Measuring Success At Kentlands

After nearly 20 years, has the New Urbanist development Kentlands been successful at achieving its goal of creating a strong community?

1 minute read

November 5, 2007, 12:00 PM PST

By Nate Berg

"But does a traditional neighborhood design really create a strong sense of community? How can you tell? After all, this is not an obvious visual characteristic; it's a perception."

"Kentlands is almost 20 years old. If the theory works, it would be evident by now there."

"After extensive interviews with six Kentlands homeowners, I believe the answer to the community question is clearly 'yes.'"

"Of course, six people is a minuscule fraction of the Kentlands' several thousand residents. However, my conclusion echoes that of Joongsub Kim, an architecture professor at Lawrence Technical University in Southfield, Mich., who has lived in and studied the dynamics of Kentlands and a nearby conventional subdivision for 10 years. He has interviewed more than 425 households in both communities."

FULL STORY: At Kentlands, New Urbanism Has Unlocked a Sense of Community

Saturday, November 3, 2007 in The Washington Post

Community / Economic Development Land Use Urban Development Maryland Kentlands New Urbanism View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.