"Access to dirt trails — not just bicycle lanes or sidewalks — is a priority for so many runners like Mr. Adcock that housing developers are increasingly carving miles of paths through the wild to attract them. The trend is most pronounced in areas with acres of open land and sprawling new planned communities. But some crowded towns are finding ways to incorporate trails, hoping to lure the booming number of off-road runners and other trail users.
“For years, developers had been developing golf courses as though it were the only way to sell houses,” said Ed McMahon, the senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute, a development research group in Washington. “But the vast majority of buyers do not play golf.”
“Now we’re seeing an explosion of trail systems in new communities,” Mr. McMahon said, “because developers are starting to catch on to what prospective homebuyers want.”
Trails are the No. 1 amenity potential homeowners cite when asked what they would like to see in a new community, ahead of public parks and outdoor pools, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Trails were cited by 57 percent of prospective buyers in a 2004 survey by the association. “All of the evidence we have suggests that demademand for trails is increasing,” said Gopal Ahluwalia, the vice president for research at the builders’ group."
Link (may require registration)
Yup, looking for that AND the ability to add a photography studio and art studio. . .
No comments:
Post a Comment