Posts about Development
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Not your mother’s cities
My mother grew up living a city lifestyle in an ethnic enclave in Buffalo, NY, a daughter of immigrant parents and a little older than the baby boomers. She did not even have a drivers license until she was in her mid-20’s. When my parents bought their house in Silver Spring off the Beltway, many Americans were moving to the suburbs. The American Dream was to own a house in a quiet neighborhood… Keep reading…
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The Corridor Cities Transitway and the future of the middle suburbs
According to the Gazette, Maryland state planners are optimistic that private sector funding might help pay for the Corridor Cities Transitway. The Transitway is a proposed line north of Shady Grove along the 270 corridor, through some areas planned for high density commercial and residential development. A train line here would encourage human scale, energy efficient, walkable… Keep reading…
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Montgomery College Metro station?
When I was a student at Montgomery College, the school posted a great map throughout the school showing the number of Montgomery College students that were citizens of countries around the world. The student body hailed from 191 countries which, they said, was more than at any other institution of higher learning in America. With people coming from all four corners of the world to attend… Keep reading…
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Christmas Eve links: Transportation wishes and ill-advised gifts
Wanted: more downtown burrito options: Matthew Yglesias writes about the scarce options for good burritos in downtown DC. The only good places are on food carts or in alleys, which means that either retail rents on streets are too high, or we need more food carts and alley eateries. (DC is working on new cart vending regulations, to mixed reviews thus far.)… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Actions for transit
MoCo planning staff endorse light rail: Reports of Planning Board staff endorsing a bus Purple Line have been greatly exaggerated. A staff report released yesterday endorses the surface light rail option, including the segment parallel to the Capital Crescent Trail. “We have to grow, and we have to do it in a way that is sustainable … in a reasonable way that is less dependent… Keep reading…
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Roger Lewis endorses three Beltways?
Washington Post Shaping the City columnist and UMD architecture professor emeritus Roger Lewis usually makes a valuable contribution to debates about our region. He supports less sprawling development patterns, plans to make Tysons a “real city”, and the Purple Line. That’s why I was shocked to hear him recommend not just completing the ICC, but three Beltways… Keep reading…
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My wish for the holidays: development review filings online
One of the most important and contentions issues in any community is new development. ANCs spend a great deal of time discussing development proposals. We discuss them extensively, along with the zoning and historic preservation implications, on Greater Greater Washington. Several key boards make the big decisions in the District of Columbia. Yet it’s still extremely… Keep reading…
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Montgomery County: America in microcosm
Montgomery County, and most of the Washington region, is far from typical of the United States in many ways. Both Montgomery County and the region as a whole have higher education and income levels than the nation on average, and even the less affluent parts of the county have a median income that is well above the national median income. However, on land use, the county is grappling with… Keep reading…
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Maryland and Virginia trade places
Virginia has made huge strides in smart development and transportation policies in recent years, just as Maryland has taken huge leaps in the opposite direction. Former Maryland Governor Parris Glendening gets credit for coining the term “Smart Growth”, and DC’s progressive Planning director Harriet Tregoning used to run Maryland’s Smart Growth… Keep reading…
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ANC and residents debate loading, parking for Wisconsin Giant
Last night, Giant representatives presented to ANC 3C their proposal for a mixed-use development including a new Giant supermarket on Wisconsin Avenue. Approximately 75 people attended, and like the meeting in October, the room was sweltering. Critics, who seemed out outnumber supporters this time, focused on loading impacts and asked for more parking. Keep reading…