Urbanization of the ‘burbs: How the definition of ‘city’ is changing

How the definitions of ‘city’ and ‘suburbs’ are changing

According to a new article from Builder, the words “city” and “suburbs” don’t mean what they used to. Today, builders are finding that home buyers in search of an urban lifestyle aren’t married to living downtown, preferring the lifestyle itself over the idea of actually living in the city.

“Walkable urbanism” – a term coined by Christopher Leinberger, a Brookings Institution senior fellow and George Washington University professor – isn’t new, but it’s red hot.

A 2014 report from the university counted 558 walkable urban places, or WalkUPs, in the country’s 30 largest metropolitan areas, including D.C. As much as one-third of New York’s and Boston’s office and retail space is within walking distance of residences, the report says, and Miami, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Denver are moving in that direction. Homeowners and tenants in WalkUPs can reach their jobs, schools, restaurants, and other daily destinations on foot.

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