Building Community: Q&A with the Town Planner
Recall a place that felt like home. It may have been a place where you lived, visited, or a place you only read about. There was just something about it…
A sense of place is established through intentional, thoughtful planning. It’s more than aesthetic appeal, although that matters, too. A neighborhood built for people is created to address the human need for belonging.
Union Village Town Planner Mike Watkins incorporated “third places,” not where we sleep or work, but places where we can be together. When he created the Union Village Master Plan in 2013, no one could have guessed the New Urbanism concept would become more of a lifeline than a luxury.
“We are designed to be with other people—to live life in community. The New Urbanism is the built form that supports this.” - Mike Watkins
As our neighborhood grows, its distinct sense of place becomes more evident. We asked Mike to talk more about this design, which was awarded the Urban Planning John Russell Pope Award in 2015.
Q: When you originally began designing the Union Village Master Plan in 2013, creating a "sense of place" was important as it's a basic tenet of new urbanism. What planning elements are important to make this occur naturally?
A third place—not where we live or where we work, but a third place where people can meet casually or as planned. The English have their pubs, Union Village has Troni’s Italian Bistro! A mix of uses is another way to characterize this. Even better if these uses face a public square as they do at Union Village.
At Union Village Ohio, a dog park, village square and restaurant are destinations for connection steps from our front doors. Third places will continue to emerge as we plan and build. Take a look at the neighborhood swimming pool opening later in 2026.
Q: How has the concept of new urbanism performed post-COVID development?
Oh, people are almost desperate for community. Community is the new golf. It turns out people love being together. It almost doesn’t matter the reason. Music on Market Street is a great example.
Q: Do property values perform better in New Urbanism communities versus conventional development?
Oh yes. A 2021 report sponsored by the National Town Builder Association compared traditional and conventional neighborhood patterns built adjacent to each other in Louisville, Kentucky. The report concluded planning and design of a community are key to creating a lifestyle experience that has been shown to have a significant impact on home prices and resale values.
Q: In the past 15 years, we are seeing other parts of the country, such as municipalities around Charleston, South Carolina, incorporate more New Urbanism and Traditional design planning standards. Why are these design standards becoming more popular and what is the result on land use, environment, and traffic?
Well decades of building auto-dependent sprawl have literally driven us away from one another and driven us crazy. We are designed to be with other people—to live life in community. The New Urbanism is the built form that supports this. The generation that grew up in sprawl recognizes this and is hard at work fixing it.
Searching for A Place to Call Home? Take a look at Union Village Real Estate
About Union Village
Union Village is a unique village under construction in Turtlecreek Township (Warren County) Ohio. Designed on the principles of new urbanism, Town Architect Michael Watkins earned the Urban Planning John Russell Pope Award for the Union Village master plan. Touting charming front porches, masterfully crafted homes, beautiful park spaces and tree-lined streets, the Village will grow to include restaurants, shops and amenities in walking distance to homes.
Interested homebuyers can complete a brief questionnaire or call (513) 409-3190 to schedule a private showing.
Contact Us
Real Estate Inquiries: Dave Watkins (513) 409-3190
Media Inquiries: Sara Cullin (513) 383-5627
