Friday, June 15, 2012

Transit Oriented Development (TOD)

Jasmine Miller

Transit oriented development, or TOD, is a type of community development.  It includes a mixture a shopping centers, entertainment, housing, and offices integrated into a walkable neighborhood.  It also includes mass transit.  These communities are meant to provide anyone with an active life, and they are meant to reduce the use of cars.  Two examples of transit oriented development are The Gaia Building and Uptown District The Gaia Building is a seven-story complex that is located in downtown Berkeley in California.  The building is less than a block from BART station and the University of California.  This mixed-use project includes apartments, a community center, and it has an electric car sharing program.  Uptown District is also a mixed-use project.  It includes 320 dwelling units, a community center, a retail plaza, a restaurant row, and an employment center with retail.
                I like the idea of transit oriented development.  I think that having everything a person needs within a walkable could greatly benefit the people and the environment.  It can benefit the people by making it easier to get from place to place and by offering an affordable and active lifestyle.  I think the environment would benefit from TODs because if more people walked, rode bikes, or even used public transportation there would be less Co2 emitted into the air. 

                                                                 Uptown district
                                                                The Gaia Building

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