Transit-Oriented Developments are One Answer to Austin’s Growth Need

The following post comes courtesy of Global Site Plans' The Grid. CNU and Global Site Plans recently teamed up to syndicate Grid content, as its contingent of writers presents a view on the opportunities and issues of urbanization all across the world. CNU will carry select posts from the Grid direct on the CNU Salons.

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As Austin, Texas strives to grow as a more environmentally and sociallysustainable city, it has turned to Smart Growth principles to obtain its growth goals. One way in which the city has met this challenge is through the implementation of Transit-Oriented Developments, or TODs. The principles are transit-centric and consist of the following:

●     Organize growth pattern on a regional level to be compact and transit-supportive;
●     Place commercial, housing, jobs, parks, and civic uses within walking distance of transit stops and one another;
●     Create pedestrian-friendly street networks which directly connect local destinations;
●     Provide mixed housing types, densities, and costs;
●     Preserve sensitive habitat, riparian zones, and high quality open space;
●     Make public space the focus of building orientations and neighborhood activity;
●     Encourage infill and redevelopment along transit corridors within existing neighborhoods.

Midtown Commons 1st Floor Work/Live Spaces

In essence, TOD strives to create vibrant communities that are part of an environmentally and socially sustainable urban plan. A challenge Austin faces with this mass implementation of TODs is rapid gentrification of existing neighborhoods, and a lack of single family detached homes. Most of the TODs seen in Austin consist of apartment homes, and occasionally condominiums are seen as well. Midtown Commons at Crestview (see images) is an example of a transit-oriented community that is in the beginning stages of developing for-sale properties in close proximity to the Capital MetroRail Red Line. What other challenges and opportunities of this development type in the Austin area can be foreseen?

People leaving the train station, and others frequenting the local pub, Black Star Co-op.

To read the original post, written by Bonnie Rodd, visit Global Site Plans.