The Middleton Hills Case Study (2001)

Further on the topic of Traditional Neighborhood Design (or Neo-Traditional Development), here a case study of Middleton Hills (near Madison) done back in 2001 by Jane Grabowski-Miller, Middleton Hills' Project and Design Director (she can be contacted at jmiller@erdmanholdings.com):

New Developments and New Urbanism:
The Middleton Hills Case Study (2001)

Abstract: Middleton Hills began as a developer’s vision to create an alternative model for subdivision development. Together with consultant, Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, the master plan and design regulations were developed for a new urbanist community in Middleton, Wisconsin. The municipal approval process was challenging due mainly to the revisions in engineering standards required to implement the project. Lot sales were promising the first year; most likely due to local publicity about an innovative new community based on old neighborhood principles. Sales decreased in the subsequent two years. It appeared that the "pioneers" had bought into the project and others had a "wait and see" attitude. Now in the fifth year of lot sales (circa 2001), with over 25% of the development built-out, the physical reality has taken shape. The public has been more informed about the new urbanism concept both at local and national levels. Market acceptance by consumers, builders, and developers seems to be steadily increasing, as well as sales.

(Architectural illustrations from the Middleton Hills web site)

Craftsman Style

Bungalow Style

Prairie Style

MIDDLETON HILLS OVERVIEW

Marshall Erdman, the late founder and developer of Middleton Hills, liked to call his new development "an experiment". His vision for a new subdivision was quite a departure from the large-lot, developer-built subdivisions typically built around Madison, Wisconsin. Erdman — who had worked with Frank Lloyd Wright as a builder in the 1950’s and founded a national design/build/manufacturing company - was determined to build a prototype for other developers to follow and not "just another subdivision". In 1993, Erdman turned to new urbanist Andres Duany, of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, to plan and design a new neighborhood. His goal was to establish a sense of identity and community, while preserving the natural features of the site.

The planning for the 150-acre site began as a community design charrette process. Both Erdman and Duany gave presentations. Erdman spoke about his vision of living in a neighborhood that had services within walking distance, a pleasant pedestrian experience with front porches at the street, and an emphasis on people and community. Duany presented informational lectures on the changes in residential development since World War II, and the shifts in zoning ordinances and engineering standards. This process served to both inform the community about the benefits of a traditional neighborhood design and provide community input to the designers.

The site analysis identified many natural features: mature trees, hilly terrain, wetlands that have been preserved and restored with native vegetation, and views of the state capitol dome eight miles away. The site’s location off a major arterial roadway created an opportunity for a small commercial area in the development.

THE PLAN

The master plan is based on the principles of the New Urbanism, woven around the unique features of the site. Specific elements include:

• Mixed-use within the same neighborhood
• A network of streets and sidewalks
• Streets designed at a pedestrian scale
• An alley system, with garages at the alleys
• A variety of residential lot sizes
• Civic sites reserved in a few prominent locations within the neighborhood
• A network of planned open spaces; parks, pedestrian walkways, and landscaped outlots.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD CODE AND COVENANTS

The legally binding document, which has helped shape the master plan and enforce it, is the Neighborhood Code and Covenants. Along with typical neighborhood restrictions and conditions, it describes the Middleton Hills Neighborhood Association and contains the regulations for zoning, urban design, architecture, and landscaping. The design review process, which is controlled by the developer until all the lots are sold, ensures that the codes are followed.

