Subdude Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Mixed use: Main street life comes around againHouston Business Journal - June 8, 2007by Nicole BradfordHouston Business JournalNostalgia may be the driving force behind urban residents who are trading in their suburban two-story homes for smaller digs where shops, living quarters and offices exist side by side or even -- more literally -- upstairs/downstairs.Known as mixed-use developments, this new trend in commercial construction has made its way into most metropolitan areas and is finding a loyal following in each of them.For older generations, the atmosphere of "new urbanism" developments is a re-creation of the setting for their childhood: A bustling downtown where living units sit atop merchant space and the most common form of transportation is two feet, or perhaps a bicycle.... A good example of such a development is Houston's Uptown Park, Dowling says."If ever there was a developer who developed a project correctly, it was Giorgio Borlenghi with his vision of Uptown Park and the development of Villa D'Este and Montebello, which complemented the retail," he says. "All one has to do is sit outside at the Tasting Room at night and watch all of the residents in Montebello and Villa d'Este walk across the street and enjoy all of the night life Uptown Park offers."Another project in the works is Randall Davis' Sonoma located in Rice Village."Here is another example of a magnificently professional developer who has the vision and plans accordingly," Dowling says. "Sonoma will be a true mixed-use development in Rice Village that will have residential living over retail. If there was going to be a "slam-dunk" in residential development in Houston it will be Sonoma."Initially viewed as a way to revitalize downtown environments, mixed-use developments also have found their way into suburbs, creating a new hub that includes not only work and shopping, but community activities in public areas. Many are created to resemble European villages, the same idea behind Westbury Square nearly 50 years ago.Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockmat Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 (edited) Anyone have a picture of Westbury Square? Anyone been to it?nevermind...i found the thread for it...from GOOGLE! Edited June 12, 2007 by lockmat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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