For smart growth, not all density is created equal | Better! Cities & Towns Online

For smart growth, not all density is created equal | Better! Cities & Towns Online

You don't need high-rise apartment complexes to see the environmental benefits of increased density. The 20 to 60 homes-per-acre of historic urban neighborhoods is plenty dense (marginal improvement in environmental parameters declines starting at 20 and disappears above 60 per acre) and is more comfortable for pedestrians and appealing to residents and visitors.

"After extensive study of how humans behave in different kinds of environments, [architect Jan] Gehl has concluded that the most comfortable building height for urban pedestrians is between 12.5 and 25 meters, or about three to six stories.  (See the excellent discussion in Li Teng, Human Scale Development....)  Could that be part of why people love these historic city districts so much?"

The author provides photos of new transit-oriented developments like Fruitvale in Oakland, California, and Bethesda Row in Bethesda, Maryland, that meet these criteria with low-rise buildings.