Developments will combine living, working, shopping and fun in one place

Developments will combine living, working, shopping and fun in one place

Imagine living so close to Starbucks that you can smell the beans.

So close to work, you can leave your house at 8:27 a.m. and be there by 8:30 a.m. — without starting your car. So close to the gym, there would be no excuses.

San Antonio residents won't have to move downtown for that kind of convenience anymore.

The new vision in real estate development combines work, living, restaurants and shopping all within one pedestrian-friendly village — in the suburbs.

The villages are called "new urbanism" or "lifestyle centers," but it's a concept that's anything but novel, said Brian M. Leary, vice president of design and development for Atlantic Station LLC, a mixed-use development in Atlanta that's considered a model for new urbanism.

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