The World is Turning Green in Real Estate

I have a good friend, Robert Chapman, who is passionate about changing the worlds of home-building and neighborhood design into greener pastures.  He is an urban developer in Durham, NC.  Bob has been educating me over the last few years about the benefits of "New Urban Development," "Traditional Neighborhood Development," "New Urbanism," and "Walkable Neighborhoods."

Bob does not like traditional suburban development with two and three car garages facing the street.  He finds "drive everywhere neighborhoods" to connote the waste of our natural resources and the restriction of good neighborly feel.  Bob likes homes with large front porches close to the street so that neighbors can actually talk to one another.

I hadn't thought much about this until he raised my consciousness, but you know, the more I think about it the more it makes sense.

Perhaps the desire to walk more and drive less, the desire to create intimacy in neighborhood settings and the increasing awareness of the need to save our precious environment all contribute to a better world.  The re-birth of traditional older neighborhoods and the conversion of tobacco and cotton warehouses to retail space, flats and condominiums are all part of this new awareness.  Durham and Raleigh talked about re-development of their downtowns for years, but now it actually seems to be happening.  Very cool! 

We all need our awarenesses enhanced, and now when we hear words like "new urbanism," and see "walkable neighborhoods," their appeal only increases.

Thanks for the imprint, Robert.  Hopefully, we can all spread the word moving forward.