A Century-Old Neighborhood Provides a Model for the Present Day

Good urbanism doesn’t have to mean large apartment buildings or an immaculate row of brownstones; the ad-hoc version on display in this Florida neighborhood is more relevant as a model of adaptation for the rest of us.

Herriges, Incremental Housing, Top Story, Community StoriesDaniel HerrigesFebruary 22, 2023Florida, history, traditional development pattern, Incremental Housing, neighborhood, suburban development pattern, suburban experiment, housing, housing crisis, ADUs, accessory dwelling units, infill, aesthetics

A Massive Top-Down Plan To Fix a Massive Top-Down Mistake

Half a century ago, Kansas City destroyed its downtown to make way for parking. What if we used that same no-constraints, top-down approach, but this time to right the wrongs of the past?

Edward Erfurt, End Parking Mandates, Parking, Top StoryEdward ErfurtDecember 16, 2022redevelopment, Kansas City, Parking, parking, End Parking Mandates and Subsidies, top-down, downtown, Infill Development, infill, missouri, Missouri

Pre-Approved House Designs Jump-Start Infill Development in South Bend

While other places keep finding ways to say “no” to new housing, this Indiana city is offering pre-approved development templates to small-scale developers at no cost.

Herriges, Housing, Top Story, Incremental HousingDaniel HerrigesOctober 6, 2022housing, housing crisis, Housing Crisis, Incremental Housing, incremental development, Infill Development, infill, missing middle, Indiana, success, success stories, Development, small-scale developers

Can Hamilton, Ontario, Hold the Line on Development—Literally?

This Canadian city made an unprecedented decision to stop expanding its urban growth boundary. What comes next?

Growth Ponzi Scheme, Herriges, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesAugust 17, 2022Growth Ponzi Scheme, growth, sprawl, infill, Infill Development, canada, Canada, suburban experiment

Spokane Opens the Door for Middle Housing Expansion

Last week, the city council of Spokane, WA, voted on a truly “bold, transformational package” that will allow for more forms of missing-middle housing and infill development in the city.

A Recent Lawsuit Uses “Environmentalism” To Argue Against Walkable, Compact Development in Minneapolis. What the Heck Is Going On?

The environmental groups suing Minneapolis to block implementation of its groundbreaking 2040 Plan have a limited understanding of environmentalism, but a keen grasp of how to slow down policy reform.

Environment, Incrementalism, Herriges, Zoning, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJune 22, 2022Climate Change, climate, environment, Minnesota, Minneapolis, zoning, NIMBY, incremental growth, incremental development, incrementalism, infill

Herriges Rezoned: Your City Isn't Changing as Fast as You Think

The belief that we’re going to radically transform our cities from the top down defies reality. Despite widespread anxiety about urban growth and change, the vast majority of places aren’t changing very much at all.

Herriges, Housing, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesMay 4, 2022incremental growth, infill, Infill Development, neighborhood change, housing

Suburban Design is a Tragedy of the Commons

We tend to choose larger homes than we want our neighbors to choose. The result: suburban-style development that doesn't match what people actually want from their communities.

Suburban Experiment, Housing, Top StoryDevon ZuegelMay 3, 2022sprawl, infill, Development, development pattern, development, traditional development pattern, suburbs, suburbanization, suburban experiment, suburban development pattern, housing

Bringing Gentle Density to Memphis

These brothers are pushing for incremental infill development in Memphis, Tennessee, with a community they’re building just north of downtown.

From the Office of Dodge, Wiggle, Hack, Shrug & DeCamp, LLC

Real-world examples of the administrative friction that holds back small-scale developers.

Member Post, Sanphillippo, Small Scale Developers, Top StoryJohnny SanphillippoNovember 29, 2021small-scale developers, infill, Infill Development, local regulation, Granola Shotgun, incremental development

We Cannot Rely on Large-Scale Development

Let’s talk about master developers and how all-at-once, large-scale development doesn’t offer the environment in which resilient economic ecosystems emerge.

Upzoned, Podcast, Planning Profession, Top StoryStrong TownsAugust 25, 2021Podcast, Upzoned, Development, development pattern, traditional development pattern, suburban development pattern, Infill Development, infill, master planned

The American Alley, Part 4: Rediscovering the Forgotten Human Scale

There is a human scale that has been forgotten here in America. Here’s how we might be able to reintegrate it into our cities.

Public Space, Urban Design, Top StoryThomas DoughertyAugust 19, 2021American Alleys Series, series, infill, Infill Development, history, History, ADUs, accessory dwelling units

The American Alley, Part 3: The End of the American Alley

Let’s look at how alleys fell out of favor in the American development pattern, and how this relates to zoning codes and ADUs.

Public Space, Urban Design, Top StoryThomas DoughertyAugust 18, 2021American Alleys Series, series, infill, Infill Development, history, History

The American Alley, Part 2: Origins of the American Alley

Looking at the history of the alley reveals not only why they were once so useful, but why they are underutilized in many cities today.

Public Space, Urban Design, Top StoryThomas DoughertyAugust 17, 2021American Alleys Series, series, infill, Infill Development, history, History

The American Alley, Part 1: A Hidden Resource

Overlooked and neglected for too long, it’s time to rediscover the strength-building potential of the American alley.

Public Space, Urban Design, Top StoryThomas DoughertyAugust 16, 2021American Alleys Series, series, infill, Infill Development, history, History

A Highway (Used to) Run Through It

Half a century ago, Rochester, New York — like so many other cities — built an urban highway that tore at the social fabric, decimated neighborhoods, and made the city increasingly fragile. Today, Rochester is showing cities that there is a better way.

Top Story, Urban Design, HorbovetzArian HorbovetzFebruary 7, 2020infill, Rochester, urban freeways

Want to Show People What Their City Could Be? Build It.

A leading infill developer in Victoria, BC is building beautiful homes that address the housing crisis and make neighborhoods stronger. They’re also changing the conversation about what’s possible.

Housing, Herriges, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesSeptember 17, 2019Canada, Strong America Tour, Development, Infill Development, missing middle, development, Strong America Book, infill

My City's Needs Are Growing Faster Than Its Budget. That's Why We Need the Strong Towns Message.

My bedroom community’s streets are aging, and we recently learned that we need to double our pavement preservation spending to keep them from declining further. Here’s what we’re doing about it—and why the Strong Towns philosophy is instrumental for us.

Member Post, Top StoryRob KarlinseySeptember 12, 2019suburban retrofit, suburbs, Kenmore WA, Seattle, infill, redevelopment, infrastructure maintenance, budget, Strong America Book

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