the movement’s focus should be in creating better places “and not giving over vast areas of suburban development to continued sprawl.”

“While most Americans are not willing to move back into traditional towns, no matter what New Urbanists might do there, a good percentage are willing to live in a greenfield TND setting,” he said. “This is a baby step back to urbanism; while the current generation of Americans may not be willing to live in historic town settings, the next generation, raised in the relatively more urban setting of a greenfield TND will have a greater appreciation of
urban settings.”

“Over time, I certainly hope that the trend is toward urban infill. The real challenge though is not infill of existing historic towns, but the retrofitting of late-20th century suburban sprawl,” he said.

Tomorrow: Don Johnson