Walkable Communities Are a Winner for Urban Community Partners
While “sustainability” is a word that if often flung around in today’s society, hearing it in the world of building and development is becoming more common. According to Ian Gillis of Urban Community Partners, LLC, “Everyone has their own definition of sustainability. For me I prefer the word “walkable. We want to create a community where people can walk to work, to the store and out for dinner.” Not only is this idea something that is environmentally friendly, cutting back on use of cars, it is also much healthier for individuals. “Studies have shown,” he continues, “that people who live in mixed-use communities are actually healthier than those who don’t. They are using the two legs God have them, instead of their cars.”
In today’s towns, we are used to one-use communities that fit the building codes established after World War II. But according to Gillis, cities are rethinking their layouts and rewriting their codes to accommodate a changing world view and demographics, “Young and old are looking for more to do and are moving back into cities and towns, looking for a more vibrant and connected lifestyle.”
Along these lines, Gillis and his company have just completed plans for a new Walkable community in Yuma, Arizona, complete with 1100 homes, shopping and an organic farm. They were able to use a “smart-growth overlay” to convince city officials that altering city codes is going to be the best bet for future development. Cities along the California coast are also starting to adopt this more progressive planning method.
Master planned communities have become woefully homogenized over the past few years and while many are satisfied with their 2,000sf. Plus homes, where you need to drive to reach every facility and activity, others are opting for smaller homes, in integrated communities, neighboring condos, stores and libraries. With the climate change, rising cost of gas and adjusting demographics, people are looking for change, smart change. “I see mixed-use communities being a popular area of development for the future, explains Gillis. “This is a change that will be coming from municipalities looking for higher quality development for their communities but also from the market demanding this type of product.”
Gillis’ company was formed with the idea of developing Smart Growth walkable communities. Due to the economic and real estate meltdown development projects with a long term horizon are just not financeable today.. Like most, they have had to reinvent themselves in this economic climate. While consulting was always an aspect of what they did, it has become the main thrust of their company in light of decreased building. “Investors would rather purchase a finished product for 30 cents on the dollar than buy land and start from scratch. It’s hard to argue with that. Something has to change to make development viable again,” confesses Gillis.
The financial crisis has not been a welcomed guest, but as many builders and developers we have spoken with contend, it has perhaps led to a new way of thinking that will thrust us forward into a more stable economy and even a healthier lifestyle.