Best Businesses for New Urbanist Communities: A Retake

Place defines the linkages between space and representation. Several theoretical concepts attempt to examine how people perceive a place and even their purpose as a part of it, including it being as a prescribed way of life, a public ideology to ascribe to, and as a set geographical residence. More often than not, this “sense” is simply categorized by a rural-urban continuum dictated by health and wealth. New Urbanism communities is an urban design movement that promotes a sense of community by designing walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods that are environmentally friendly and provide a wide range of housing and job types. In his book, The Rise of the Creative Class, Florida (2002) provided detailed examples of how cities ranging from New York City to Newark and Oakland have experienced dramatic turnarounds because of demographic shifts. While this trend is well documented within urban areas, few, if any, studies have been published that examine this phenomenon within New Urbanism communities. Most studies emphasize the residential aspects over commercial development. This longitudinal case study provides an in-depth analysis of businesses' faring in five distinct suburban and urban localities in Florida, Indiana, and Kentucky that were first studied by Besel and Nur (2013). Comparisons based on the neighborhoods’ different socio-economic characteristics were also examined with community stakeholders in 2021 through 2022. This paper integrates the two studies, concluding with the entrepreneurial progress the communities have made. Results indicate that an essential component of any neo-traditional community requires a thriving commercial and nonprofit sectors. In addition to being able to cultivate and sustain businesses, these communities continue to attract an array of residents, positioning appeal to a wide generational range and diverse population.