“Urbanism at it’s core is connective and fluid…”
Renaissance Village has accepted applications and residential spaces are being occupied. The objective of the redevelopment of Springwood Ave is to create an affordable place where people live, work, shop, and visit. The intention is to create a truly walkable and livable, vibrant part of the city, with commitment from the city and investment. The redevelopment of Springwood Ave connects it with Memorial Drive, the Transit Center, and Main Street, making it a great example of revitalization, connecting it “seamlessly to the surrounding area” and the rest of the city.
The Failure of “Just Add Water” Urbanism
“Urbanism, at its core, is connective and fluid, creating places where people want to be, not simply via neighborhood revitalization, but by blending that localized revitalization seamlessly into the surrounding area. There must be a sort of “transition” from one area to the next that guides the resident or visitor gently, instead of assuming that a large-scale new-urbanist creation can suddenly spur arteries of growth in inhospitable urban deserts.”
“…successfully landing commercial tenants and creating an intended neighborhood effect is based largely on the overall health of the environment in which they are built. Mixed-use developments are, inherently, intended to welcome and amplify walkability.”