19 replies to this topic

[mbdalton1]

Has anyone heard anything about this Tres Vistas Estates development? Just curious.

[cjyoung]

Looks like yet another development like Walsh Ranch that creates sprawl.

http://www.tresvista...s.com/index.htm

[SLO]

Its, a pretty nice, gated acreage homesite community about halfway to Granbury. A step above anything else on that corridor.

[Fort Worthology]

Its, a pretty nice, gated acreage homesite community about halfway to Granbury. A step above anything else on that corridor.

(not a knock at you, SLO)

It's a community? I checked out the site, and have to ask - if it's a community, where are:

The school(s)
The places of worship
The commercial spaces
The organized public spaces
The governmental or institutional facilities
The mix of housing types
The walkable street network

What about it gives it a sense of place? What about it creates both appealing housing and appealing public space? What about it endears it any more than any other cookie-cutter subdivision?

It's a sealed-off housing pod. It ain't no community.

Again, not a knock against you, SLO. It just bugs me to see these suburban pods described as "communities," when nothing about them seems to deserve the title.

[bhudson]

The term "gated acreage homesite community" communicates clearly what the place is to the people who would desire to live in a place like that. They will not feel duped that the place does not meet your standards of a community. It is semantics. The people who want to and can afford to live there will not be upset by the lack of:

The school(s)
The places of worship
The commercial spaces
The organized public spaces
The governmental or institutional facilities
The mix of housing types
The walkable street network

In fact, they are probably trying to get away from those things. Not everyone wants to be in the middle of it all. There is more to life than "new urbanism", although it is stylish on this board to look down the nose towards the non-subsribers.

[Fort Worthology]

I'm just pointing out that a single-use subdivision isn't much of a "community." It's a rather misleading marketing term.

Sorry.

[vjackson]

The term "gated acreage homesite community" communicates clearly what the place is to the people who would desire to live in a place like that. They will not feel duped that the place does not meet your standards of a community. It is semantics. The people who want to and can afford to live there will not be upset by the lack of:

Agreed. Although the new urbanist movment in DFW is cool and all, it appeals to a niche market (for now anyway). One drive around this continually sprawling mextroplex and it's easy to see what the majority of the population around here prefer..this. DFW will meet Oklahoma soon.

[Fort Worthology]

Agreed. Although the new urbanist movment in DFW is cool and all, it appeals to a niche market (for now anyway). One drive around this continually sprawling mextroplex and it's easy to see what the majority of the population around here prefer..this. DFW will meet Oklahoma soon.

A lot of people who "choose" sprawl aren't necessarily happy with it (and may not have even "chosen" it - it may be all they knew existed). Governments have made it difficult to do much beyond sprawl for decades.

If the people who love it want to keep genuinely choosing it, good for them. It'll then be up to them to dig themselves out of the traffic-clogged unhealthy hole they wind up in. I want people to have an alternative, and it's finally becoming available now that more planners and policy makers are understanding that enabling unchecked sprawl isn't the best idea.

[bhudson]

I'm just pointing out that a single-use subdivision isn't much of a "community." It's a rather misleading marketing term.

I won't trouble you with my meddlesome opinions any longer. Bye.

I guess I should have prefaced my remarks with "not a knock at you"

And I'm just pointing out that the definition of "community" means different things to different people. Just because things aren't a walk away? Do you think this neighborhood has no access to schools or a grocery store? Who has been misled? You know what this place is. So do I. And I would argue: so does any potential buyer.

I like being close in, obviously you do too; the advantages outweigh the negatives for me. But what we deride as suburban sprawl has been a more than satisfactory option for a long long time. Although the negative aspects of sprawl are becoming more and more apparent now, we can't just flip the switch. It's going to take a while to change habits and desires. Getting urban redevelopment to reach a critical mass in more places is a productive step. Advocating against road construction and fighting suburban development (which is where this discussion always ends up going), in my opinion, is not.

[safly]

I don't live in DTFW, but I do reside in a community. Sprawl will occur when the market pricing meets with the demand. There is a better chance of that happening now, than big urban renewal projects coming online.

All about the Benji's AG.

[pelligrini]

I'm just pointing out that a single-use subdivision isn't much of a "community." It's a rather misleading marketing term.

Looking at many book definitions of community, it's not misleading at all.

[AndyN]

One drive around this continually sprawling mextroplex and it's easy to see what the majority of the population around here prefer..this.

That's a pretty easy choice to make when you don't have a choice. Reminds me of the 1980s Wendy's commercial for the Russian fashion show where... well, heck this is 2007 and we have youtube - see it for yourself.

Iz next: Svimvear!

It seems to me that many of the suburbs are trying to emulate the urban lifestyle with faux town centers.

I wonder how cost-effective the burbs will be when gas hits $100+ per bbl? Hopefully not anytime soon.

[SLO]

Its, a pretty nice, gated acreage homesite community about halfway to Granbury. A step above anything else on that corridor.

