Mixed-Use Neighborhoods: What Are They, and What Are the Benefits? - Cambrian Rise in Burlington, VT

Nestled in the heart of a bustling city is Unity Avenue, a vibrant street teeming with life. It's early morning, and the sunlight washes unevenly over a diverse mixture of new and old buildings ↕, some graffiti-sprayed and worn out by the ravages of time.

Over the past twenty years, there has been a push for zoning reforms in urban and suburban areas. Inner-city economies have shifted from a basis on manufacturing to service and consumption. Downtowns are now hubs for entertainment and commerce and are increasingly also being seen as destinations for living. A new generation of people—empty nesters

... See more

There have also been efforts to rethink the way suburbs work, by changing zoning rules to encourage the emergence, either spontaneously or through deliberate redevelopment, of mixed neighborhoods of residential, retail, and office space, and forms of housing other than single-family homes. This typically involves a small, walkable town center with

... See more