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Retrofitting Sprawl: Addressing Seventy Years of Failed Urban Form
These twelve previously unpublished essays present innovative and practical ideas for addressing the harmful effects of sprawl. Sprawl is not only an ongoing focus of specialized magazines like Dwell ; indeed, Time magazine has cited “recycling the suburbs” as the second of “Ten Ideas Changing the World Right Now.” While most conversations on sprawl tend to focus on its restriction, this book presents an overview of current thinking on ways to fix, repair, and retrofit existing sprawl.
Chapters by planners, geographers, designers, and architects present research grounded in diverse locales including Phoenix, Arizona; Seattle, Washington; Dublin, Ohio; and the Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. metro areas. The authors address head-on the most controversial aspects of sprawl―issues of power and control, justice and equity, and American attitudes about regulating private development. But they also put these issues in practical contexts, bringing in examples of redesign that are already occurring around the country, including the retrofitting of corridors and the repurposing of cul-de-sacs. Whether fixing sprawl requires a “cultural shift” in thinking or a “coordinated effort” by local government, these essays testify that a combination of forethought and creative thinking will be needed.
Chapters by planners, geographers, designers, and architects present research grounded in diverse locales including Phoenix, Arizona; Seattle, Washington; Dublin, Ohio; and the Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. metro areas. The authors address head-on the most controversial aspects of sprawl―issues of power and control, justice and equity, and American attitudes about regulating private development. But they also put these issues in practical contexts, bringing in examples of redesign that are already occurring around the country, including the retrofitting of corridors and the repurposing of cul-de-sacs. Whether fixing sprawl requires a “cultural shift” in thinking or a “coordinated effort” by local government, these essays testify that a combination of forethought and creative thinking will be needed.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 2015
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January 13, 2016
This book, as the title indicates, addresses a variety of issues related to making sprawl more walkable. The very first essay shows both why retrofitting suburbia is desirable and why it will be difficult. On the one hand, numerous surveys show that roughly half of households desire to live in walkable places, even if it means living in a smaller house. However, most neighborhoods (especially suburbs) are not very walkable: only 27 percent of city neighborhoods have Walkscores over 70, and only 8 percent of suburban neighborhoods. (Walkscore.com rates places based on the number of amenities within walking distance; high-amenity areas have high Walkscores). The mismatch between supply and demand is especially great in suburbia: 28 percent of Americans prefer mixed-use suburbs to cities, residence-only suburbs, small towns and rural areas, yet only 4 percent of neighborhoods are both walkable and suburban. Similarly, an essay on one Washington suburb’s attempt to update its zoning code shows the political difficulty of reforming zoning codes to promote walkability: although the reforms only affected 5 percent of the county, they still generated enormous political controversy and were significantly watered down.
Another set of essays focuses on ideas for reforming suburbs. June Williamson’s essay covers the basics: reform “big box” stores by bringing buildings up to the sidewalk, build shorter blocks to give pedestrians more travel options, improve connections between streets, build streets within a development that are narrower (and thus more easily crossed). Her essay also addresses trade-offs between these goals: for example, one Texas apartment complex placed parking decks in the center of the block (good because pedestrians did not have to cross unsightly parking lots) but in doing so, created large blocks (not so good). As a remedy, she suggests building less parking. Another problem she mentions is when neighbors don’t want a new development to connect to nearby streets; as a remedy, she suggests “mini streets” that could be connected to those streets if neighbors changed their mind.
Another essay discusses suburban downtowns. In the case studies addressed in the essay, suburbs sought to create their own miniature downtowns. Unlike much other new development, these downtowns tend to have considerable support from local residents; on the negative side, they are often expensive to build, and thus tend to occur only in well-off areas.
A less conventional essay discusses informal pedestrian paths. In suburbs without street grids or sidewalks, pedestrians often create their own dirt paths to reach stores. Should these paths be somehow institutionalized? On the one hand, paving the paths would certainly enhance walkability. However, property owners might be unwilling to accept formal easements through their land.
A more radical article discussed on-street parking in one Oregon town, pointing out that in both urban and suburban parts of the city, over ¾ of parking spaces were vacant. The essay suggested using some of these spaces as greenspace to absorb stormwater, or as urban farms.
Another set of essays focuses on ideas for reforming suburbs. June Williamson’s essay covers the basics: reform “big box” stores by bringing buildings up to the sidewalk, build shorter blocks to give pedestrians more travel options, improve connections between streets, build streets within a development that are narrower (and thus more easily crossed). Her essay also addresses trade-offs between these goals: for example, one Texas apartment complex placed parking decks in the center of the block (good because pedestrians did not have to cross unsightly parking lots) but in doing so, created large blocks (not so good). As a remedy, she suggests building less parking. Another problem she mentions is when neighbors don’t want a new development to connect to nearby streets; as a remedy, she suggests “mini streets” that could be connected to those streets if neighbors changed their mind.
Another essay discusses suburban downtowns. In the case studies addressed in the essay, suburbs sought to create their own miniature downtowns. Unlike much other new development, these downtowns tend to have considerable support from local residents; on the negative side, they are often expensive to build, and thus tend to occur only in well-off areas.
A less conventional essay discusses informal pedestrian paths. In suburbs without street grids or sidewalks, pedestrians often create their own dirt paths to reach stores. Should these paths be somehow institutionalized? On the one hand, paving the paths would certainly enhance walkability. However, property owners might be unwilling to accept formal easements through their land.
A more radical article discussed on-street parking in one Oregon town, pointing out that in both urban and suburban parts of the city, over ¾ of parking spaces were vacant. The essay suggested using some of these spaces as greenspace to absorb stormwater, or as urban farms.
October 28, 2021
The first several chapters were dry and kinda tough to get through.
Beginning with Chapter 10, things began to pick-up!
Ch. 10, spaces of indeterminacy (From a Latin American perspective)
Ch. 11, a plan for transforming a Cul-de-Sac
...That is sprawl. That is the problem. That is where I live. That is where so many Americans live. That is what needs to be fixed - trying to move everybody back to downtown, or just building new "New Urbanism" developments, isn't enough. We have already used up so much land - poorly! - we need to stop sprawling and make better use of what we're already wasting.
Beginning with Chapter 10, things began to pick-up!
Ch. 10, spaces of indeterminacy (From a Latin American perspective)
Ch. 11, a plan for transforming a Cul-de-Sac
...That is sprawl. That is the problem. That is where I live. That is where so many Americans live. That is what needs to be fixed - trying to move everybody back to downtown, or just building new "New Urbanism" developments, isn't enough. We have already used up so much land - poorly! - we need to stop sprawling and make better use of what we're already wasting.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews