Great story in USAToday about how the economy might benefit cities who shat out mcmansion un-neighborly-hoods in suburbia. It recommends "smart decline." Dean Gradin spoke about Orlando:
The city of Orlando caught on to these changes long before the housing crisis.
"People think of Orlando as a theme park," says Dean Grandin Jr., director of the city planning and development department. "Orlando is a real city with a real downtown, real neighborhoods."
The city has more than 100 lakes, and it has created "villages" around many of them to shape a sense of place with recreational, residential and job opportunities.
"Everything we do is geared toward further quality of life," Grandin says. "We're not afraid of dense development."
The Amtrak station is being redeveloped. The new Amway Center, home of the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic, has opened. A "creative village" that focuses on the growing digital media industry — companies that produce interactive media such as video games or military simulation — has been developed nearby.
Orlando is creating three "medical cities" around hospitals, medical schools and research facilities. Baldwin Park, site of the former Orlando Naval Training Center, now is a city within a city, offering a wide range of residential choices, from custom million-dollar homes to condominiums.
"The unintended consequence of the housing collapse is that it could benefit cities," Grandin says.