Most modern construction is either big box development or McMansion sprawl. But a community in Albuquerque, New Mexico is breaking the mold. The construction project, dubbed “Mesa del Sol,” combines new concepts about sustainability with the age-old (i.e. pre-Ford) wisdom of a walkable city.
Mesa del Sol is a throwback to the good old days of traditional neighborhood design. Before World War II, mixed-use urban planning was the norm. Neighborhoods weren’t just full of houses. Homes were within walking distance of shops, parks, transit, schools, and workplaces. Mesa del Sol, which is LEED certified, will serve as a multi-use, multi-purpose space, so residents don’t have to rely on their cars to get around.
Here’s what the architects development team behind Mesa del Sol has to say about the project’s myriad benefits:
First, everything is more convenient. You don’t have to spend as much time in the car getting to and from school, work, the park, the grocery store. In fact, you may find yourself walking to many of these places instead of driving. Which makes it more sustainable, conserving gasoline and reducing carbon emissions. And when you have more people out walking in the neighborhood, you tend to get more people — and more kinds of people — interacting with each other. The whole place feels friendlier.”
Behind the wheel, drivers are often removed from reality—and from their community. On the sidewalks, however, they’re more likely to engage with their neighbors. Drivers are isolated, whereas pedestrians interact more directly with their environment; they’re not boxed in, or blasting the car radio. Residents will “burn less fossil fuel and more calories,” say developers.
Mesa del Sol is under construction in the heart of the city, so it’s nearby the local university, downtown, and major transportation hubs. The community is taking an overall green approach, with conservation of water and energy as top considerations. The neighborhood will also utilize abundant sources of natural energy, like solar and wind, and every home built within its bounds will be Energy-star rated for efficiency. We applaud the architects for their foresight, and for making sustainability—versus making a quick buck—their top priority.
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Yet another reason I never want to live in NYC… I’ve lived in Iowa City, IA, now for 6 years and we have a thriving downtown community largely due to a pedestrian mall. In the summer, we have art festivals and jazz festivals and the entire downtown area is blocked off (yes, the streets are closed!). It’s an accepted phenomenon, and we love it. New York needs to take a lesson from the Heartland and get over itself already.
And what New Yorker wouldn’t love living in thrilling Iowa City, Iowa, (pop. 62,649) Kitty cat bandit?
As far as the post goes, It sounds like the reason they’re doing this is to keep SoHo from becoming even more touristy then it already is (sort of a lost cause though in my opinion). Perhaps they want to keep up the illusion that it isn’t a total tourist trap? Seems semi-justified at least. I don’t think the back lash is really because NYers are “attached” to their cars – who the hell bothers with a car in NYC? Anyway in this case I can see the reasoning behind it. I don’t know how they justify the other stuff like fighting bike lanes though… that’s lame.