The Death of Suburbia? (Florida, Nelson: apartments, houses, to buy)

[Guywithacause]

This was an interesting article on CNN on the changing trends from suburbs to walkable cities. .some excerpts:

Is America's suburban dream collapsing into a nightmare? - CNN.com

"Yet Nelson also estimates that in 2025 there will be a surplus of 22 million large-lot homes that will not be left vacant in a suburban wasteland but instead occupied by lower classes who have been driven out of their once affordable inner-city apartments and houses."

"What is going to happen is lower and lower-middle income families squeezed out of downtown and glamorous suburban locations are going to be pushed economically into these McMansions at the suburban fringe," said Nelson. "There will probably be ten people living in one house."

Much of what the article is discussing is already happening in NYC..as I have seen the changes myself in Mott Haven..my last 2 neighbors (upstairs) were lower class and moved to Pennsylvania and Florida due to the expenses of living here especially with kids....and each were replaced with single, educated, young men.

[NooYowkur81]

There have been a lot of interesting articles about this recently...

Basically the way Americans view suburbs has changed a lot within the last 20 to thirty years. Some hold the opinion that they are more or less a failure, while others aren't as drastic in their judgments. Lots of interesting stuff to google if your interested in the topic.

There's also other interesting things occurring like people doing reverse commutes to go to work (city to suburb), and businesses moving their operations to traditionally suburban areas...

[Guywithacause]

I don't necessarily believe that suburbs are a failure, but I do believe that the lifestyle is becoming more unappealing, as driving 4 miles to buy a quart of milk, or do anything for that matter, is not just wasteful, it literally sucks the life out of you and isolates people even further than they already are.

Ironically, the costs to move into the city will be so prohibitive shortly that many people just won't be able to do it. When you pay half a millions (that's $500,000) for an oftentimes unrenovated 3 family home in Mott Haven of all places...the affordability issue is a serious one.

[NooYowkur81]

I don't feel they are a failure either, but like in any topic, there are always those that hold extreme views.

The "New Urbanism," is interesting. Although off the top of my head I can't think of too many places that fit the mold.

[Guywithacause]

I have seen some new urbanism developments that incorporate walkable communities and a more people centric atmosphere...but IMO these developments seemed very artificial, kinda like living in Disney World or Universal Studios. They have the walkability aspect..but it never feels alive, or real...hard to explain.

[NooYowkur81]

Here's another interesting article on the topic,

America's suburbs | An age of transformation | Economist.com

I do think some of this stuff is gonna happen, but probably not as drastic or as bleak.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by Guywithacause

This was an interesting article on CNN on the changing trends from suburbs to walkable cities. .some excerpts:

Is America's suburban dream collapsing into a nightmare? - CNN.com

"Yet Nelson also estimates that in 2025 there will be a surplus of 22 million large-lot homes that will not be left vacant in a suburban wasteland but instead occupied by lower classes who have been driven out of their once affordable inner-city apartments and houses."

"What is going to happen is lower and lower-middle income families squeezed out of downtown and glamorous suburban locations are going to be pushed economically into these McMansions at the suburban fringe," said Nelson. "There will probably be ten people living in one house."

Much of what the article is discussing is already happening in NYC..as I have seen the changes myself in Mott Haven..my last 2 neighbors (upstairs) were lower class and moved to Pennsylvania and Florida due to the expenses of living here especially with kids....and each were replaced with single, educated, young men.

*HINT* Watch a movie called "End of Suburbia" then, thank me later.

[middle-of-nowhere]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

*HINT* Watch a movie called "End of Suburbia" then, thank me later.

I was actually just watching that on Youtube. For those interested, here's the link:


YouTube - The End of Suburbia - 52 minute documentary on oil

It's interesting that even if this video was filmed in 2005 and 2006, a lot of the predictions hold true for 2007 and 2008... especially regarding how there will be a move towards urbanism, significantly higher energy costs, and the suburban housing meltdown.

[Lakewooder]

Exurbs Take it on the Chin

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by middle-of-nowhere

I was actually just watching that on Youtube. For those interested, here's the link:


YouTube - The End of Suburbia - 52 minute documentary on oil

It's interesting that even if this video was filmed in 2005 and 2006, a lot of the predictions hold true for 2007 and 2008... especially regarding how there will be a move towards urbanism, significantly higher energy costs, and the suburban housing meltdown.

Filmed in 2004 actually and your right everything they have said so far has unfolded hasn't it? People unwilling to change to the reality of whats coming will be in some deep doo doo.