By Deborah Myerson What should communities do with older buildings have outlived their original purpose? Office complexes, churches, shopping malls, schools, and more each can have a time when their original use is no longer needed. For many of these buildings, adaptive reuse is a natural choice. Whether preserving historic features, or simply making a […]
Author: Deborah Myerson
05.28.2020
Go, Get Some Fresh Air
By Deborah Myerson Pools, playgrounds, and patios: adding outdoor amenities to living space has been increasingly popular for several years. The demand for outdoor living space is especially strong for Millennials and Baby Boomers, and driving innovations for both renters and homeowners. Outdoor kitchens lead the top outdoor living trends for single-family homes in […]
03.23.2020
Expanding Home Building Options: Go Modular
By Deborah Myerson For over 100 years, pre-fabricated homes— including Sears Roebuck Co. mail-order kits in the early 20th century and post-World War II Lustron homes— have provided innovative solutions to expanding housing options in residential markets in the United States. In today’s market, with many communities facing a shortage of housing options and high […]
02.04.2020
More Places for Cars—Or People?
By Deborah Myerson Many communities across the U.S. are struggling with high housing costs and looking for ways to increase local housing supply. What if there was a way to create more land for building homes and lower the cost of construction? Some municipalities are doing exactly that. How? Parking reform. Less space to house […]
10.01.2019
What’s Next? Innovations in Workforce Housing Development
Housing production in the U.S. in 2019 continues to fall short of demand, keeping housing prices and rents high, and making affordability an elusive goal for many households across much of the U.S. According to Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies’ State of the Nation’s Housing 2019, demographic projections could support a robust housing market […]
07.15.2019
Complete Streets: Neighborhoods for Everyone
Strides toward streets that welcome walkers and cyclists, as well as cars A stroll to the local grocery store to get milk and bread, chatting with neighbors along the way. A leafy bike lane separated from car traffic makes it easy to commute to work. Rather than the old-school model of simply creating fast lanes […]
06.03.2019
Good Design at Any Scale
More options emerge to put form-based codes within reach A walkable, bike-friendly neighborhood with a harmonious blend of single-family homes, duplexes, and small-scale multifamily apartments. A lively mixed-use corridor with attractive retail storefronts facing trees, landscaping, and benches to create an appealing streetscape. These are just some of the outcomes that advocates of form-based codes […]
03.14.2019
Yes, In My Backyard
Localities and States Push for Wider Acceptance of Accessory Dwelling Units