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Recently, it has become more apparent that many Millennials and Gen Zers who once flocked to the big cities in search of employment are now migrating away into the suburbs in hopes of finding more affordable housing. The move from urban to suburban is not a new trend but, as it turns out, Millennials and Gen Zers aren’t exactly ready to give up on the convince of that urban style living just yet. Instead, they are making the transition into suburbs that embody the same desirable city characteristics, such as: dining, shopping, entertainment and employment all within a walkable distance. The suburbs are undergoing an unprecedent transformation in order to accommodate the changing wants and needs of the new generation of homeowners. The conventional model for suburban development is being challenged, the demand for single family subdivisions in a largely auto-centric community is rapidly becoming less desirable which is ultimately presenting developers with new opportunities to redefine the stereotypical suburban lifestyle. As a result of changing living preferences, we are experiencing the emergence of a new suburban trend: ‘Hipsturbia’. This trend embodies live/work/play and ties together the best qualities of both urban and suburban living in order to provide a new standard for what the suburbs should encompass.
Recently, it has become more apparent that many Millennials and Gen Zers who once flocked to the big cities in search of employment are now migrating away into the suburbs in hopes of finding more affordable housing. The move from urban to suburban is not a new trend but, as it turns out, Millennials and Gen Zers aren’t exactly ready to give up on the convince of that urban style living just yet. Instead, they are making the transition into suburbs that embody the same desirable city characteristics, such as: dining, shopping, entertainment and employment all within a walkable distance. The suburbs are undergoing an unprecedent transformation in order to accommodate the changing wants and needs of the new generation of homeowners. The conventional model for suburban development is being challenged, the demand for single family subdivisions in a largely auto-centric community is rapidly becoming less desirable which is ultimately presenting developers with new opportunities to redefine the stereotypical suburban lifestyle. As a result of changing living preferences, we are experiencing the emergence of a new suburban trend: ‘Hipsturbia’. This trend embodies live/work/play and ties together the best qualities of both urban and suburban living in order to provide a new standard for what the suburbs should encompass.
Where?
Where?
They are most commonly located on outskirts of large anchor cities, for example: New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago. These 24-hour cities serve as guidelines as to what Millennials and Gen Zers hope to find in the suburbs; a community that has an active downtown and thrives on convenience. Brooklyn, NY, is often referred to as the prototype of these hipsturbian suburbs due to its close proximity to NYC, however, now that this trend has increased in popularity, communities like Yonkers and New Rochelle in North of Manhattan and Hoboken, Maplewood, and Summit in New Jersey are on this rising trajectory. This suburban revival is also being experienced in college towns due to more people deciding to stay close after graduating, for example, Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. However, this is only the beginning, the communities mentioned above are merely the ones to kickstart this trend into existence due to their convenient location to desirable amenities and employment. Similar to the traditional growth pattern of suburban sprawl, it is possible this trend will start at these already established locations and then spread outwards into communities further away from big cities. However, unlike traditional suburban sprawl, these hibstrubian communities aren’t being built from scratch in rural areas. Instead, a key component to the development of these vibrant downtown-like communities comes from repurposing vacant industrial buildings and/or redeveloping shut down malls.
They are most commonly located on outskirts of large anchor cities, for example: New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago. These 24-hour cities serve as guidelines as to what Millennials and Gen Zers hope to find in the suburbs; a community that has an active downtown and thrives on convenience. Brooklyn, NY, is often referred to as the prototype of these hipsturbian suburbs due to its close proximity to NYC, however, now that this trend has increased in popularity, communities like Yonkers and New Rochelle in North of Manhattan and Hoboken, Maplewood, and Summit in New Jersey are on this rising trajectory. This suburban revival is also being experienced in college towns due to more people deciding to stay close after graduating, for example, Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. However, this is only the beginning, the communities mentioned above are merely the ones to kickstart this trend into existence due to their convenient location to desirable amenities and employment. Similar to the traditional growth pattern of suburban sprawl, it is possible this trend will start at these already established locations and then spread outwards into communities further away from big cities. However, unlike traditional suburban sprawl, these hibstrubian communities aren’t being built from scratch in rural areas. Instead, a key component to the development of these vibrant downtown-like communities comes from repurposing vacant industrial buildings and/or redeveloping shut down malls.
Impact
Impact
Looking back, the appeal of the big cities to a young professional freshly out of college was the abundance of employment opportunity combined with easy public transportation. You could live within close proximity to where you worked all while experiencing a lively downtown, however, at the expense of a cramped apartment and the constant noise pollution. Today, the willingness to sacrifice comfortable living arrangements for a shorter commute to work is becoming less prevalent and it is ultimately pushing us to restructure the way we live and work, hence: Hipsturbia
Looking back, the appeal of the big cities to a young professional freshly out of college was the abundance of employment opportunity combined with easy public transportation. You could live within close proximity to where you worked all while experiencing a lively downtown, however, at the expense of a cramped apartment and the constant noise pollution. Today, the willingness to sacrifice comfortable living arrangements for a shorter commute to work is becoming less prevalent and it is ultimately pushing us to restructure the way we live and work, hence: Hipsturbia
The key driving factors for this trend are affordability and walkability. Housing affordability and increasing debt limits the number of living options for young families residing within cities. However, developers have begun implementing the same live/work/play formula they used to revive city downtowns 2 decades ago but in suburban areas and we are beginning to see a major shift in suburban culture. Once vacant strip malls and abandoned commercial space are being repurposed in order to provide new employment opportunities, amenities, and multi-story mixed-use living complexes. Interestingly enough, this demand for updated living spaces is not fueled solely by millennials, but by gen Zers who are looking to enter the workforce as well baby boomers and empty nesters who are looking to relocate to more accessible amenities. This live/work/play formula paired with transit access and walkability to abundant retail, restaurant, and recreational options is why the suburbs are becoming increasingly sought after.
