• A pocket neighborhood designed for connection

    The Ember in Edmond, Oklahoma, is designed so that all neighbors will feel part of the whole via a central gathering space.
    Pocket neighborhoods designed around mid-block cottage courts are a notable trend in New Urbanism. They have several advantages, especially on infill sites. The houses are sited on small lots, taking advantage of a high-quality open space serving all residents. They achieve decent density, due to...Read more

  • Houston tackles missing-middle housing with code reform

    Although Houston is famous for having no zoning, its land-use codes are nearly as complicated. Imminent revision of parking, dwelling, and lot size rules could trigger a wave of sorely needed missing middle housing.
    Note: This article first appeared on Strong Towns .​ Houston has long been a poster child for urban planning ills. Mega highways cleave downtown, with an expansion potentially on the way . No zoning regulations have led to a free-for-all with endless rows of townhouses dominating prime...Read more

  • How parking affects missing middle housing

    Missing Middle Housing types are key to affordability, but parking (and zoning that requires off-street parking) impacts the cost. This analysis by Dan Parolek of Opticos Design, author of Missing Middle Housing , shows that fourplexes—one missing middle type—may yield from 21 to 49 units per acre...Read more

  • Building ‘missing middle,’ first step to suburban retrofit

    For much of the last six or seven decades, we’ve seen limited housing options in suburbia—generally single-family housing for sale, or apartment complexes with units for rent. In Gainesville, Florida, a South Carolina developer is offering a different option—namely cottages, for rent, with the...Read more