BOSTON AND TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT

“Transit-oriented development, or TOD, is an approach to development that focuses land uses around a transit station or within a transit corridor. Typically, it is characterized by: (Source: Mass.gov’s Smart Growth Tool Kit)

• A mix of uses
• Moderate to high density
• Pedestrian orientation/connectivity
• Transportation choices
• Reduced parking
• High quality design” 

It has been written by many that this next generation, generation Y, is becoming increasingly less dependent on the car as a mode of transportation.  With rising gas prices, increasingly more expensive costs of buying, maintaining and storing a car along with the benefit to the environment that taking cars off the road provides, this shift seems to make sense.  In Downtown Boston as well as in communities all over the Commonwealth we are seeing a shift towards more Transit Oriented Developments (TOD).  Over the coming weeks I will highlight some of these developments at varying stages of their development process from mere proposals all the way to post construction and occupancy.