They could have had an urban neighborhood

The Civano development in Tucson, which started out as New Urbanism and devolved into conventional development after Pulte Homes purchased the second neighborhood, shows the potential wasted by the national builder. Pulte spent the last two years of the housing boom reworking the project to meet the cookie-cutter design they are more comfortable with, only to have their project underperform compared to original new urban neighborhood (pictured above), according to research by Lee Rayburn, who writes a detailed article in the December 2012 issue of Better! Cities & Towns. Pulte could have better spent their time in learning something new, like techniques on how to make a walkable place.

For more in-depth coverage: 

• Subscribe to Better! Cities & Towns to read all of the articles (print+online) on implementation of greener, stronger, cities and towns.

• Get the December 2012 issue. Topics: Sprawl versus walkable: Housing study, Nashville code creates value, Wake up call from Sandy, Downtown Columbia, Smart growth at the polls, Buffalo code reform, Housing and driving costs, Comparing new urban and conventional development, NorthWest Crossing, Alexander's The Battle for the Life and Beauty of the Earth

• Get New Urbanism: Best Practices Guide, packed with more than 800 informative photos, plans, tables, and other illustrations, this book is the best single guide to implementing better cities and towns.