SILVER SPRING, MD – A land use strategist and visiting fellow at The Brookings Institution who has widely published his forward-thinking views about how to make suburbs more appealing will present to the Montgomery County Planning Board Thursday as part of its Excellence in Planning speaker series.
Chris Leinberger, who co-owns a development firm specializing in high-density, walkable communities, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Thursday about his experiences developing areas with a mix of housing, retail, office and open spaces known for their human scale and urban flair.
Among other projects, Leinberger, as part of his progressive real estate development firm Arcadia Land Co., has worked on communities in Philadelphia and Independence, Mo, featuring up to 3.5 homes per acre, significant open space and plentiful places to walk for commuting, dining, shopping and exercise.
In a recent article published in Atlantic Monthly, Leinberger describes “a pent-up demand for urban living,” specifically its diversity, fast pace and cultural opportunities. By urbanizing the suburbs – creating walkable areas, improving access to transit, building at higher densities, and providing retail and the arts nearby – Leinberger predicts energy savings, reduced waistlines and improved safety amid bigger sidewalk crowds.
Leinberger’s views mirror much of what the Planning Board has been working toward over the last year as it prepares master plans featuring pedestrian-friendly town centers in areas like Germantown.
Director of the Graduate Real Estate Development Program at the University of Michigan, Leinberger has written award-winning articles for periodicals as well as eight books, including The Option of Urbanism, Investing in a New American Dream. He has been profiled by national broadcast and print media such as CNN, the Today Show, National Public Radio, Progressive Architecture and Urban Land, among others.
Learn more about the Excellence in Planning series , where the board has posted video archives of selected speakers.
WHO:
Chris Leinberger, land use strategist and visiting fellow at The Brookings Institution
WHAT:
“The Pent-Up Demand for Walkable Urban Places – Ironically, in the Suburbs” presentation to the Montgomery County Planning Board
WHEN:
7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 29
WHERE:
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Ave.
Silver Spring, MD