(not a knock at you, SLO)

It's a community? I checked out the site, and have to ask - if it's a community, where are:

The school(s)
The places of worship
The commercial spaces
The organized public spaces
The governmental or institutional facilities
The mix of housing types
The walkable street network

What about it gives it a sense of place? What about it creates both appealing housing and appealing public space? What about it endears it any more than any other cookie-cutter subdivision?

It's a sealed-off housing pod. It ain't no community.

Again, not a knock against you, SLO. It just bugs me to see these suburban pods described as "communities," when nothing about them seems to deserve the title.

No offense taken.....
A couple things though. I have no interest in this "community" other than that Ive been through it a few times. I am an urbanist at heart, but I can see the appeal to a place like this. It is not urban, it is not even suburban, it is rural Texas. The sense of place it has is one that many people in Texas look for, or people who come to Texas come looking for. Wide open spaces, natural landscapes, large home sites, and Texas country architecture. I mentioned that it was a cut above others, mainly because it has great scenerey & views and a natural creek/pond with limestone cliffs. It is what many are looking for. Even the beloved Village Homes has built in there. It is a lifestyle choice, just as downtown highrise living is a lifestyle choice.

[safly]

One drive around this continually sprawling mextroplex and it's easy to see what the majority of the population around here prefer..this.

That's a pretty easy choice to make when you don't have a choice. Reminds me of the 1980s Wendy's commercial for the Russian fashion show where... well, heck this is 2007 and we have youtube - see it for yourself.

Iz next: Svimvear!

It seems to me that many of the suburbs are trying to emulate the urban lifestyle with faux town centers.

I wonder how cost-effective the burbs will be when gas hits $100+ per bbl? Hopefully not anytime soon.

IF CRUDE hits $100 plus a bbl then you can forget about any AFFORDABLE urban renewal. Construction cost will surely EMULATE energy demand and inventories. As for the suburbs, GAS has been HISTORICALLY cheaper in those parts than that little itsy bitsy one off of 2nd St. in DTFW or that 7-11 off of 7th.

Can't wait for the retro horseback and wagon mode of transportation to make a comeback. Yippee Yeee Hawww! (Talk about running on Methane.)

I will still enjoy my homeoffice.

Buhlee-Dat!

[AndyN]

Robot horses.

[safly]

Yes.

Much cleaner for the boots.

How about Robo Tom-Toms. Eh???

Guts and all.

Still, construction cost will be too high.

That's the paradoxal effect with Awwhll (Oil). You still need petrochemical technology and products to CREATE those tree hugging 90MPG plastic Electric HYBRIDS. And then more fuel to create the electricity.

Man, I wish I was a Sheik right about now.

[safly]

BTW. Tres Vistas? What GENIUS came up with that name? Talk about a loooong night of heavy drinking.

Must have been seing 3's when the boss asked for the name of the project the next day.

Boss- "What's the name of that project again Ted?"
Ted- "Too much tequila boss, seeing TRES VISTAS now." "Ayeyaya, mi cabeza!"

[mbdalton1]

BTW. Tres Vistas? What GENIUS came up with that name? Talk about a loooong night of heavy drinking.

Must have been seing 3's when the boss asked for the name of the project the next day.

Boss- "What's the name of that project again Ted?"
Ted- "Too much tequila boss, seeing TRES VISTAS now." "Ayeyaya, mi cabeza!"

^^^^^Safly you always crack me up! Thank you for your humor!


I have heard of a certain local architect who is building a home out there and was just curious about the development.

mb

[urbancowboy]

[/quote]
No offense taken.....
A couple things though. I have no interest in this "community" other than that Ive been through it a few times. I am an urbanist at heart, but I can see the appeal to a place like this. It is not urban, it is not even suburban, it is rural Texas. The sense of place it has is one that many people in Texas look for, or people who come to Texas come looking for. Wide open spaces, natural landscapes, large home sites, and Texas country architecture. I mentioned that it was a cut above others, mainly because it has great scenerey & views and a natural creek/pond with limestone cliffs. It is what many are looking for. Even the beloved Village Homes has built in there. It is a lifestyle choice, just as downtown highrise living is a lifestyle choice.
[/quote]

I understand where everyone is coming from. This isn't what comes to mind when people think of sprawl. However, this is just rural residential sprawl. These 2-5 acre lots are really too big to mow (with a push mower) and too small to plow. I wonder if these homes are on central sewer and water because if they are on wells and septic systems, than there are going to be some serious problems down the line. Alot of people see New Urbanism as a novelty but in actuallity it's just a sustainable way of creating a built enviroment. Developments like this on the rural-urban fringe adding to enviromental problems the planet is seeing.

[safly]

Alot of people see New Urbanism as a novelty but in actuallity it's just a sustainable way of creating a built enviroment. Developments like this on the rural-urban fringe adding to enviromental problems the planet is seeing.

Gomer Pyle says "Huhhh?"

Say what?

Sustainable way of creating a built environment. Elaborate please. Built environment for humans and rodents alike??? Noise pollution??? Scarcity???

Even with rail lines and metro transit systems, the likes of London, England are still swamped with traffic congestion and a CO2 emissions footprint that makes the inside of Cheech and Chong's "social" van appear cleaner than Arkansas spring water.

So much for Urbanism on a 150 year old scale.