11/19/2008 6:49:59 PM

Celebration was one of the first communities planned entirely as a New Urbanist city. As such, it is supposed to have self-sufficient "villages" for living, working, and playing, as the article mentions. This actually is a densely populated area when you compare it with a typical suburban area, and seems to hue pretty closely to NU form: there's a grand boulevard with higher buildings along it, scaling down to smaller buildings the farther you go. There are sidewalks and not a lot of curb cuts for driveways, and, it seems, plenty of open space (at least to someone who grew up in NYC).

NU cities are supposed to contain semi-self-sufficient communities or neighborhoods, but this has always been my problem with New Urbanism: that it tries to impose, through physical form, the organic kind of diversity that makes cities so great. And yet New Urbanists often ignores most kinds of urban diversity. There's a telling passage towards the end of this article, which resonates with me, since I was literally laughed out of a few rooms when I suggested that Miami's overhaul of its zoning code to be New Urbanist could be used as an opportunity to create an inclusionary zoning program (so that all large housing developments would have to include a portion of affordable housing, as well):

"What is in their Town Centers? Ironically, you find only a small shopping district and the ubiquitous Publix, Florida’s home-grown grocery store chain. The formula of “live-work-play” must stick in the craw of those who are employed in these stores, because the Publix employees, Starbucks baristas, dry cleaner cashiers, and others who do work in these Town Centers can not possibly afford the New Urbanist real estate. Rather than a social continuum (as was more common in the idealized version of America), there is a new social schism, with the New Urbanist underclass forced to commute to the New Urbanist communities from more affordable but less trendy housing nearby."

Just my thoughts (since you asked)...

Abi

11/19/2008 9:04:19 PM

I guess what I'm saying is that I saw a huge disconnect in Miami (where the charge was led by Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, one of the founders of New Urbanism) between the stated goals of New Urbanism and the tools being used by New Urbanists. They seem to focus exclusively on the physical form of the city, but I don't see any way to address the social equity issues laid out in the Charter by talking about transects, set-backs and form. You don't make social policy through the zoning code, as I was told over and over again as an affordable housing advocate. So Celebreation may not look like the city laid out in the Charter, but that's not to say it's not a typical product of New Urbanism _as it's practiced,_ if that makes sense.

But of course, I have a tendency towards the cynical, and Miami is NEVER a good city from which to draw extrapolations about planning. Are there examples of NU communities that have done a good job of doing urban infill and providing affordable housing and access to jobs?

Abi

2/16/2009 5:55:18 AM

"that people can reduce commutes by living and working in the same community" is a silly notion to pursue in todays society where we distance and boundaries are being broken down by ease of transportation and the internet. Living in these small villages means we are going backwards into a time where we were restricted in our choice of employment, and in our choice of lifestyle.

I know people who live 2 hours commute away from their office but they like it that way. They do not want to stay close to their workplace. When they go home, it is so remote that they find it relaxing. They enjoy their quite neighbourhood but they also enjoy their job in the big smoke.

Mouse Cursors

8/11/2009 6:39:35 AM

I love this little urban community that you have going on here.It seems very modern and also very picturesque where as some can look very dated.Nice post.

Properties for rent london

9/7/2009 10:08:00 AM

Thanks Abi for this great post

As suggested in one comment above, I also agree that "Celebration doesn't really adhere to the tenants of New Urbanism, and therefore it's misleading to critique NU using Celebration as the case study".

A (small) contribution from a french reader

Immobilier