Johannesburg attached, adaptable prototype included in database for developing economies

From 26'10 South Architects: "Can we imagine a move towards a dynamic flexibility which can deliver subsidised housing in which the unit becomes an asset leading to income generation?  The housing types proposed for Diepsloot attempt to achieve higher occupational density in order to achieve minimum displacement of residents. "The design also attempts to enable income generation through accommodating rental rooms, retail and small business enterprise.  In addition ground floors are conceived as flexible spaces accommodating both trade and/or residential use.  Circulation and services are positioned in such a way as to provide for these diverse occupation scenarios.  This allows for economic development over time, especially along busy routes.

"Houses are located close to the street boundary to create a sense of urbanity, surveillance, ease of trading and to limit the amount of unusable space between units.  The increased densities also achieve the necessary thresholds for the efficient provision of public transport and economic opportunities.  Both the Vertical Yard and the 14x7m Row House offer two different approaches to achieve growth over time and a mix of uses and economies."  Full page with images here.

From the write-up about 26'10 South's proposal included in the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum's Design Other 90 Network: "The proposed housing types incorporate dynamic aspects of the informal city, such as flexibility and growth.  The increase in density allows the units to be larger by saving money on land cost, infrastructure, and services."

Design Other 90 Network is an "open-network database" and  "social-media platform that invites everyone to:

• Share vital design resources for developing and emerging economies.
• Connect with stakeholders in the fields of design, architecture, sustainability, humanitarian aid, and more.
• Engage a broad international audience in developing solutions for those living in poverty."

New York townhouse market 10-year report, 2011 edition, suggests new rental transaction volume

Douglass Elliman just released the 2011 edition of its annual New York townhouse market 10-year report, prepared by Miller Samuel. From Jonathan Miller's blog: "I define a 'townhouse' as a 1-5 family house that can be delivered vacant. It’s one of my favorite reports to work on because the market is so unique.  Purchasers rarely view these properties as vehicles for cash flow – in appraisal parlance, their 'highest and best use' is eventual conversion to single family occupancy." The report is copy protected, so I'll respect that.  But from Real Deal writer Adam Fusfeld: "Sales activity increased 22 percent between 2010 and 2011 to 240 transactions, the highest total since the credit crunch. But Miller said it’s about on point with the 10-year average of 250 sales.  A decade’s worth of data show a 112 percent increase, according to Miller, because there’s so little new construction in the townhouse market.  In fact, the townhouse stock is so old that the average townhouse sold during the decade was built in 1908.

"'The numbers make the case for a long-term view of housing,' he said. 'Real estate professionals lost their way, viewing it as a short-term investment. As an asset it’s slow-moving, but we had a different standard during the boom of double-digit price increases and that’s the wrong approach.  Property shouldn’t be considered a liquid asset like a stock.'"

From Crain's writer Amanda Fung: "The median sale price dipped 5.1% to about $3.7 million last year, while the average sales price slid 9.4% to roughly $5 million. The decline was largely a result of a steep rise in sales of three-to-five-family houses, which represented 38.3% of all sales last year, compared to 22.3% in 2010.  Mr. Miller attributed the increase in sales of this house type to a boom in the rental market, which is emboldening some buyers of three-to-five-family houses.  Those three-to-five-family houses also tend to be smaller in size than single-family houses. Over the last decade, single-family homes averaged 4,837 square feet and three-to-five-family houses average 4,420 square feet.

"Despite the dip in prices last year, townhouse prices have handily outpaced the overall residential market in terms of price growth this past decade. Townhouse median sales prices have more than doubled since 2002, while median sales prices in Manhattan overall have risen 89% to $850,000."  (Photo credit: Buck Ennis.)

