Exterior Pictures of Bedford in North Raleigh (Apex, Holly Springs: for sale, daycare)

[raleighjayne]

The pic that you thought might be an estate home is actually the Drees section. Drees is a builder, in case anybody doesn't know. Anyway, there are some sections that have a little bit larger lots, about 1/4 acre but a few that are larger. They are the KHov homes and some in the new custom homes section. More toward the back of the neighborhood.

We are supposed to be getting a light soon at the corner of Falls and Dunn. I think that all of the funding has finally come through for it but I haven't seen a date yet.

[NYer]

But, if you are coming from Boston or NYC you are used to that density & perhaps seek it.
Someone wants it or they would not build it.
It is too close together for me but my Dad grew up in Brooklyn in much closer quarters than that & he recounts the camaraderie those familes felt, a camaraderie that was lacking in the suburban paradise in which he raised us.

[SuperGrover]

Definitely.
Virtual places like this bulletin board might even be an attempt to replace the missing camaraderie for us big-land suburbanites. Wife is watching a favorite TV show and I'm on the computer. Would have confused my city grandparents. They played cribbage all night and used the telephone (or an open window) to talk to acquaintances.

Still, you like it or you don't.

[NYer]

Originally Posted by raleighjayne

The pic that you thought might be an estate home is actually the Drees section. Drees is a builder, in case anybody doesn't know. Anyway, there are some sections that have a little bit larger lots, about 1/4 acre but a few that are larger. ....

Yes, it is an Ashville- we are building one in a different development, for way less $$$- they build that house in different permutations all over the triangle. We do not have aside load garage, for instance, & used different combos of stone brick, & accent colors. The only reason I recognize it is I studies those floorplans as if I were cramming for a test!

[NCHomeFinder]

Wow, NRG, awesome pics!

Yes, there are plans to widen Falls, it is #1 on the list of projects with fundint, including the light at Dunn. This will make the commute MUCH less painful for those turning left on to Falls in the morning. (Of course, people in Falls River are looking forward to it as well, because it will cut down on the number of Bedford residents taking the "long cut" through!)

[DebbieF]

Thanks so much for doing that. Your pictures were beautiful.

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by Bull City Rising

Small lot lines and close development are par for the course with New Urbanist architecture and developments, aimed around creating more walkable communities, closer connections to neighbors, etc. Of course, the cynic in me thinks that some developers find New Urbanism an intriguing concept to increase building density and thus profits instead of "building community," but that's just me!

I too have had those cynical thoughts about New Urbanism. Since I've live most of my adult life in Old Urban areas, New Urbanism is new to me. But if we are really concerned about livibility then shouldn't these New Urbanism houses fit the lots. In my old urban neighborhood, the lots are 50 feet by 100. That's standard in our city. But the houses are not 3000 sq feet above ground. Most are 2 story with usable basements, so you can have a 3000 square foot house that has a footprint of 1200 sq ft on your 5000 sq ft lot. So I never feel like I'm on top of my neighbors when I'm sitting on my front porch. But since basements are more expensive to build, it seems the Bedford builders went for a large footprint on the lot and just cramed these 3000 sq foot homes together. I'm all for dense urban planning when it's done correctly. But I think Bedford missed the mark.

BTW, NRG, great pics. Thanks for sharing!

[kmflan]

I have to say I agree. Older urban neighborhood lots do feel more spacious than New Urbanism or Neotraditional. We have a few New Urbanism neighborhoods out here with really beautiful houses and very nice gingerbread inside and out-love all the built-ins and trim and molding. But the lots....We could hardly maneuver our full-size van in the alleyways. I like the idea of encouraging "community". But I think that is something folks have to desire and work toward. It doesn't just happen no matter how close together our houses are.

[Lolahbelle]

Thanks No. R. Guy! This is very helpful for us wannabes.

If you the have spare time and energy more of this is much appreciated...

[raleighjayne]

But I think Bedford missed the mark.
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BINGO! In my opinion the reason why Bedford failed in their attempt at Neo-Traditional or New-Urbanism is because Wakefield Development is not committed to that design movement/philosophy. Bedford was originally supposed to be another phase of Falls River but the developers of FR didn't buy the land, Wakefield did. I'm not sure what happened there or how that works, but in any case, Wakefield Development bought the land instead. It was a pretty big controversy in Falls River at the time. Nobody wanted to see another Wakefield Plantation back there. There were guidelines set on what the neighborhood should look like. Sidewalks on both sides of the street, parks, house styles, front porches, not having the same house elevation or color close to another, etc. It was supposed to blend with Falls River.

I see Bedford as being more of a hybrid between FR and Wakefield. Not that Falls River is necessarily a great example of New Urbanism (the shopping center is not centrally located), but it is a very well planned neighborhood. The houses don't look crammed together and the neighborhood is a 'whole', rather than a bunch of little sections. I guess there are sections, with the patio homes and cottage homes, but the rest of the homes aren't sectioned off by builder or price point like Bedford's are. I don't think Wakefield Dev had anything in mind other than making money and having to obey the rules or restrictions on building styles, etc. The houses are so crammed together in some sections and even the sections that have larger lots still look way more crammed together than Falls River.

The streets are very narrow (that is the first comment visitors make to us) and some of the homes have driveways that are so short that a car cannot be parked on them without hanging out into the alley. I just don't think that Wakefield Dev was really prepared or educated on how to build a neighborhood like that. I think that the sidewalks, parks and other amenities ate into the space available for homes so they really had to pack them in to get as many as they wanted to have. Its certainly not a failure (we chose to build in Bedford and generally enjoy living here), but its not what it set out to be.