New Urbanism

New Urbanism

New Urbanism

August 29, 2005 - Paraphrased Article from Indianapolis Business Journal

By:  Delia Pacheco, Indianapolis Business Journal

New Urbanism-style developments are slowly emerging in central Indiana as part of a national movement that embraces the neighborhoods of old without forgetting the lifestyles of today.

With gas prices soaring and commutes growing even longer, many people are yearning for the days when neighbors greeted each other from their front porches and where grocery shopping meant walking to the small, family-owned store just a few blocks away.

A few developers are trying to recreate that sense of community right here in central Indiana.  Two of the largest are in Hamilton County:  The Villages of WestClay, a 680-acre development in Carmel, and Saxony, which encompasses 725 acres spread between Fishers and Noblesville.

Saxony
Spanning both sides of Interstate 69 at Exit 10, Saxony is one of the newest and largest New Urbanism projects just being developed.  The Residences, as the housing portion is called, will include 1,300 townhomes and single-family homes in a wide price range.

Rick Arnos, president of the Toledo, Ohio-based Republic Development Corp., sees Saxony as a mix of different uses that’s meant to be self-sustaining.  Arnos says that residents will utilize the restaurants and entertainment venues in the evening while employees in the adjacent offices will utilize them during working hours.  It’s a win-win for everyone, he believes.

Republic is sold on the location because of its proximity to some of the world’s largest biomechanical manufacturers, and the belief that the I-69 corridor is becoming better known as a life sciences route.

The successful new traditional neighborhood developments, Arnos believes, are those that integrate residential with commercial and retail components.

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