Smart Growth
Columbia, Maryland
Columbia, MD - planned
town
 The
Rouse Company began planning Columbia, Md in 1963. James W.
Rouse, Chair of the Board, envisioned this as a new city that
would avoid the negatives of sprawl by providing a mix of jobs,
shopping, recreation, etc. all within close proximity to each
other.
Long before construction began, the city's first planners
met with a group of educators and sociologists to help determine
what the city's social objectives should be and how they might
be reflected in the physical plan. The vision behind Columbia
was more than merely avoiding sprawl; it was to be a place
for all people, races, religions, and income groups. The plan
that evolved was thought of as a group of neighborhoods within
villages, almost like a system of small towns.
The development now includes over 5,000 acres of preserved
open space, 80 miles of biking/walking pathways, 27 public
schools, more than 12 million square feet of office and retail
space, and roughly 66,000 jobs.
Basic statistics:
Construction started: 1966
Total acreage: 14,000
Open space acreage: 5,000
Population: 90,000
County: Howard, Md
Sprawl
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