Sprawl Retrofit
Case Studies
After half a century of mounting economic, health, environmental, and social consequences, America has finally begun to turn away from the post-WWII pattern of suburban sprawl. Across diverse populations, preferences are broadly shifting towards walkable, mixed-use places—and real estate markets are responding. The built legacy of sprawl, though, is staggering: Millions of acres of failing car-centric development still sit on the land, sapping municipal budgets and depreciating in value.
Downtown Westminster, Westminster, Colorado
A large number of malls are dying nationwide—but in most cases, a city or town just lets a developer or investor determine the fate of a property, if there is a market for reusing the site.
Blue Line Corridor, Prince George’s County, Maryland
Economic development goals in Prince George’s County, Maryland—the largest predominantly African-American suburb in the US—are centered around transit-oriented development (TOD) on the DC Metro system.
Lancaster BLVD, Lancaster, California
“Lancaster BLVD changed the way we think about boulevards,” notes Andrew Von Maur, professor of architecture at Andrews University and a 2021 Charter Awards juror. “It also changed the way we think about parking.”
Mueller, Austin, Texas
The redevelopment of the 711-acre former Mueller airport includes, as of 2020, more than 4,000 diverse living spaces, major employers, and a mixed-use town center. Mueller’s parks attract visitors from across the city.
Legacy Town Center, Plano, Texas
Legacy Town Center, inserted into the pre-existing 3,000-acre Legacy office park, has been successful enough to inspire similar development in the Dallas region.
Plan Viva Laredo, Laredo, Texas
As the United States’ largest inland port, and third-largest overall port, Laredo, Texas, is an important city economically and a gateway to manufacturing across the Mexican border.
Wyandanch Rising, Wyandanch, New York
The center of Wyandanch, New York is a sea of parking fronting a fading commercial strip in the middle of an economically distressed community. That scene is about to change.
Downtown Silver Spring, Silver Spring, Maryland
Downtown Silver Spring in Silver Spring, Maryland, is a 22-acre mixed-use suburban downtown revitalization project.
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