Urban Design and Stormwater Management Strategies for Suburban Regeneration

Suburban development surged after World War II, drawing residents and retail from the core city. The growth of post-war suburbs was rapid and often occurred with little consideration of physical form and stormwater management. As these suburbs age, they are beginning to lose their appeal to homebuyers and businesses, as the development dynamic and roadway infrastructure is pushing further out to the periphery of metropolitan areas and beyond.Older suburbs — those that developed prior to world War II — are better able to retain their competitive edge because they typically have distinctive architecture, walkable neighborhoods, planned green spaces, and access to public transit. All of these features help older suburbs retain their market appeal, even in the face of changing demographics and settlement patterns within a region. In contrast, post-war suburbs tend to lack the architectural character and amenities found in older suburbs. Post-war suburbs also face challenges in dealing with infrastructure, changing traffic patterns, and stormwater management that stem from decisions that were made rapidly and often without adequate planning during periods of growth in the early years of these communities. This paper looks at retrofitting postwar suburbs with a civic and environmental framework that will better enable these places to retain their viability over the long term. The paper includes case studies of Boardman, Ohio (an inner-ring suburb of Youngstown), and Independence and North Royalton, Ohio (both suburbs of Cleveland).