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05-7-14-PC
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and desirability of older and more gracious higher-density neigh- <br />borhoods—Georgetown in Washington, D.C., Beacon Hill and <br />Back Bay in Boston, and Lincoln Park in Chicago—attest to the <br />fact that some of the more desirable neighborhoods in America <br />historically have been of higher density than that found in typical <br />outer suburbs. <br />This return to the design principles of the past is at the core of the <br />new urbanist movement that took hold in the 1990s. The move- <br />ment grew as many people came to miss the sense of community <br />that was created by the mixed-density and mixed-use communities <br />of the past. They realized that low-density subdivisions isolated <br />their owners not only from pedestrian access to shops and offices <br />but also from their neighbors. The growing sense of social alien- <br />ation, highlighted in books like Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone,48 <br />has led many back to the comfort of communities that are a <br />reminder of the places where many of us grew up. These new <br />communities combine the best design ideas of the past with the <br />modern conveniences of today to provide residents with what has <br />been missing from many sprawling areas—a sense of community. <br />Today’s developers, architects, and planners know <br />that to attract customers and to secure zoning <br />approvals and community acceptance, they must <br />produce attractive and innovative properties that <br />complement their surroundings. Design profession- <br />als are driven to produce projects that meet users’ <br />demands, understand and respond to the context <br />of a site, enhance its neighborhood, and are built <br />to last.49 In fact, attendance at a recent American <br />Institute of Architects–sponsored conference on <br />density far surpassed expectations, speaking to the <br />interest among land use professionals in addressing <br />the design issues associated with density.50 <br />It is plausible that the high level of citizens’ opposition <br />to density may be based on an outdated notion of what <br />higher-density development looks like. A University <br />of North Carolina study revealed that when given a <br />choice between two attractively designed communities, <br />one higher density and the other low density; the majority preferred <br />the higher-density option.51 Other visual preference surveys con- <br />firm that there is an almost universal negative reaction to the visual <br />appearance of commercial strip sprawl and an almost universal posi- <br />tive reaction to traditional town-like communities of the past, com- <br />munities that almost invariably included a mix of densities and uses.52 <br />Myth and Fact 27 <br />MYTH SIX FACTSIX <br />The Plaza at <br />the Arboretum <br />This award-winning mixed-use project in <br />Santa Monica, California, developed by <br />California-based Legacy Partners, achieves <br />a density of 97.5 dwelling units per acre. <br />The attractive seven-story building includes <br />10,000 square feet of retail space and 350 <br />apartment units ranging from 612 to 1,555 <br />square feet. The architecture firm Meeks <br />and Partners used strong geometric forms <br />to create a playful architectural character <br />that fits nicely in the avant-garde Hollywood <br />studio section of Santa Monica. The devel- <br />opment includes a swimming pool, spa, fit- <br />ness center, and clubhouse. <br />PROFILE <br />Higher-density developments like <br />the Plaza at the Arboretum present <br />opportunities to create outstanding <br />award-winning architecture. <br />MEEKS <br />AND <br />PARTNERS, <br />PHOTOGRAPH <br />©STEVE <br />HINDS
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