Manifesto from 1987 says urban neighborhoods require "many, separate, distinct buildings"

Old Urbanist's post inspired me to read Jacobs and Appleyard's "Toward an Urban Design Manifesto" of 1987.  It's worth a read, but don't take my word for it, here are a few teasers.  In the prologue, Jacobs writes: "What follows, then, is an assertion of what urban places ought to be.  That is what manifestoes are all about."  The authors share their list of general goals for urban life -- livability; identity and control; access to opportunity, imagination, and joy; authenticity and meaning; community and pubic life; urban self-reliance; and an environment for all -- and then get manifesto-ing: "We have some ideas, at least, for how the fabric or texture of cities might be conserved or created to encourage a livable urban environment.  There are five physical characteristics that must be present if there is to be a positive response to the goals and values we believe are central to urban life: livable streets and neighborhoods; some minimum density of residential development as well as intensity of land use; an integration of activities -- living, working, shopping -- in some reasonable proximity to each other; a manmade environment, particularly buildings, that de- fines public space (as opposed to buildings that, for the most part, sit in space); and many, many separate, distinct buildings with complex arrangements and relationships (as opposed to few, large buildings)."

Did they say many, separate, distinct buildings are required for a "livable" (I'm not a fan of the word) urban environment?  Yes, and to elaborate: "Diversity, the possibility of intimacy and confrontation with the unexpected, stimulation,are all more likely with many buildings than with few taking up the same ground areas.  For a long time we have been led to believe that large land holdings were necessary to design healthy, efficient, aesthetically pleasing urban environments.

"Architects of both ideological persuasions promulgated or were easily convinced of the wisdom of land assembly.  It’s not hard to figure out why.  The results, whether by big business or big government, are more often than not inward-oriented, easily controlled or controllable, sterile, large-building projects, with fewer entrances, fewer windows, less diversity, less innovation, and less individual expression than the urban fabric that existed previously or that can be achieved with many actors and many buildings.

"With smaller buildings and parcels, more entrances must be located on the public spaces, more windows and a finer scale of design diversity emerge.  A more public, lively city is produced.  It implies more, smaller groups getting pieces of the public action, taking part, having a stake.  To keep public frontages alive, free from the deadening effectsof offices and banks, small buildings will help more than large ones. There need to be large buildings, too, but they will be the exception, not the rule."  Full essay here.

Promoting small buildings for better urban neighborhoods: "affordable-accessible" housing

Recently I asked readers how they would promote small buildings for better urban neighborhoods.  Todd Litman sent a paper he authored for the Victoria Transport Policy Institute titled "Affordable-Accessible Housing In A Dynamic City: Why and How To Increase Affordable Housing Development In Accessible Locations". Todd defines affordable-accessible housing as "lower-priced apartments, townhouses, duplexes, small-lot single-family and accessory suites located in neighborhoods with shops, schools, healthcare and jobs that are easy to reach by walking, bicycling and public transit".  Sounds good, let's keep reading:

"Many current policies and planning practices discourage accessible-affordable housing development. These include restrictions on building height, density and type; generous minimum parking requirements; and fees and taxes structured to favor fewer, more expensive units.

"There are many possible ways to increase housing and transportation affordability, but some are better than others because they reduce rather than shift costs, and support other strategic objectives such as reducing vehicle traffic and sprawl.

"Some relatively modest policy reforms can greatly improve affordability and accessibility, and therefore the lives of physically and economically disadvantaged people. These include changes to zoning codes to allow more diverse housing types, reduced parking requirements, improving walking and cycling conditions, and improved public transit service."  Full paper here.

Phuket shophouses: a city's cultural tourism logo is the architectural style of its small buildings

From Phuket.com: "A must-do in Phuket is a walk in the old part of Phuket City, around Thalang, Dibuk and Krabi roads.  The beautiful architecture along these roads will take you back the charm of a century ago.  A style of building in particular stand out: the shop-house (Sino-Portuguese style). "No one knows exactly when the first building in this style was constructed, but old photographs from the reign of King Rama V (1853-1910) show that it was already well established by then.  The shop-house was a place for a family to both live and do business, using the front of the building for trading and the remainder, including the upper floor, as their private home.

