mixed use development, it’s not your grandfather’s development

by Craig S. Galati, LGA Architecture

into town where you saw 3-4 story buildings nestled along Main Street with banners and wide sidewalks. The retail stores, such as the Five and Dime, the grocery store, and the local insurance agent’s office were all located at the street level, with a mix of apartments above. These rural towns had small footprints but packed in everything the townsfolk needed.

As our society turned away from its agrarian roots, people gravitated to urban areas in search of jobs and new opportunities. This new vision for America was built upon a home ownership model which spawned a new product — the residential subdivision — now a prominent feature around all of our greatest cities. The model of sprawl created the need for large retail centers, fortified highway systems, and established our dependence upon the automobile.

The exodus of the middle class to the suburbs left the inner city empty, and soon diminished property values and changed the makeup of tired of spending their time on exhaustchoked freeways. As commutes got longer and developable land became scarcer, a new resurgence for mixed-use development began bubbling up and gaining momentum.

Mixed-use developments are being built across the country in record numbers. These new developments, billed as urban villages, town centers, and transit-oriented developments, all boast simpler lifestyles, a wide range of housing types, walkability, and access to work, shopping, entertainment, and recreation. These new communities harken back to the small towns of the 40’s and 50’s. There are many benefits of mixed-use developments, some of which are delineated below:

Mixed-use developments promote efficient use of land. As the cost of land continues to rise, developing a more dense, mixed-use project allows for the most efficient use of the land. Infrastructure and the extension of utilities are more affordable than other types of development and allow the cost of that infrastructure to be amortized over a larger project. Many municipalities offer density bonuses for mixed-use development allowing larger projects to be built, reducing the average cost per square foot and providing a more sustainable and energy efficient development. As a project increases in scale, so too does its capacity for retail space and other amenities. Another benefit is that financial stakeholders of mixed-use developments can diversify their investments over several market sectors within a single project, creating additional capital for these developments.

Mixed-use developments protect rural areas from additional development. Since mixeduse projects are more dense than single family residential uses, they are more appropriately located near highways and transit corridors and serve as buffers between high-intensity land uses and lower residential uses. This provides protection for rural areas and limits traditional sprawl. With access to shops, restaurants, and workplaces, residents have the ability to walk and bike within their communities. Studies have shown that residents of mixed-use developments reduce vehicle miles by nearly one half as compared to those living within traditional subdivisions. This reduced vehicle usage provides additional protection from traffic for the rural areas of town and reduces congestion and vehicle pollution.

Mixed-use developments promote healthy lifestyles. Walkability is a key component of a mixed-use development. The pedestrian and bicycle-friendly designs of these developments encourage a more active and healthy lifestyle. According to AARP, walking 8,000 steps every day has been proven to add years to one’s life and provides a 51% lower mortality risk compared to those who do not walk daily. Not only do mixed-use developments create healthy conditions such as decreased pollution, they strengthen the social and mental well-being of their residents. These communities foster a strong sense of community and provide a variety of recreational opportunities. Employee-residents also receive the benefit of less stress due to long commutes and traffic congestion.

Mixed-use developments create higher quality projects. Projects of a larger complexity and scale lend themselves to a higher quality of design and construction. Higher quality materials are not only required to meet building codes, but they become more affordable as the project increases in size. These large projects appeal to the best architects, engineers, and general contractors in the market due to their size, complexity, and prominence.

Mixed-use developments are desirable places to live. The quality of life within mixed-use developments is greatly enhanced and attractive for many sectors of the market. COVID forever changed how we as a society value our time and connections to our family. Our lives are more connected and the boundaries between family, social life, and work are blurred. Mixed-use developments create even greater opportunities for integrated live, work, and play.

With low taxes, great weather, entertainment, professional sports, food, jobs, and world-class outdoor recreation, Southern Nevada will remain an attractive place to live and will continue to grow. New development, which is expected to drive an increase in population over 3,000,000 by 2035, will require a different approach. Development in the valley is pushing up against the mountains and the boundaries of federal recreation land, meaning that future development will likely need to grow upward rather than outward. As the availability of land in the Las Vegas valley continues to decrease, many will look for alternative means of development.

It is only an hour drive over the mountain from Las Vegas to Pahrump in neighboring Nye County. The area boasts developable land, a growing economy, and close access to Las Vegas and Death Valley. It only makes sense that new development will be knocking on Pahrump’s front door. This new development could continue the tradition of urban sprawl so prevalent in the desert southwest, or perhaps introduce a new style of development that will help preserve and enhance the quality of life currently enjoyed in Pahrump. A vision of mixed-use development could be the best choice for livability, creating options in the market and improving upon the unique character of Pahrump and Nye County.