Bolivar Peninsula's landscape is changing due to an influx of out of state second home buyers and new urbanism. An increase of out of state interest by investors is contributing to the latest changes in Bolivar Peninsula. Second home owners and retirees are investing in this area and bringing with them their own customs and culture adding to this small town’s already friendly, charming and relaxed atmosphere, which captivated the attention of buyers from across the nation.

An example of new urbanism in the area is Avocet, a master-planned community designed for form and function. Lush landscaping and welcoming Polynesian architecture blend perfectly amid stunning Gulf views and the natural beauty of Bolivar. Residents will enjoy all the comforts of civilization while feeling far from the hustle and bustle of city life. 

Is Bolivar Peninsula ready for all this? Developer David Birdsall thinks so.

Birdsall is the principal in the development group behind Avocet, a master-planned community intended for 144 acres, seven miles east of the ferry landing on state Highway 87.

Hawaii resident Birdsall promises Avocet will be unlike any other development in Galveston County or on the Texas coast for that matter. Birdsall heads a group that has acquired nearly 600 contiguous acres on the peninsula.

The development will eventually include about 412 home sites. Lot prices range from $75,000 to $325,000. Home prices will start at $400,000.

TexasGulfCoastOnline.com is proud to announce that Avocet has offered a discount to the Texas Gulf Coast New Construction Buyers Club. If interested contact Alice Donahue Real Estate or click here to learn more about the buyers club.

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What is new urbanism?
NEW URBANISM is the most important planning movement this century, and is about creating a better future for us all. It is an international movement to reform the design of the built environment, and is about raising our quality of life and standard of living by creating better places to live. New Urbanism is the revival of our lost art of place making, and is essentially a re-ordering of the built environment into the form of complete cities, towns, villages, and neighborhoods - the way communities have been built for centuries around the world. New Urbanism involves fixing and infilling cities, as well as the creation of compact new towns and villages.

NEW URBANISM promotes the creation and restoration of diverse, walkable, compact, vibrant, mixed-use communities composed of the same components as conventional development, but assembled in a more integrated fashion, in the form of complete communities. These contain housing, work places, shops, entertainment, parks and other entities essential to the daily lives of the residents, all within easy walking distance of each other.

THE PRINCIPLES OF NEW URBANISM

Walkability	Pedestrian friendly street design - buildings close to street; porches, windows and doors; tree-lined streets; on-street parking; hidden parking lots; garages in rear lane; narrow, slow speed streets.
Connectivity	Interconnected street grid network disperses traffic and eases walking; a hierarchy of narrow streets, boulevards, and alleys.
Mixed-Use and Diversity	A mix of shops, offices, apartments, and homes on site. Mixed-use within neighborhoods, within blocks, and within buildings.
Mixed Housing	A range of types, sizes and prices in close proximity.
Quality Architecture and Urban Design	Emphasis on beauty, aesthetics, human comfort, and creating a sense of place; Special placement of civic uses and sites within community. Human scale architecture and beautiful surroundings nourish the human spirit.
Traditional Neighborhood Structure	Discernable center and edge; public space at center; importance of quality public realm; public open space designed as civic art; contains a range of uses and densities within 10-minute walk.
Increased Density	More buildings, residences, shops, and services closer together for ease of walking, to enable a more efficient use of services and resources, and to create a more convenient, enjoyable place to live.
Smart Transportation	Pedestrian-friendly design that encourages a greater use of bicycles, rollerblades, scooters, and walking as daily transportation.
Sustainability	Minimal environmental impact of development and its operations; eco-friendly technologies, respect for ecology and value of natural systems; more walking, less driving.
Quality of Life	Taken together these add up to a high quality of life well worth living, and create places that enrich, uplift, and inspire the human spirit.

New urbanism has been successful already in California and Florida and could influence the areas affected by hurricane Katrina. Some 100 architects, planners, transportation specialists, and other professionals from new urbanist firms across the US met in Mississippi to help lead a massive planning effort aimed at rebuilding at least nine of that state’s stricken coastal communities, including Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula.

The planners have come up with about 90 recommendations on transportation, affordable housing, zoning, building codes, and environmental issues such as where to build, solid waste, and wastewater. 

Click here to learn more about new urbanism.