The floor plans of all these shop-houses are very similar: five metres wide but as much as 50 metres long, creating a very spacious living space for an entire family.  Across the front of each, along the edge of the street, is an arcade, offering shade and shelter to the public.  Behind this, the house is usually divided into four parts.  There is a living room for general purposes and for receiving guests, followed by a central space, open to the sky, with a well.  At the rear is the kitchen.  Upstairs is the family’s private area and bedrooms.

"In the old days, the central open area was often the heart of the house.  It was here that you would find the women of the house chatting while cooking or doing the washing.  It was also, in a sense, the lungs of the house, allowing air to flow through, even in the hottest month.  Also contributing to the cool atmosphere were the thick, solidly-built walls."

"The core of the Old Town essentially is made up of five roads and several 'sois' (small streets).  Soi Rommanee (sometime written ‘Rommani’ or 'Romanee') is located in the heart of Phuket Old Town.  Like many streets in Phuket’s old quarter, there are lots of attractive Sino-Portuguese style shop-houses.  Shop-houses are usually found built in rows, giving rise to the Hokkien Chinese term tiam choo, meaning a row of shop-houses."  Full page with photos here.

Townhouses: urbanity vs. privacy, played out in New York, Baltimore, and Bruges for centuries

From Brooklyn Magazine writer Henry Stewart: "In homage to the voyeuristic artwork of Shizuka Yokomizo, we sent Harlan Erskine to Park Slope to see if its browstone dwellers would let us photograph their home interiors through their curtainless windows. He left the following note at dozens of Park Slope brownstones. “I am a Brooklyn-based photographer and would love to photograph the exterior of your home for a photo story referencing the work of Shizuka Yokomizo. In the acknowledgement to Shizuka’s ‘Distance’ piece, the essay places the same amount of emphasis on the design of the home as it does as the participation of the resident. Therefore, I would like to call on you in hopes that you might participate in this feature, to leave your lower level lights on from the hours of 10pm-11pm TONIGHT and arrange the apartment as you would like it to be seen. I would also encourage you to engage in the space or in front of the window if you too would like to be photographed."  Full article with more photos here.

An interesting reminder of small-scale urban housing's uneasy relationship with its surrounding urbanity.  However, such friction has in turn produced its own art forms, such as the screen paintings of Baltimore or (my theory) the coveted lace of Belgium, which was hung centuries ago in the ground-floor windows of townhouses in the Low Countries, first for privacy, then as a sign of high class.  A contemporary example of the quest for privacy is the "rain screen" facade designed by architect Peter Gluck for this townhouse in New York.  (Photo credit: Harlan Erskine.)

Manhattan grid wraps up first 200 years of density, wayfinding...and leaving north facades in dark

The end of 2011 saw a few articles on the 200th anniversary of the Manhattan grid sneak under the wire.  From NYTimes writer Michael Kimmelman: "'The Greatest Grid: The Master Plan of Manhattan, 1811-2011,' now at the Museum of the City of New York, celebrates the anniversary of what remains not just a landmark in urban history but in many ways the defining feature of the city.  The grid was big government in action, a commercially minded boon to private development and, almost despite itself, a creative template. "New York property values boomed thanks to the grid, which effectively created the real estate market.  Money and aesthetics aren’t antithetical, and the grid has proved itself oddly beautiful.  I’m referring not just to the sociability it promotes, which Jane Jacobs identified, or to the density it allows, which Rem Koolhaas celebrates.

"The grid also makes a complex place instantly navigable.  Manhattan invites long walks, because walkers can judge distances easily and always know where they are.  Tourists who come to Manhattan can easily grasp the layout and, as such, feel they immediately possess the city."  Full article here.

