Design tour suggestions

[Plan Man]

Hi folks.

Currently planning a design junket for our group somewhere in the northeastern US - we're pretty open as to location. Looking for suggestions as to where to go and what to see. We're looking for anything interesting - new urbanist stuff, large scale mixed use areas, good big box or power centre examples, you name it.

Thanks.

[mendelman]

Hi folks.

Currently planning a design junket for our group somewhere in the northeastern US - we're pretty open as to location. Looking for suggestions as to where to go and what to see. We're looking for anything interesting - new urbanist stuff, large scale mixed use areas, good big box or power centre examples, you name it.

Thanks.

Well, Chicagoland seems to be a great place to see examples of everything you're looking for. You could examine everything from urban highrise development to mid-ring suburban redevelopment to new greenfield development of lifestyle centers and some NU-like developments. Plus, you could hang for an afternoon with the dudes down at the headquarters of the Congress for New Urbanism (located in downtown Chicago).

I could create more specific tour ideas and location if you wish, let me know.

EDIT: sorry, you're looking for somewhere in the NE US....though still consider Chicagoland, we've got alot!!!

[boilerplater]

I'm sure someone will say Mashpee Commons in Massachusetts (?) though I've never been there. Its in a lot of NU publications. You should tour Battery Park City in Manhattan, then take the PATH train to Hoboken and Jersey City to see some urban redevelopment and infill. There are huge projects in Jersey City built within the last 10 years and other areas are giant construction sites today. Farther south in NJ, in Washington Twp., there is the Washington Town Center, a NU project that is nearly built out. They have a lot yet to be built in the commercial part. From there, you should head a little north again and go to Princeton, which has an interesting downtown that has had some infill projects completed in recent years. Then south again to Philadelphia, where yout want to see the rapidly redeveloping Old City, then Manayunk, an old canal/factory neighborhood which has been gentrified, and Chestnut Hill, which looks more like the downtown of a smaller, old suburban town. If your crowd needs a change of scale and mood at that point, head east to Atlantic City and see some of the giant new casino resorts and catch an act at the House of Blues.