Sponsor
This research was funded by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities, or NITC, a program of TREC at Portland State University. Funding was also provided by the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) as well as the Equity Residential
Document Type
Report
Publication Date
2-2010
Subjects
Transportation -- Oregon -- Planning, Transportation -- Management -- Environmental aspects
Abstract
Suburban multifamily housing is an often overlooked housing typology that is the fasted growing housing market in the country and holds strong potential for achieving smart growth goals in suburbia. This housing type is ubiquitous throughout all regions in the nation, is a widespread example of density in suburbia, and is typically located next to commercial uses. The proximity between suburban multifamily housing and commercial uses creates the potential for nodes of concentrated activity, mixed use, and the possibility of substantial non-auto transport in suburbia. While this potential exists, the design of this housing type often follows an enclaved pattern of development, negating any synergy, minimizing the possibility of non-auto transport, and denying any potential for sustainable development. Through case studies of suburban multifamily development in Oregon, Arizona, Florida, and Massachusetts, this report looks at the specific ways in which regulation, typical development practice, and design culture have shaped the current pattern of suburban multifamily development. Each case study includes graphic analysis of physical development patterns, interviews with planners, architects, property managers and developers who worked on the case study projects, regulatory analysis of case study jurisdictions, and surveys of residents.
DOI
10.15760/trec.88
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/16988
Recommended Citation
Larco, Nico. Overlooked Density: Re-Thinking Transportation Options in Suburbia. OTREC-RR-10-03. Portland, OR: Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC), 2010. https://doi.org/10.15760/trec.88
Description
Phase II can be found online at: http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/16790
This is a final report, OTREC-RR-10-03, from the NITC program of TREC at Portland State University, and can be found online at: http://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/project/152