From Forbes writer Stephen Smith: "This WSJ blog post on the high cost of filming in Manhattan rare alleyways reminded me of these bits from Richard Pluntz’s A History of Housing in New York City: 'Even in 1811, the gridiron did not work well. For the small single-family row house which predominated at that time, the solar orientation of the gridiron was reversed from the ideal. Had the long dimension of each block faced east-west, both front and rear facades of each house would have received sunlight each day.'"  Full post here.

And as usual, Old Urbanist provided timely and thoughtful thoughts on the grid, as he did earlier in the year with a fascinating set of posts about the origins of the grid and what Manhattan might have been without it.  (Image credit: New York Historical Society)

Philadelphia small vacant lots reintroduced to collective imagination by arts installations

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/33698254]From Arch Daily writer Irina Vinnitskaya: "Vacant land is a looming problem for many cities, especially when it remains undeveloped for years or is transformed into garbage dumps and parking lots.  But when designers begin to notice these voids within the activity of a city they are able to unlock the inherent potential in the land. "That is precisely what 'Not a Vacant Lot', as part of DesignPhiladephia, did this October.  Philadelphia’s 40,000 vacant lots are both a challenge and an opportunity for young designers, artists and architects to transform these under-utilized spaces into experiences within the fabric of the urban environment.  In order to re-engage such a space there needs to be a draw – it needs to become a physical destination or a visually stimulating product that adds to the life of the city.  DesignPhiladelphia gave artists the opportunity to acknowledge these vacant spaces and reintroduce them into the urban fabric.

"The focal point of the design intervention was at the University of the Arts lot, just a few blocks from Philadelphia’s center.  It featured a reinterpreted map of Philadelphia by PennDesign students and Marianne Bernstein’s Play House, an 8′x8′ aluminum cube which, in its simplicity, could unlock the potential of this particular lot."  Full article here, with additional video.

Book explores Philadelphia rowhouse architecture innovation, more variation than theme

From Hidden City Philadelphia writer Nathaniel Popkin: "Virginia Restemeyer and E.I. Weiner, the authors of the the welcome new book Hip and Hidden Philadelphia: The Unexpected House in a City of Tradition (Probasco Haus Press, 2012), open their introduction with a deep sigh: 'Yes, Philadelphia is old, and historic, and in many ways still defied by its Quaker reticence. Some of those traits are what make the city interesting, even endearing.' "Like all of us who have grown weary of this withering narrative, which ignores considerable evidence of innovation, foresight, ambition, and (yes) wealth spread over three and a half centuries, they quickly point out there is much more to the story. 'Inside Philadelphia there is another Philadelphia.  This Philadelphia is subtle and subversive…the true sign of a different way of thinking.'

"What counts is that Restemeyer, a sculptor, and Weiner, a journalist and writer, have presented us with forceful evidence of a city of startlingly diverse residential architectural expression, well-beyond the standard rowhouse design.  The houses – each illustrated by a few photographs and a short, well-researched and well-crafted essay – are grouped under broad categories: classics, adaptive reuse, incorporated past, facelift, pioneers, etc."  Full post here.  (Photo credit: Peter Woodall.)

Long Island buyers (and construction lenders) think townhouses have several benefits over detatched

From NYTimes writer Marcelle Fischler: "New rental and for-sale communities are increasingly being built in clusters: attached townhouses, semi-attached houses and condominium and rental units in townhouse-style complexes.  What with the scarcity of financing and the inventory backlog of single-family houses, said Glen Cherveny, an architect at Axelrod & Cherveny, those developers who are building at all are sticking to the townhouse look. "Young couples and professionals starting out, as well as empty nesters and divorcees, clamor for the clustered housing, according to Bruce Orr, senior vice president for sales and marketing of Timber Ridge, a developer. This is at least partly because they don’t have to worry about exterior maintenance like raking or shoveling.  Some buyers are also realizing that home values are more secure in townhouse and condo communities, Mr. Cherveny said. With exterior maintenance controlled, there are no worries about a clunker next door.

