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September 3, 2007
Postcard From Denver - A New Urbanism
The Hindu
This article has much praise for the Stapleton mixed-use Denver development. This is the development promoted by Forest City as its own good example in designing a community from scratch using concepts from the New Urbanism movement:
In looks, reborn Stapleton would be a suburb, its homes resembling old Denver buildings. The differences would be deliberate: community living will grow out of a compulsory front porch for sitting out; smaller lots ensuring density; public parks; sidewalks with tree lawns for pedestrian activity; village shops and restaurants within walking distance; workplaces and cultural venues close to housing. In all, walkable neighborhoods where bumping into neighbours is inevitable. No garage doors as the dominant house facade, little private (or not so private) open space in the rear, no strip shopping centres with a sea of parking, no commute to workplaces that are miles (or hours) away.
Meanwhile, here in Brooklyn, FCR is trying to destroy a community that already exists in Prospect Heights. Instead of innovative design and public input, Atlantic Yards features an outmoded super-block design, street closures, miniscule "public spaces" and a planning process that blocks community involvement at every turn.
Posted by steve at September 3, 2007 8:59 AM