What is mixed use development? – Part Two

Mixed use development stands in direct contrast to the single use, suburban development patterns found in most parts of America. In fact, it is illegal to mix uses under most zoning ordinances, stemming in part from the Supreme Court case of Euclid v. Ambler in 1926. Since this landmark case, other factors have also contributed to single use development in America, including more affordable car transportation and rising incomes. Cars gave people the physical freedom to cover more ground in the same time as walking or transit. Higher incomes provided the option to move out of the city, buy a bigger home and own a car. Although much of the American landscape over the last 80 years has experienced growth in a single use development pattern, there are good examples of mixed use projects as well. We intend to feature as many as we can in future posts. We also invite others to suggest notable buildings and projects for their contribution to neighborhoods and cities.

There are two different categories of mixed use development that will be discussed on this site – horizontal and vertical. In practice both are considered to be “mixed use.” While both types may include the same uses, they function very differently. The type of mixed use discussed in Part One of this post is vertical, which includes mixing different uses within the same building, ie. office, retail and residential. The second type, which is more common in suburban environments, includes mixing uses within a project. For example, a retail shopping mall site that includes apartments and office buildings next to it. Although none of the uses are integrated into one building, the place itself can be designed so that the different uses are well integrated. Both types really provide similar benefits, but it is important to recognize the distinction, as they require different programming, design and execution by developers.