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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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I personally like the idea of European mixed-use style developments, or the newer examples and some older examples in the US. Whether they be the downtown cores/CBDs of major cities, or TOD nodes.
Under the proviso, though, that there are fairly strict noise-control laws, a decent level of privacy, and that my home is sufficiently insulated from such noise. I love the idea of say a restaurant or corner shop below me, that I can just leave my house and do my shopping two blocks away, or say my clothes dry-cleaned.
I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but in many parts of the world this i the norm. While I think separation of uses/segregated zoning, i.e. single-use residential/dormitory estates will be the rule for the forseeable future, this type of lifestyle will become more popular.
Just the word "European" tends to turn off a lot of Americans, which is why when I'm talking about mixed use, I talk about American prototypes--which were actually pretty much standard for every American city and town through about the 1920s. It's still the norm in a lot of cities and towns, and generally it doesn't mean living in a neighborhood of high-rises (although it can.) Some folks call it "Traditional Neighborhood Development" which I like a bit more, being a bit of a traditionalist myself.
Separated uses and segregated zoning, on the other hand, were government-instituted restrictions put into place by social reformers who wanted to control where people live, where they work, and how they got there, and wanted the taxpayers to foot the bill for the whole thing instead of letting the market decide. That's the kind of social meddling Americans don't like!
In theory, I like the idea of mixed-use development.
In reality, I like that where I work, where I shop, and where I live are in separate places. It gives me more privacy, and more peace and quiet and home.
Suburbs and zoning restrictions developed for a reason - people like them.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,116,964 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnr83
In theory, I like the idea of mixed-use development.
In reality, I like that where I work, where I shop, and where I live are in separate places. It gives me more privacy, and more peace and quiet and home.
Suburbs and zoning restrictions developed for a reason - people like them.
I think people like what they're used to. People in other countries do fine in mixed used developments.
You questions is asking about the idea of it, so you're not going to get much feedback on what it's actually like. Most likely you'll get alot of people who have never experienced it, tell you about their idea of it.
So anyway, my reality was that I really enjoyed the convenience of living in the same building as a hotel, restaurants, salon, tailor & small offices. I was able to take advantage of amenities that aren't offered in other residential buildings, while my neighborhood had other things within walking distance.
I don't like living in single-use suburbs. I hate being absolutely dependent on my car for everything. I like watching other people walking outside. I like getting exercise. I like having access to good public transit.
When in a modern suburban neighborhood, you might as well be living alone in the woods. You rarely see people walking outside. Everyone likes to keep to themselves. The suburbs are too ugly anyway. Better to keep yourself locked up indoors, vegetating in front of the TV. There's a great sense of mind-numbing boredom, isolation and alienation. You might as well be living on Mars. Ever wonder why half the commercials on TV are for anti-depression medication?
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,116,964 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by cisco kid
I don't like living in single-use suburbs. I hate being absolutely dependent on my car for everything. I like watching other people walking outside. I like having access to good public transit.
When in a modern suburban neighborhood, you might as well be living alone in the woods. You rarely see people walking outside. Everyone likes to keep to themselves and lock themselves indoors. You might as well be living on Mars. There's a great sense of mind-numbing boredom, isolation and alienation. Ever wonder why half the commercials on TV are for anti-depression medication?
Yeah living in the 'burbs is practically all I know . It's the way of life for like at least 70% of Australians. Even most people my age, many of them live with their parents and save up for their own house in the suburbs. See we don't have a culture of going to college, so it's becoming more common for kids to just live at home through university and then actually buy a place and move out and settle down.
No, thanks. I want to live close to businesses that I patronize, but not on top of or behind them. A few blocks away is just fine.
My neighborhood is strictly residential, but 2-3 blocks away I've got restaurants, stores, banks, beauty salons, drug stores etc. And that's as close as I want to be to the noise, dirt and traffic that business brings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wburg
when I'm talking about mixed use, I talk about American prototypes--which were actually pretty much standard for every American city and town through about the 1920s. It's still the norm in a lot of cities and towns
Standard? Hardly. Why, then, do small towns, small cities and even big cities have separate residential districts -- not necessarily single family only, but strictly residential -- and commercial districts? Every city I've ever been in has entire neighborhoods that are wholly residential, separate from the city's neighborhood business districts, and I can think of a whole bunch of them were built before the 1920s.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cisco kid
When in a modern suburban neighborhood, you might as well be living alone in the woods. You rarely see people walking outside. Everyone likes to keep to themselves. The suburbs are too ugly anyway. Better to keep yourself locked up indoors, vegetating in front of the TV. There's a great sense of mind-numbing boredom, isolation and alienation. You might as well be living on Mars.
*yawn*
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. It's the way of life for like at least 70% of Australians. Even most people my age, many of them live with their parents and save up for their own house in the suburbs. See we don't have a culture of going to college, so it's becoming more common for kids to just live at home through university and then actually buy a place and move out and settle down.
