Southside Construction Update - January 2013

[simms3]

Ok, well go build an apartment complex and advertise walkabilty, convenience, transit access, "steps away", downtown Southside, etc.  Was just looking at advertising for apartments in Bethesda, MD.  Walkscore is quoted, living above shopping, urban living without the fuss, quiet urban enclave, live in the city away from the city, best of urban living without the hastle, doorman greeting, stone's throw from x station, etc etc

It's almost like advertising for apartments in the district and advertising for apartments in the multiple edge cities around DC are the same!  That to me tells me that most have a more restricted definition of edge city than simply a place where office space, retail and residential combine in some form or manner (which is really just about everywhere, right?).

[Tacachale]

^No, not everywhere. Most suburbs are still bedroom communities. Arlington, Mandarin and NW St. Johns don't have much office space to speak of; the people live there and work elsewhere. If I understand the man correctly, "Edge City" is a necessarily loose definition for a place where people work as well as live (and shop), outside of the urban framework.

[thelakelander]

Simms3, no one ever said the typical Edge City was walkable.  Edge Cities have traditionally developed as being autocentric and pedestrian hostile.  Most still are today but others are urbanizing and becoming walkable suburban nodes.  For that to happen with the Southside, we'd first have to significantly alter our land use and zoning regulations.  Who knows if that will happen anytime soon but if it did, we do have the opportunity to improve the environment that exists today.


Southfield, MI during it's early years.  Nothing about this was walkable then and it still isn't today.  Today, there are a few more office buildings but the mall is worse off than our Regency Square.


Southfield today.

[ProjectMaximus]

Ok, well go build an apartment complex and advertise walkabilty, convenience, transit access, "steps away", downtown Southside, etc.  Was just looking at advertising for apartments in Bethesda, MD.  Walkscore is quoted, living above shopping, urban living without the fuss, quiet urban enclave, live in the city away from the city, best of urban living without the hastle, doorman greeting, stone's throw from x station, etc etc

It's almost like advertising for apartments in the district and advertising for apartments in the multiple edge cities around DC are the same!  That to me tells me that most have a more restricted definition of edge city than simply a place where office space, retail and residential combine in some form or manner (which is really just about everywhere, right?).

Your perspective is obviously different. The edge city I remember learning about in college 8 years ago was developed for the automobile. Even in this article it states "massive surface parking lots...manicured lawns...winding parkways without sidewalks." Lake's advice is for us to slowly begin to turn Southside into a more walkable and dense area the way your examples have done.

[mholcombe]

Was surprised not to see The Hawthorne Luxury Apartments listed as new development.  239-units located on Point Meadows Drive adjacent to Twin Lakes Middle School.  Units scheduled to come online in late July/early August.

[thelakelander]

This the January update. They have been included for the last few months.