When I first started working at The Coral Company four years ago, I had no idea that developers were actually interested in building and redeveloping within the city limits. It was refreshing to know that my company, among a small handful of similar builders, were taking part in creating viable communities and neighborhoods within the greater city limits.
This reuse and redevelopment of inner ring suburban land, known as Smart Growth, is just the opposite of exurbia (the decades of low density development in the outer reaches of suburbia that have created traffic congestion, long commutes, air and water pollution, inadequate transit options and a decline in green space). By building in established suburbs, green space is conserved, new howmeowners are provided with more choices to live, work, and play, given more transit alternatives and cities thrive again with the increased tax base.
Some guiding principles of Smart Growth development that The Coral Company follows are:
- making sure new developments reflect the character of the surrounding neighborhoods
- designating and keeping green space for the enjoyment of everyone - in the present and for the future
- building where established infrastructure, jobs, and transportation are
- offering trans-generational housing choices to result in greater neighborhood diversity
- providing open space connections to encourage walking, cycling, or use of public transportation
- creating a sense of place by incorporating the local community's culture, heritage, and history into the new development
Makes sense and sounds smart, doesn't it?
Leanne van Beers-Werneke is the Director of Marketing for The Coral Company.
