It’s a phenomenon at least as old as the interstate highway system: people settle in suburbs for a quieter life and lower cost of living outside the city limits, then commute into the city each day for work. While recent years have increased the amount of work, shopping, and even social interaction performed over the internet, the daily commute is still very real for a large number of people.
Will your commute ever become completely obsolete? If you’re hoping it will, take a look at the communities who are making it possible to quit commuting entirely.
Apartment Redevelopments
A pattern seen for many decades, and possibly influenced by the rise in commuting, has been: Urban center falls into decline. Investors, seeing the opportunity, buy dilapidated buildings, fix them up, and increase the property’s value. Urban center is revitalized and sees rapid growth. Steven Taylor Los Angeles, owner of Taylor Equities in Los Angeles, has earned a living through such redevelopment projects.
When an underused apartment space is renovated into an attractive living space, or a commercial space is converted into mixed-use development that includes affordable housing, it recreates a walkable community in the heart of a city. If the resulting community is well planned and includes green spaces, recreational facilities, and the ability to shop and to work within reach of your home, it is possible to never need your car again.
If you are motivated to see the end of your morning commute, consider all that your location (or a location to which you might move) has to offer. Steven Taylor LA believes in work life balance. Instead of letting the demands of your workplace and your neighborhood dictate the way you live, you can make intentional decisions to develop the lifestyle that best supports your goals.
Transit-Oriented Developments
As the commuter trend grew up, transit-oriented developments began to create mini city-centers in suburbs that are connected to larger cities via mass transit. While this phenomenon goes back to at least the 1990s, the rise of telecommuting, online shopping and local delivery is redefining these suburban centers.
In the past, transit-oriented developments may have fallen short of the vision of mixed-use residential and commercial developments where a mix of both commuters and people without cars could live, work, and play. However, the changing nature of work has shifted the mix of people who are now seeking to make a life outside of the city. As transit-oriented developments experience their own period of redevelopment, expect to see a greater demand for walkable spaces, affordable housing, and more neighborhood-centric business in the heart of a transit-connected suburb.