The Regulating Plan

The Regulating Plan illustrates the building type for each lot and the build-to line. Build-to lines are used instead of setback lines where buildings front the street. This assures that a pedestrian-scaled space is created at the street. Building types include:

• Type I House (80’ or 64’ wide lot)
• Type II House (48’ or 32’ wide lot)
• Type III Townhouse
• Type IV Live/Work
• Type V Courtyard Apartment
• Type VI Shopfront/Loft

Urban Regulations

The driving theme behind the urban design is the creation of a pedestrian scale or "outdoor room" at the street. The Urban Regulations help to shape this space by defining such elements as building placement, building height, and garage location. Canopy-size street trees and narrow street widths, together with the building locations, form a comfortable space for people. Front porches are required on most lots, encouraged on others, which brings a human quality to the building fronts.
The alley network allows the porch and people to receive attention at the street while the cars are at the back of the garage behind the house. The alley serves as a multi-purpose space. It is utilitarian in its main function for vehicular access, garbage trucks, and utility pedestals. It can also serve as an entrance for granny flats above the garages. At Middleton Hills this space has become an informal meeting/play space, with basketball hoops and alley "garage sales". The alleys are owned and maintained by the Middleton Hills Neighborhood Association.

Architectural Regulations

The Architectural Regulations draw upon the regional traditions of the Prairie, Arts and Crafts, and Bungalow. These styles have been popular in Dane County since the early 1900’s and create a regional identity. True to these styles, only natural materials — wood, stone, brick or stucco- are permitted as exterior siding. When buildings share a common vernacular and same quality of materials it is possible to integrate them in greater variety. It allows for a townhouse to be surrounded by single family houses or a 950 square foot house to be near a 3,000 square foot house.

(Architectural illustrations from the Middleton Hills web site)

Craftsman Style

Bungalow Style

Prairie Style

Landscape Regulations

The Landscape Regulations guide both the public lands and private residential lots. On residential lots, they define a native plant palette, trees at the alleys, and a horizontal massing of shrubs to complement the architecture. Approximately 44 acres of the 150 have been reserved for an open space network of parks, landscaped outlots, and wooded trails. These lands have been dedicated to the City of Middleton or the Middleton Hills Neighborhood Association. The main feature is a 20-acre park with restored wetlands, storm water retention ponds, restored native vegetation, playgrounds, and a boardwalk path. This park is surrounded by a public street, which allows public access and views from many of the house and townhouses.

"MAIN STREET"

Commercial "Main Street" circa June, 2007

The area adjacent to the major arterial road has been designated as the commercial area. The lots have been platted in a "Main Street" configuration, with buildings fronting the street and parking lots behind the buildings. Approximately 100,000 square feet of space has been planned to include retail on the first floor, with office or apartments on the second floor.

The first commercial building was built in 1997 by the developer, Marshall Erdman & Associates. The developer’s intent was to have a building which would serve as a neighborhood center and jump-start the commercial area. Of the total 20,000 square feet of space, approximately 5,000 square feet is used for the community mailboxes, common meeting space, Middleton Hills Sales and Information Center, and the Prairie Café and Bakery. The remainder of the building is leased office space. Indeed, the building serves as the one true community space until other civic buildings are developed. Eventually, it is intended that residents will be able to pick up their mail and walk to other services along the "Main Street". The mail area and café provide a setting for residents to meet and get together for breakfast or lunch. The space is also used for larger gatherings such as Girl Scout meetings, the Middleton Hills Neighborhood Association, and informational tours of Middleton Hills.

LIVE/WORK AND MULTI-FAMILY

Besides single-family, other living options at Middleton Hills include live/work units, townhouses, and a 50-unit independent care senior housing facility. The townhouse sites are integrated into the development among single-family homes and have been very popular. Twenty of the thirty-five units have been built to-date, most with park views. The live/work unit has been the most experimental building type, since there are no comparables in the Madison area. The developer has built four of the sixteen units planned. These were designed with the flexibility to be used as live/work, live/live, or work/work — depending on market demand. The first two units sold quickly as work/work condominiums. One sold to a residential design/build company and the other to a hair and spa salon. The remaining two units are being used as originally intended for live/work, with one being owner occupied and the other leasing the residential unit.

