Making a village green successful
New Urban News Article with images, 3/1/2007
Town green in traditional neighborhood development attracts wide range of uses.
On a Saturday afternoon in late December former Senator John Edwards announced his candidacy for President of the United States before a crowd of 5,000 people gathered on the one-acre green at Southern Village, a new urbanist neighborhood in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In doing so, Edwards bypassed arenas, large auditoriums, and historic public spaces in the region. The event illustrates, says Southern Village developer D.R. Bryan, how the creators of new urbanist public greens and squares can never imagine all the uses they will serve.
Successful public greens and plazas have their own personalities, which evolve over time. Some have been outdoor rooms for decades — even centuries. The one-acre green on Market Street in Southern Village is only seven years old. But in that short time, this grassy focal point of the village center has established a clear identity as a destination for events and entertainment for both the neighborhood and the broader community. Though the green space is owned by the village merchants’ association, it is available for public use.