"Another draw, said Mr. Cherveny, is the 'safety factor' of living in a close-knit community.  The townhouse setup also allows for 'a little more density' without affecting the school district.  Bruce Orr, senior vice president for sales and marketing of Timber Ridge, said a two-bedroom two-bath townhouse 'doesn’t lend itself to a family of six.'"  Full article here.  (Photo credit: Kathy Kmonicek.)

Washington, DC developer lets neighborhood choose commercial tenant for small infill

From Smart Planet writer Tyler Falk: "It’s a simple question, 'What would you build in your city?', but a new Washington, D.C. startup thinks it could transform the traditional patterns of real-estate development.  Popularise acquires vacant properties and asks the local community to vote on what business should open in that location.  Whichever business get the most votes gets to open their store. The idea is to make real-estate development more about what the community wants, says co-founder Ben Miller: "'My goal, and I would love your help, is to pull the curtain back on the real estate industry in the same way Food, Inc. did for the agro-business and food industry. Because in many ways, the same financial engineering that transformed how we eat also drove similar changes in how we live, work, dine, and shop.  Basically, real estate development has become dominated by huge investment funds and public real estate companies — most of whom have more than a billion dollars in assets.  While this money brought a lot of benefits, these corporations just aren’t based in the neighborhoods they develop.  So they build cookie-cutter projects. It’s a lot easier to repeat a past success than to risk something new.'

"It’s a simple but fascinating idea that could captivate the imagination of the neighborhood and get the community invested in the decision-making process — a good thing for any new business joining the neighborhood.  And with 10 million vacant properties throughout U.S. cities, it seems like an idea that could spread and bring development that is valuable to communities."  Full article here.

Update: Readers Elizabeth Christoforetti and Eric Shaw pointed out that the idea of crowdsourcing urban improvements more generally (not just a single tenant) has resulted in resources such as Dew, as well as the "I Wish This Was" and "Neighborland" projects by Civic Center.

Baltimore Habitat group renovates large majority (300!) of empty rowhouses in 15-block area

From Urbanite Baltimore writer  Anissa Elmerraji: "At a dedication ceremony last week attended by droves of supporters, friends, and volunteers, Inger Walker was handed the keys to her very first home.  While the day was understandably memorable for the first-time homeowner, it was equally special for the housing organization that made it all possible: Sandtown Habitat for Humanity.  Walker’s home marked the 300th completed since the organization set out on a mission twenty-two years ago to rehabilitate vacant rowhouses in the neighborhood (see 'Sandtown Green').  With three hundred homes now under its belt, Sandtown Habitat only has fifty to seventy-five more homes to complete before reaching its original goal of rehabilitating all the vacant homes within a fifteen-block area of the Sandtown community."  Full article here.  (Photo credit: Michael Barb.)

George Town, Malaysia shophouses allow fine-grained mix of artisans, culture, and tourism

20,000 views!  From Expat Online: "George Town is changing so fast that it’s hard to keep up with the new boutique hotels that are opening.  But no city can survive on crumbs from tourists alone.  George Town has historically been a place of artisans and merchants.  Without this mix of trade and tourism, George Town could run the risk of becoming a sterile ‘theme park’, paying homage to a culture no longer alive. "Francis Light, the founder of George Town, planned the first streets as a ‘mosaic of ethnic quarters’ and this pluralistic approach has persisted into the 21st century.  The architectural features of the shophouse, are as diverse and yet harmonious as its residents. The basic design is perhaps Chinese, particularly the series of open courtyards, and fan-shaped air vents. The Malays brought their expertise in wood carving and fretwork, the Indians their skilled construction techniques and recipe for durable plaster, the Europeans their French windows, louvered shutters and decorative stucco.

"Shophouses are designed to extend backwards from the street some thirty metres. They were designed as highly practical working/living spaces. The narrow frontages, often no more than six or seven metres wide, give onto a covered ‘five foot’ ways, or kaki lima, often exquisitely tiled, making it possible to walk down the street protected from both sun and tropical rain.