SALES HISTORY

It is important to note that the developer of Middleton Hills is, for the most part, selling lots and not houses. Lot sales the first year were promising. Since the Madison community had been involved with the design charrette process, there was some pent-up demand. Those who were sold on the TND ideas of small lots and community living, with a Prairie or Craftsman style architecture, were anxious to buy. The covenants require that the house be substantially completed within 15 months of lot closing. During the subsequent year only a few house were built and it was difficult to envision the physical reality of the community. Lot sales declined sharply the second year, with only slight increases the following two years. In 2000, Middleton Hills was elected by the Madison Area Homebuilders Association to participate in the annual "Parade of Homes". This was an accomplishment since it signified builder acceptance of the development as well as attracting over 12,000 people to tour the neighborhood and specific homes. Lot sales for the year 2000 have finally surpassed the first year. The outlook for 2001, based on three months of sales, appears to be the best yet. At present, approximately 114 single-family lots have been sold of the 325 planned for the full build-out. Approximately 87 houses have been built or are under construction. Infrastructure has been completed in four of the ten phases planned.

MARKETING

The marketing approach by the developer has been informational, educational, and low-key. Money, which could have been allocated for advertising, was instead used to build the neighborhood center building.

Creating the physical neighborhood was a better sales tool than a slick brochure. The community design charrette created "buzz" as well as talk of an "experimental" neighborhood. Local television and press have been interested, and regularly contact the developer to feature the project. National publications have also created a "buzz" about Traditional Neighborhood Developments, so the project benefits from national marketing as well. On a local level, special effort was made to encourage realtors and builders through informational presentations and participation through the "Parade of Homes", Multiple Listing Service, etc.

THE PRO’S AND CON’S FROM DEVELOPER’S POINT OF VIEW

The barriers to developing a Traditional Neighborhood Development from the developer’s point of view are the following:

• The public approval process takes more time, and consequently more money, since the developer in this case was the "pioneer". New ideas and standards, although based on old ideas and standards, had to be negotiated with the municipality. This is especially difficult with the Public Works Department with regards to determining acceptable engineering standards. In some cases it requires hiring national consultants familiar with the new guidelines being developed for TND’s.
• The commercial and civic uses must serve a regional population to be successful. There are not enough rooftops to support these services until the neighborhood is built out, and even then it may not be a good location for some of these uses.
• Construction costs are higher on small lots due to haul-off fees and less room for gravity flow concrete. Costs could be comparable to an urban site rather than a suburban site.
• There is a niche market for small lots and this specific architectural style.
• This is a new product and consumers as well as builders are waiting to see if there is market acceptance.
• The opportunities from the developer’s point of view include:
• The higher density pays for higher infrastructure costs.
• The end product is a better design in terms of sustainability, community and neighborhood identity.
• The developer is making a contribution to the community.
• Innovative ideas create high public visibility, giving the developer and the project more visibility.
• The project becomes a model for other developers.
• The adoption of new standards paves the way for future developments.

LIFE AT MIDDLETON HILLS

Is Middleton Hills really working? Well, the people who live there seem to really like it. It has attracted the diversity that it was planned to accommodate. A variety of households exist, from singles, to families with young children, and empty nesters. They all seem to be attracted to a sense of community and a have a fondness for the architectural styles. Although not many services exist yet within the neighborhood, many residents can be seen walking to the café, mailboxes or parks. A few residents even work at the café and enjoy a "pedestrian" commute. The neighborhood also attracts residents from adjoining areas who enjoy walking through Middleton Hills. It still seems to be a niche market, but Middleton Hills offers an exciting alternative. And the alternative seems to be gaining more market acceptance.

Comments

[Bryan Maersch]

John

This place looks like a Utopia. I really love the Prarie Style and have admired Wright and the Arts and Crafts movement. Too bad it is around Madison.
When I retire in the up coming years, I would like to find a community like this that does not carry the hefty propery tax burdon that Wisconsin and Franklin does.

Thanks for this article, it keeps my hopes up to find a place like this.

[John Michlig]

You might be interested in a development closer to home called REFLECTIONS VILLAGE in Richfield. They have a website here: www.reflectionsvillage.com).

More on them later ...