When the City of Santa Fe implemented its
approved master plan for Tierra Contenta, a new
community on the southwest side of town, planners had in mind
more than just another subdivision. The challenge would be
to create a mixed use, mixed income development that fostered
a sense of community and didn't exclude the average homebuyer.
The solution lay within some very old concepts, many of which
are already familiar to New Mexicans. Native American pueblos
and the small, plaza centered cities of Santa Fe, Taos and
Old Town Albuquerque served as inspiration for the type of
neighborhoods Tierra Contenta designers wanted to emulate.
In addition, designers incorporated some concepts of New Urbanism,
an anti-sprawl development philosophy that advocates small
scale, pedestrian oriented neighborhoods with schools, stores, parks and open space.
With these ideas in mind, Tierra Contenta's designers created
an attractive, pedestrian scale, and environmentally friendly alternative
to traditional suburban development where garage doors dominate the streetscape.
In 1993 the City of Santa Fe formed the non-profit Tierra
Contenta Corporation to implement the new master plan. The Corporation's
goals remain the same today: provide builder ready tracts
of land for housing, schools, business centers, and common
areas to create a community oriented development that addresses
a variety of local and global concerns. The entire concept,
innovative yet practical, won Tierra Contenta the 1999 Outstanding
Planning Award for Implementation from the American Planning
Association.
Because New Mexicans treasure their natural environment,
Tierra Contenta is designed to be both efficient and eco-friendly.
Developers work with the natural lay of the land, preserving
its essential character so that residents may enjoy large
areas of open space and multi-use trails. In certain neighborhoods
houses are situated Old World-style around central courtyards,
a method that makes the most use out of the least amount of
space.
The layout of Tierra Contenta greatly reduces the noise and
pollution from automobile traffic. Wide sidewalks and narrow
streets are pedestrian friendly and require that cars move
along at a slow pace. Additionally, each neighborhood is served
by one of three neighborhood centers containing schools, apartments,
retail stores, parks, and public plazas. These centers are
all within easy walking distance, which further reduces the
need for an automobile.
With a range of builders to choose from—including a
few specializing in green building—buyers are able to
select homes that are both attractive and energy efficient.
Architectural standards exist to insure conceptual uniformity,
not to limit creativity. In addition, the entire development
is designed to conserve water, a major concern to those living
in the desert southwest.
Tierra Contenta is about more than just building houses.
It's about creating solutions to the problems of modern urban
development. Tierra Contenta offers its residents a welcome
alternative to unchecked sprawl, cookie cutter housing, and
isolated neighborhoods. Here, people come together in a more
traditional way of life, one based on community pride, respect
for one's neighbors, and a reverence for the natural environment. |
