What is mixed use development? – Part One

Human settlements have historically tended to include a mix of uses in buildings. Whether one considers the poleis of ancient Greece, the numerous small villages throughout Europe, or the modern metropolises throughout the world today; it is easy to find examples of a building or clusters of buildings with different uses. The Urban Land Institute frequently defines mixed use development as having three or more uses within one building or one project. In their publication entitled Mixed Use Development Handbook, it is written: “In most mixed use projects, the primary uses are usually income producing, such as retail, office residential, and/or hotel facilities. Other significant uses might include arenas, convention centers, performing arts facilities, museums, and major civic buildings.” See also Mixed Use on Wikipedia for a good description. Mixed use buildings help provide the necessary balance in urban places between the needs of residents, their need to work, as well their need to shop. While it is a rather simple concept, it is quite challenging to implement today among the myriad needs of users and tenants. Even the most common mixed use building (including residential, retail and office uses) must make different accommodations for access, circulation, parking, service, trash, utilities, security, lighting, signage and architectural elements such as balconies, awnings, column placement, etc. At Milhaus we believe that it is often in these details that a project becomes notable and desirable or ends up as just another building.