"The downstairs front room, giving onto the street, was where business was carried out. A carved screen protected the rooms behind. Lit by the central wells, these were more private family spaces, such as ‘dining halls’, kitchens and bedrooms. As they were designed with ‘through drafts’, open grilles which encouraged air to circulate, they were surprisingly cool and environmentally friendly buildings.

"George Town is poised to become an imaginative, edgy city if creative people can be encouraged to make it their base. The flexible and trusty shophouse, renovated for contemporary needs, could continue to provide a great working and living space for cultural arts."  Full article here.

Small glass building connects 2 historic Singapore shophouses into unique retail experience

From Inhabitat.com writer Lori Zimmer: "Singapore’s innovative Space Asia Hub is an architectural mash-up that consists of two historic buildings connected by a modern addition. Designed by WOHA Architects, the 40,000 square foot complex incorporates a charming white villa, a modern glass block building, and a larger open plan shophouse.  Situated in Singapore’s Arts District, Space Asia Hub seeks to engage visitors with both architecture and furniture design on an experiential level.  The Villa, a historic white bungalow, has been transformed with a large kitchen. "The Heritage House is a historic conservation shophouse. WOHA revamped the interior with an industrial tone that compliment the loft-like floors. Natural skylights flood the interiors with light that filters in through wooden rafters as well as an outdoor courtyard that features a three-storey living garden wall for both employees and customers to enjoy.  Connecting the two historic buildings is the modern ‘Glass Block’, which displays colorful furniture collections that can be seen from the outside."  Full article with image gallery here.

Phuket shophouses adapted to bed-and-breakfasts are beautiful but not full of tourists...yet

From The Juice Squeezer: "If you are looking for an alternative to the crowded thai beaches full of tourists, Phuket town is the right place where to go.  I was looking for a destination for a short weekend and a friend of mine suggested me to go to Phuket.  At the beginning I was a little bit skeptical, but then I received a sms with the name of a beautiful place to stay: Phuket346.  A small contemporary art gallery / café/ guest room with only 3 rooms, located in the heart of the old town of Phuket.  A single Sino Portuguese shophouse was transformed from a private house into a new concept of hospitality. In particular this street (soi) preserves the essence of old Phuket, the majority of the shophouses are been restored and transformed into bar, small café and guesthouse. The originally structure of the building has been preserved such as the original water pound, the mid building opening to the sky and the depth of up to 25 meters.  However the first night due to an unexpected event we stayed at Casa104.  Casa104 is another historical shophouse exquisitely renovated into a bistro, guesthouse."  Full post with image gallery here.

NYC townhouse renovation "conceived as new construction upside down in existing building"

From Arch Daily writer Megan Jett: "The Inverted Warehouse/Townhouse, designed by Dean-Wolf Architects, is an addition and renovation of a Tribeca loft building. The existing structure, a traditional New York warehouse covers the entire lot, consuming the exterior space traditional in domestic construction. Inverting the conventional townhouse organization recovers this coveted ground. Dissipating energy into the dark center of this converted warehouse, three double story voids animate the missing 'garden' of the townhouse providing light, air, and visual contemplation.  Conceived as new construction built upside down into an existing building, they dissipate a radiant energy into the host."  Full article with image gallery here.  (Photo credit: Paul Warchol.)

City of Boston chooses developers and designers for 3 small, green, urban, PPP projects

From Boston.com writer Matt Rocheleau: "Three development teams received tentative approval from the city this week to lead projects in Boston that will build a total of 10 environmentally-friendly homes, according to city redevelopment officials.  The 'green' high-performance residences will be located on three city-owned parcels — two in Roxbury on Highland St. and Marcela St., and one in Jamaica Plain on Catherine St. near where the neighborhood meets with Roslindale. Transformations Zero Energy Homes, Sage Builders, and Nickerson Design Services were tentatively designated to develop a $1.1-million project at the Highland Street site that will consist of four condominiums, including one affordable unit. Two Greek Revival style duplexes -- each unit with three bedrooms and one parking space -- will be built.

