Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The Commodities Suburban Retrofitting Entails

By Rob Sutter


Suburban retrofitting means that living situations can be improved for those who may actually be living in suburban developments, though they are in poor shape. Several of these areas cannot be lived in with ease and maybe that's why many of us think that it's hard for renovators to make them feasible. This is where the concept of retrofitting comes into play and it offers a more resilient and walkable labor to these areas. However, a few principles should be kept in mind before these renovations come to life.

One of the many tactics to keep in mind as far as suburban retrofitting is concerned is the idea of reusing the box. For those unfamiliar with the term, think about the many buildings you may have come across that have gone out of business. Now that they are unoccupied, they stand a greater chance of being demolished. Organizations along the lines of BABB, though, notice the value that these buildings hold and work to make them into something else. Look no further than the CityCenter Englewood building in Denver being remade into City Hall.

Suburban development patterns could, no doubt, warrant the use of retrofitting if the conditions are bad enough. The restoration of wetlands and creeks should be looked into, considering the fact that they are susceptible to poor drainage and flooding. Environmentalists, as a result, lobbied for "day lighting" and while they may not have that to a tee, there are methods being taken in order to assure better retrofitting.

Another tactic when it comes to retrofitting, which many people can come to agree with in a green sense, is improving connectivity for bicyclists, drivers, and pedestrians. This can be done by focusing in on walkability and public safety. For those who are wondering how this can be done, the solution comes in the form of street networks. A smaller number of ridden, driven, and walked has to be emphasized so that a lower number of vehicle miles traveled are seen. This is perhaps the biggest factor when it comes to retrofitting ultimately being realized.

Sooner or later, there will be an occurrence when living conditions in a city will not be great anymore and renovations will be needed. People will be unable to live in particular areas where there is little in the way of sustainability and retrofitting must be brought about as a result. The future has to be taken into account as well. Developments, whether in parking lots, streets, or what have you, must be started on the onset or else the following efforts will be worthless in the end.




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