Silver Spring: Urban, Walkable and Catnip for Developers

While , a new study has identified the areas in the Washington, DC, region most attractive to developers--and, yep, Silver Spring is on there. 

Unsurprisingly, "urban walkable places," in the city and in the suburbs, are what developers are looking for, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, which was based on research released Wednesday by George Washington University professor Christopher Leinberger. 

Leinberger's report names 43 "regionally significant" neighborhoods with high levels of walkability. All of the areas named have seen similar trends: more apartment and office development and less retail growth. 

Combined, the walkable areas of the DC region have experienced a 42 percent jump in new apartments, the Journal reports. That's up from 19 percent between 2000 and 2008 and up from 12 percent during the previous decade. 

Retail development is slightly derailed in these areas with 13 percent of retail developed in walkable areas, compared with 16 percent between 2000 and 2008. 

So what does all this mean? Partly, to expect more of the same development. 

“There’s pent-up demand for walkable urban," Leinberger said. 

Read more (elsewhere):

Most growth happening in "walkable urban" neighborhoods (Greater Greater Washington) 

The Next Major Real Estate Cycle: Walkable Urbanism? (Atlantic Cities) 

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