Infill development often takes place in older neighborhoods that already have an interconnected grid of streets, retail areas, and good transit service: the design fundamentals are in place for green neighborhoods.
Building on these design fundamentals to create vibrant, green neighborhoods means adding green elements and increasing the number of homes and sometimes jobs through infill. This in turn can provide a better tax base to pay for rehabilitating public streets, squares and parks.
Enhancing green elements, through incremental expansion of green infrastructure, construction of green buildings and enhancement of parks and trail networks complete the transformation into green neighborhoods.
Action plans for green infill can address:
- Gentrification of low-income areas.
- Maintenance of affordable housing.
- Development of vacant properties.
- Context-sensitive building design.
- Redesign of streets and public spaces to maximize value to residents, local business, pedestrians and cyclists.
- Green building and infrastructure strategies.
Partnerships with community groups, Community Development Corporations, and the use of state and federal grants are important features of many successful infill action plans.
Portland’s Infill Design Project: This is an example of an infill initiative focused on fitting with the neighborhood’s character and supporting pedestrian environments. It includes design solutions for row houses, courtyard developments, and other housing forms.
