Charrette Will Go On, Says Duany

By Diane Dorney

Editor's Note: The article below was to appear in the April issue of the Kentlands Town Crier but was cut by the KCA board of trustees. It subsequently appeared on the front page of The Town Courier, a new independent publication serving the Kenltlands and Lakelands nieghborhoods. If you have any questions about the article, please feel free to
. Thanks.

--Diane

In answer to the news that the planned charrette for mid-June had been cancelled by the city of Gaithersburg, Andrés Duany, principal designer of Kentlands, Lakelands and Market Square, said he intends to forge ahead anyway. His firm, Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ), will be unpaid for its services, but Duany says he feels the charrette is needed. "These neighborhoods will only improve if the people who can make a difference engage in substantive criticism and plan for its evolution," he said.

Though many might suggest that the neighborhoods are already successful with most of the housing sold, Market Square almost fully leased, and just a commercial lot or two yet to be sold, Duany disagrees.

"Kentlands and Lakelands are wonderful neighborhoods," he said. But, collectively, there is much more potential than has been realized." As the nation's leading authority on the new urbanism, Duany has credentials to back up his claims.

Duany and his wife, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, founded their practice in 1980, shortly after designing the highly acclaimed resort town of Seaside in Ft. Walton, Fla. This traditionally planned neighborhood created a stir in the planning community and led to an ongoing debate by many on the alternatives to suburban sprawl. Since then, almost 500 new urban neighborhoods have broken ground and hundreds of others have been planned and are waiting for approvals. Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ), one of the most successful new urban planning firms, initiates 20 new projects per year and has completed well over 200 downtown and new town plans both in this country and abroad.

Kentlands, designed in 1988 -- 15 years ago this June -- was one of the firm's first major undertakings. Working for developer Joseph Alfandre and with the support of the city of Gaithersburg, Kentlands quickly became a model for other planners and developers to learn from and emulate. In 1996, DPZ was contracted by Tom Natelli to plan the Lakelands neighborhood and Great Seneca Development Corporation to plan Market Square.

Though Duany, who also teaches at the University of Miami where Plater-Zyberk is dean of the school of architecture, would agree that the residential part of the neighborhoods have met his expectations, he feels the commercial areas could be better -- much better. Much of the surface parking area should be built upon, he says, creating a much finer urban fabric. This, he contends, would make for a much more successful shopping area and a more pleasant place to visit.

"Archstone Village [the redevelopment plan for the Uptons and Boston Market sites designed by his firm] is an excellent example of what can be done," he said.

Duany says he wants to hear from the residents of the community and from the merchants on Main Street and in Market Square about what they would like to see in the neighborhood.

During the three-day charrette, which is to be held from June 16 - 18, Duany will tour the neighborhoods and give a presentation on the first night about the history of Kentlands/Lakelands/Market Square.

Following the presentation he will ask for feedback from residents. On the second day he and the charrette team, which will include some planners from the first charrette as well as current DPZ architects and planners, will draw plans and have the residents back to critique that night. The third day will wrap it up with more planning and a final presentation to the communities.

"Kentlands and Lakelands are now past their childhood phase. The time has come for the residents to take responsibility for their community. Both people and places go through this, and the transition can be very exciting," said Duany.

Note: Look for more information about the charrette in the May issue of the Lakelands Leader. Also updates about the charrette will be posted at The Town Paper website. Please visit www.tndtownpaper.com for more information.