• A mosaic of active streets and public space

    A former cinema site becomes a haven for a diverse suburban population in Virginia.
    Mosaic District is a 31-acre, two million square-foot mixed-use development in Fairfax County, Virginia, on a former a multiplex cinema site. The project comprises nine city blocks, with urban streets and public spaces, recently profiled in the book Case Studies in Retrofitting Suburbia . The area...Read more

  • Suburban malls at the crossroads

    The reimagining of once-cherished malls has become a necessity for owners—not only to stay relevant and compete in the marketplace, but also to identify forward-thinking redevelopment strategies that bring additional viable uses and density.
    Over the last several years the retail landscape has changed dramatically—and potentially forever. With numerous store closings, bankruptcies, and changes in shopping habits, the malls we once flocked to in order to satisfy our shopping needs have, in many instances, become vacant relics...Read more

  • The state of the art of suburban retrofit

    Two retrofit experts have a new book that is an essential reference for transforming suburban landscapes.
    Case Studies in Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Strategies for Urgent Challenges , the latest book in a series by June Williamson and Ellen Dunham-Jones, is about creating real value from underutilized places. The volume focuses on automobile-oriented, conventional suburbs, which comprise about...Read more

  • AARP, CNU team up on zoning reform report

    Ten changes are recommended to improve Main Street streetscapes.
    AARP, a nonprofit representing the interests of the 50-plus age group that claims 38 million members , published a new report on zoning reform to create more walkable communities. Enabling Better Places: A Handbook for Improved Neighborhoods , was cowritten with CNU. The report promotes incremental...Read more