Ellen Dunham-Jones visited the Knoxville area on April 4 and 5 for several events, sharing information about walkable suburban places with officials and the public.
Dunham-Jones shared case studies of communities that retrofitted suburban-style developments into more attractive, more walkable places with a better mix of uses and more greenery.
Dunham-Jones shared case studies of communities that retrofitted suburban-style developments into more attractive, more walkable places with a better mix of uses and more greenery. Demand for these types of retrofits is being driven by two key demographic groups: millennials and empty-nest boomers who desire urban amenities but don’t necessarily want to live in the urban core. Dunham-Jones literally wrote the book on suburban retrofitting, as co-author of “Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs.”
More than 225 people attended the four sessions with Dunham-Jones, including a session for elected and appointed officials that had about 40 attendees.
Dunham-Jones’s visit was part of the ongoing Walkability Speaker Series sponsored by the TPO in partnership with the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors, the Knoxville Chamber, and East Tennessee Quality Growth.
The next events will be held on May 9 and 10 when Emiko Atherton speaks about mixed land use. There will also be presentations about the Atlanta Beltline on June 6 and 7. To be added to the email list for this speaker series, contact ellen.zavisca@knoxplanning.org.