A large percentage of new housing units
constructed as part of downtown revitalization cater to a two
specific groups of people: older "empty nesters" who live alone
and do not want to drive, and young professionals, who are often
single and want to be near active and "trendy" neighborhoods. A
common element in both these groups is that they do not have
children, and thus neighborhoods designed to attract them do not
cater to the needs of children by providing amenities such as
schools, libraries, and playgrounds.
Because of this, it is likely that many
young professionals will move out of cities and back to suburbs
should they decide to start families. This will cause yet another
round of suburban sprawl and possibly a second wave of urban decay.
In order to lessen the effects of this
or prevent it altogether, urban space must be designed and purposed
in a way that is inclusive to the needs of current and future
residents of all age groups. In some cases, this will result in
tradeoffs where a city has to decide whether to allocate resources to
schools and public or affordable housing or amenities designed to
attract younger residents and tourists to cities.
Despite these tradeoffs, an inclusive
built environment has the potential to draw a previously unconsidered
demographic to cities, families that live in the suburbs simply
because these are the only areas that currently cater to their needs.
Making cities attractive for these groups will not only work to
reduce suburban sprawl but will also extend the economic and social
benefits of urban life to as many people as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment