NEW URBANISM’S TRUE ROOTS part 2

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?

John Norquist, president and CEO of CNU and the former mayor of Milwaukee, said infill “generates warm feelings,” but green sites must get attention because they are getting the lion’s share of development activity.

“If we take the attitude that if it’s not infill, it’s immoral, then you leave all the greenfield stuff to be developed without planning. Then you have the same sprawl taking place and it continues to be done in very ugly ways,” Norquist said.
Norquist believes that “the CNU is more focused on infill than any other organization.”

“The interesting thing about infill is the market is showing that there is lots of consumer interest in dense urban blocks. But the CNU also must be active in new town development. Well-developed greenfields, with an urban street grid and properly conserved land, compliment the center city,” he said.

Tomorrow: Michael Lander, founder and president of The Lander Group, a Minneapolis-based real estate development firm.