Trend Bites [a taste of what's going on out there for the consumer to experience]

Back To The Future: Walkable Urbanism [Issue 8; September, 2008]

The film Back to the Future reflects both the old and the newer ways in which communities were developed in 20th century United States through Marty McFly's journey from 1985 to 1955.

The old towns had downtown areas that were the heart of the community; a city plaza with fountains, restaurants, businesses, City Hall, apartments, clothing stores, schools and banks; virtually everything needed for daily existence was downtown or within walking distance of the area. Towns were "walkable urban places" varying from lower-density small downtowns, suburban town centers to higher-density places like Dupont circle in Washington, D.C. and LODO in Denver and high density traditional downtowns like Seattle, Chicago and Midtown Manhattan.

The newer communities that were introduced post 1950's are drivable sub-urban places where people rely on car transportation for nearly all trips from the home. Suburban towns are low density and have a "could be anywhere" character, since they are built according to well-understood national formulas.

With more people needing to get around affordably in a faster-paced world, there is growing consumer need for a "return to walkability" that can only be met by living in walkable urban places. The U.S. government estimates that 9 million new residences will be needed at or near public transportation stops by 2030. Suburbs with no direct access to public transportation will become ghost towns inhabited by America's poor.

The most walkable cities are San Francisco, New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Long Beach, Los Angeles and Portland. Check out for rankings by neighborhood.

A town's walkability is determined by it's proximity to grocery stores, book stores, coffee shops, restaurants, parks, schools and more. Ideally, one would want these places within ¼ of a mile from the town center. Try calculating the walking score of your address.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Accommodate this new walkable urban demand in all future plans. Site selection for new sales venues, including master planned communities, should include calculation of town walkability to ensure consumer appeal and satisfaction. Areas closest to public transportation should be favored over those that rely on the automobile for access. Retrofitting suburban sales venues to be mini- walkable urban oases should also be considered.

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