Residential area

2021-05-15T22:44:04Z

2001:8004:1180:2ECC:F41E:CD94:CE3:1009: /* History */

{{Short description|land use in which housing predominates, as opposed to industrial and commercial areas}}
{{unreferenced|date=December 2008}}
[[File:HelenaMT II.jpg|thumb|Residential area in [[Helena, Montana|Helena]], [[Montana]], United States]]
[[File:Nepali slum in Bhutan.jpg|thumb|Suburban slum in [[Bhutan]]]]
[[File:Osiedle Hubala I jesienią 2019 roku, w tle blok przy ul. gen.Wł. Sikorskiego 4A w Tomaszowie Mazowieckim.jpg|thumb|Residential area in [[Tomaszów Mazowiecki]], Poland]]
A '''residential area''' is a land used in which [[houses|housing]] predominates, as opposed to [[industrial district|industrial]] and [[Commercial Area|commercial areas]].

Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include [[single-family housing]], [[multi-family residential]], or [[mobile home]]s. [[Zoning]] for residential use may permit some services or work opportunities or may totally exclude business and industry. It may permit [[urban density|high density land use]] or only permit low density uses. Residential zoning usually includes a smaller FAR ([[floor area ratio]]) than business, commercial or industrial/manufacturing zoning. The area may be large or small.

==Overview==
[[File:Ikuri Tampere.JPG|thumb|A residential area of [[Ikuri]] in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]]]]
In certain residential areas, especially [[rural]], large tracts of land may have no services whatever, such that residents seeking services must use a motor vehicle or other transportation, so the need for transportation has resulted in [[land development]] following existing or planned [[transport infrastructure]] such as rail and road. Development patterns may be regulated by [[restrictive covenant]]s contained in the [[deed]]s to the properties in the development and may also result from or be reinforced by [[zoning]]. Restrictive covenants are not easily changed when the agreement of all property owners (many of whom may not live in the area) is required. The area so restricted may be large or small.

Residential areas may be subcategorized in the [[concentric zone model]] and other schemes of [[urban geography]].

== History ==
{{Expand section|date=May 2021}}

== Residential development ==
[[File:Silver Towers 44 11 jeh.JPG|thumb|upright|left|New inner city residences in [[Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan|Manhattan]]]]
[[File:Roundstones 62 St 5 Av jeh.JPG|thumb|left|Residential area in [[Bay Ridge, Brooklyn|Brooklyn]] about a century after it was developed]]

'''Residential development''' is [[real estate development]] for residential purposes. Some such developments are called a '''[[Subdivision (land)|subdivision]]''', when the [[Real property|land]] is divided into lots with [[house]]s constructed on each lot. Such developments became common during the late nineteenth century, particularly in the form of [[streetcar suburb]]s.

In previous centuries, residential development was mainly of two kinds. Rich people bought a townlot, hired an architect and/or contractor, and built a [[bespoke]] / customized house or [[mansion]] for their family. Poor urban people lived in [[shantytown]]s or in [[tenement]]s built for rental. [[Single-family house]]s were seldom built on [[speculation]], that is for future sale to residents not yet identified. When cities and the [[middle class]] expanded greatly and [[mortgage loan]]s became commonplace, a method that had been rare became commonplace to serve the expanding demand for home ownership.
[[File:Residential street in Oakley, Cincinnati.jpg|thumb|Residential street in [[Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]]]]
[[Post–World War II economic expansion]] in major cities of the United States, especially [[New York City]] and [[Los Angeles]] produced a demand for thousands of new homes, which was largely met by speculative building. Its large-scale practitioners disliked the term "property speculator" and coined the new name "residential development" for their activity. Entire farms and ranches were [[Subdivision (land)|subdivided]] and developed, often with one individual or company controlling all aspects of entitlement (permits), land development (streets and grading), infrastructure (utilities and sewage disposal), and housing. Communities like [[Levittown, Long Island]] or Lakewood south of Los Angeles saw new homes sold at unprecedented rates—more than one a day. Many techniques which had made the automobile affordable made housing affordable: standardization of design and small, repetitive assembly tasks, advertising, and a smooth flow of capital. [[Mass production]] resulted in a similar uniformity of product, and a more comfortable [[lifestyle (sociology)|lifestyle]] than cramped apartments in the cities. With the advent of government-backed mortgages, it could actually be cheaper to own a house in a new residential development than to rent.

As with other products, [[Kaizen|continual refinements]] appeared. Curving streets, greenbelt parks, neighborhood pools, and community entry monumentation appeared. Diverse [[floor plan]]s with differing room counts, and multiple [[Elevation (view)|elevations]] (different exterior "looks" for the same plan) appeared. Developers remained competitive with each other on everything, including location, community amenities, kitchen appliance packages, and price.

Today, a typical '''residential development''' in the United States might include [[traffic calming]] features such as a slowly winding [[street]], [[Cul-de-sac|dead-end road]], or [[Loop route|loop]]ed road lined with homes.

[[Suburb]]an developments help form the [[stereotype|stereotypical]] image of a "suburban America" and are generally associated with the [[United States|American]] [[middle-class]]. Most offer homes in a narrow range of age, price, size and features, thus potential residents having different needs, wishes or resources must look elsewhere. Some residential developments are [[gated communities]].

=== Problems with residential developments ===
Criticisms of residential developments may include the following:

* They do not mesh well with the greater community. Some are isolated, with only one entrance, or otherwise connected with the rest of the community in few ways.
* Being [[commuter town]]s, they serve no more purpose for the greater community than other specialized settlements do and thus require residents to go to the greater community for commercial or other purposes, whereas [[mixed-use development]]s provide for commerce and other activities, so residents need not go as often to the greater community.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Residential areas}}
{{Wiktionary-inline|residential}}
*[http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/pfop-meadowbrook-symbol-of-postwar-housing-boom/article_e5e990e3-1cd4-59e4-a4a8-0ac00e6069f9.html Meadowbrook symbol of postwar housing boom - Pantagraph] (Bloomington, Illinois newspaper)

{{Developments}}
{{Real estate}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Residential Area}}
[[Category:Urban studies and planning terminology]]
[[Category:Housing]]

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Residential area