The key driving factors for this trend are affordability and walkability. Housing affordability and increasing debt limits the number of living options for young families residing within cities. However, developers have begun implementing the same live/work/play formula they used to revive city downtowns 2 decades ago but in suburban areas and we are beginning to see a major shift in suburban culture. Once vacant strip malls and abandoned commercial space are being repurposed in order to provide new employment opportunities, amenities, and multi-story mixed-use living complexes. Interestingly enough, this demand for updated living spaces is not fueled solely by millennials, but by gen Zers who are looking to enter the workforce as well baby boomers and empty nesters who are looking to relocate to more accessible amenities. This live/work/play formula paired with transit access and walkability to abundant retail, restaurant, and recreational options is why the suburbs are becoming increasingly sought after.
Types of Suburban Development to Consider:
Types of Suburban Development to Consider:
Mall Retrofits
Mall Retrofits
Built on the site of dying or vacant shopping malls, these projects transform sprawling parking lots and mall complexes into compact, mixed-use places. These projects take advantage of consolidated landownership patterns and a sophisticated set of financing and regulatory tools
Built on the site of dying or vacant shopping malls, these projects transform sprawling parking lots and mall complexes into compact, mixed-use places. These projects take advantage of consolidated landownership patterns and a sophisticated set of financing and regulatory tools
Arterials or Commercial Corridors
Arterials or Commercial Corridors
The goal is to transform aging or dysfunctional land uses and transportation infrastructure along highly traveled stretches of road. Such actions often focus on the densification of identified nodes and involve investments in transit service, especially bus transit. This type of development is proving to be one of the most challenging forms, but commercial corridors and suburban arterials represent an important opportunity. Despite being home to extensive amounts of large, underused and low-value land, they are often the sites of important commercial, retail, and entertainment activities in suburban locations. Despite their infrastructure challenges, they often have preexisting transit service, especially bus service, that can be leveraged with targeted investments like improved bus facilities and enhanced bus frequency.
The goal is to transform aging or dysfunctional land uses and transportation infrastructure along highly traveled stretches of road. Such actions often focus on the densification of identified nodes and involve investments in transit service, especially bus transit. This type of development is proving to be one of the most challenging forms, but commercial corridors and suburban arterials represent an important opportunity. Despite being home to extensive amounts of large, underused and low-value land, they are often the sites of important commercial, retail, and entertainment activities in suburban locations. Despite their infrastructure challenges, they often have preexisting transit service, especially bus service, that can be leveraged with targeted investments like improved bus facilities and enhanced bus frequency.
Wholesale or Large-Scale Transformation
Wholesale or Large-Scale Transformation
This type of development is more rare, this essential entails a full suburban remodeling. The redevelopment of Tysons Corner in Fairfax, Virginia—aka Tysons—is an example of an effort to reshape in a fundamental way how a suburban place functions. Tysons has been explored extensively elsewhere and is not included in this report. These efforts require strong leadership and support from regional and local planning bodies, including metropolitan planning organizations.
This type of development is more rare, this essential entails a full suburban remodeling. The redevelopment of Tysons Corner in Fairfax, Virginia—aka Tysons—is an example of an effort to reshape in a fundamental way how a suburban place functions. Tysons has been explored extensively elsewhere and is not included in this report. These efforts require strong leadership and support from regional and local planning bodies, including metropolitan planning organizations.
Town Centers
Town Centers
These mixed-use hubs offer many of the options that a larger city might provide—entertainment, residential buildings, offices— but in a suburban or small-town setting. Many suburban town centers are being retrofitted on existing sites, but they can also be built on greenfield sites.
These mixed-use hubs offer many of the options that a larger city might provide—entertainment, residential buildings, offices— but in a suburban or small-town setting. Many suburban town centers are being retrofitted on existing sites, but they can also be built on greenfield sites.
Transit-Oriented Development
Transit-Oriented Development
Also know as TODs, these projects seek to leverage their location near fixed-rail transit stations or bus transit corridors to build in higher- density ways, connecting the development with transit using sidewalks, bikeways, and other kinds of transportation infrastructure.
Also know as TODs, these projects seek to leverage their location near fixed-rail transit stations or bus transit corridors to build in higher- density ways, connecting the development with transit using sidewalks, bikeways, and other kinds of transportation infrastructure.
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