(2020-07-20) The15-minute City Is Having A Moment

The 15-Minute City Is Having a Moment. In an earlier post, The Coronavirus and the Future of Main Street, I argued for the rebirth of our local neighborhoods, noting that even if people are working from home, they still need to get out of the office

This decentralization of services has become known as the 15-minute city, where you can do your job, go to school, see your doctor, and be entertained all within a 15-minute radius of where you live

we must create a regulatory environment that encourages inclusive zoning, mixed-use development and flexible buildings and spaces.

An Old Idea With a Catchy New Name

There is nothing really new in this idea; the New Urbanists have been talking about it forever

the coronavirus changes the picture and adds new urgency

Or Maybe Not

Anthony Breach, an analyst at the Centre for Cities, who believes that the 15-minute city “would go against the grain of what we know about city life." He thinks the big cities like London will still have drawing power.

This Time it's Different

We are now at some point in the middle of the Third Industrial Revolution, the digital revolution, and it could well be that we are going through yet another massive change in the way we work, live, and organize our society. It's just happening much faster, thanks to a big kick in the butt from the coronavirus.