
All Stories on Walkability
Why Smart Builders Care About Walkability
Increasingly, the market is demanding places where homeowners can hoof it. Here are some ways you can deliver.
Urban Infill
Homeowners get the feel of a swanky townhouse while living in a vibrant urban neighborhood.
Rural and Walkable
Sales are “substantially higher” in this neighborhood than in non-connected communities.
Lively and Livable Downtown
901 Jefferson is close to transit, offices, retail, entertainment, and great food shopping.
A Connected Community
At Concord Riverwalk, cars take a back seat to pedestrians.
Back to the Future
Nestled at the base of Colorado's Collegiate Peaks, the new homes and shops of South Main mimic the aesthetics and attitude of the...
Developers: Jed Selby and Katherine Selby Urban
Builder: South Main Building Co., Buena Vista, Colo.
Architect: Craft Design Studio, Buena Vista
Walk Score: 52
Metrostudy Says: The project is unique to the area, and it’s definitely walkable. The town center is less than a 15-minute walk away.
DU/acre: About 11
Construction cost: $215 to $270 a square foot (including land)
Size of units: 800 to more than 5,000 square feet (live/work unit)
Nestled at the base of Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks, the new homes and shops of South Main mimic the aesthetics and attitude of the neighboring town of Buena Vista.
The mixed-use development adheres to the principles that were in place when the mining town was settled in the 1880s: Residents can walk or bike to restaurants and shops and can even live just a few steps from work, thanks to six live/work buildings that serve as retail storefronts and offices below second-story apartments.
The commercial space fronts directly onto a wide sidewalk lined with trees and protected from traffic by abundant on-street parking. About 40 residential units are now complete with a goal of 300, says design director Kenny Craft.
The look of the neighborhood is modeled on the pattern-based approach of architect Steve Mouzon, who consulted on the project. The result includes steeply pitched metal roofs, exposed stovepipes, and lots of local river rock. “We took our clues from the local context,” Craft says.