Urbanica Design + Development and Interface Studio Architects were tentatively approved to develop a $1-million project at the Marcella Street site that will consist of four attached townhouses, including one affordable unit.  Each 1,500 square-foot, three-story townhouse will have 2.5 bathrooms, a full basement, and one parking spot.  GFC Development and Utile, Inc. were tentatively designated to develop a $745,000 project at the Jamaica Plain site that will consist of two three-bedroom townhouses.

Through the Energy Positive (E+) Green Building Demonstration Program, the homes will save homeowners money and meet the highest standards for green and healthy homes, city redevelopment officials have said.  The program is a pilot initiative the mayor’s cabinet, the city’s neighborhood development office, environmental office, and the redevelopment authority in partnership with National Grid, NSTAR, USGBC, Boston Society of Architects, and Boston Architectural College."  Full article here.

Brooklyn townhouses are efficient and contextual, and "give each owner a front door"

From Brooklyn Eagle writer Linda Collins: "Hidrock Realty chose to design its new development on Stillwell Avenue in Bensonhurst with its surrounding neighborhood in mind.  According to Steve Hidary, a principal at Hidrock, the company worked with its architects, Kutnicki Bernstein, to make sure the building fit in.  'It didn’t make much sense to build a modern glass condo tower in an area filled with two- and three-family homes,' he said. 'We built three-story townhouses that give each owner a front door, and make use of every bit of square footage available by eliminating the common areas.'  Hidrock celebrated its first closing recently at the new 24-unit condominium development, known as Stillwell Townhouses.  The brand new development features 16 parking spaces available for purchase.  The location is convenient to Coney Island, several public schools, Bealin Square, as well as the shopping and dining options along Stillwell Avenue and Kings Highway."  Full article here.

Fairfax, VA townhouses are narrow, dense, and in mixed-use, transit oriented community

From Fairfax Times writer Jackie Friedlander: "The Vienna/Fairfax Metro station is the first stop for the Orange Line on its way to Washington and beyond.  The new Pulte at MetroWest community adjoins the station.  The MetroWest community is scheduled for 2,248 townhouses, condos and rental apartments on 56 acres. Plans also call for offices, shops, with 35 percent of the acreage devoted to open space.  With their standard brick fronts, the townhouses in Pulte at MetroWest display the enduring elegance of Northern Virginia’s popular federal style. "The Blake model is 16 feet wide, with 1448 square feet of living space, and on the ground floor a rear-loading one-car garage plus a front recreation room.  The Stuart is 20 feet wide with 1,942 square feet of living space. Its first floor provides a front rec room, a rear-loading two-car garage, and a powder room between them.  The 24-foot-wide Tyler model has 2,470 square feet and on the first floor a front-loading two-car garage and a rec room."  Full article here.

Lansdale, PA rowhouses are "new economy" project: small, prototypical, and urban

From the blog Philadelphia 2050, news of a rowhouse project near my childhood home, too: "I've been at my childhood home in the far suburbs these past few weekends helping my mom move, and what has caught my eye is the first real New Economy project up there.  This is the first project that has been entirely conceived and realized after 2008.  It's called Cannon Square, developed by WB Homes, and it's rowhomes.  It's in inner Lansdale, on the site of old industry with parking lot. "A major thing to note here: New Economy projects are urban. They consist of primarily attached housing in urban contexts (utilization of existing infrastructure), commonly multilevel, with small blocks.  They are designed and realized in smaller footprints, and with smaller budgets.  This style was pioneered with Southwest Center City builders (such as Metro Impact), who have succeeded in bringing economies of standardization to infill, primarily by standardizing rowhome design."  Full post here.