Montgomery County: The Next Great Urban Center?

• July 17th 2009

by Mark Wellborn

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Will Montgomery County’s reputation change in the coming years from that of one of DC’s largest suburbs to the newest urban center in the area? The Washington Post is reporting that the county planning board has approved a number of redevelopment measures to transform the county into a network of urban villages.

Among the approved changes are a group of 25-story high rise buildings in White Flint and a number of new developments with minimal parking aimed at decreasing people’s dependence on their car.

From The Post:

“Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson has predicted that the next wave of newcomers in Montgomery will be urbanists ready to give up the detached house, two cars and a gleaming front lawn, and instead embrace city living in the suburbs. The plans are a major step toward creating a new type of suburb where it is easy for residents and workers to walk, bike or rely on public transportation. His hope, he said, is to produce ‘great urban centers.’”

The paper goes on to say that the reinvention is being planned as the county’s population is expected to grow to more than 1 million people in the next 20 years, and the area is almost out of buildable space. Needless to say, the Montgomery County that you know is about to change.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.production.logicbrush.com/articles/blog/montgomery_county_the_next_great_urban_center/1145.