Devon Zuegel

There's also a lot of technical reasons, but... I think the biggest answer is just it's not in the space of things that people think are normal to do. But if you think about it, every town that exists had to be started at some point. Someone was the first person to move in. Somebody built that infrastructure. And I think it's just something that we've done less and less of.

There's also a lot of technical reasons, but... I think the biggest answer is just it's not in the space of things that people think are normal to do. But if you think about it, every town that exists had to be started at some point. Someone was the first person to move in. Somebody built that infrastructure. And I think it's just something that we've done less and less of.

And as that frontier has closed, the physical frontier, more and more of that space has been taken up. And a lot of the really good locations for towns and especially for big cities is probably also taken.

And as that frontier has closed, the physical frontier, more and more of that space has been taken up. And a lot of the really good locations for towns and especially for big cities is probably also taken.

But way before I started working on this project, I've been really obsessed with urban design and in particular street design, because I actually think that streets are the single most important building block in a city. The way that the streets interact and how they interface with buildings and other public spaces is really the thing that defines the feeling of a city, in my opinion.

But way before I started working on this project, I've been really obsessed with urban design and in particular street design, because I actually think that streets are the single most important building block in a city. The way that the streets interact and how they interface with buildings and other public spaces is really the thing that defines the feeling of a city, in my opinion.

And I've been studying and writing about it and befriending architects and developers for the last 10 years. And really, my poor husband, every time we travel somewhere, it's really an architecture tour where I talk to him all the time. Like, oh, did you see the setbacks of this building from the street? Like, oh, it's interesting that they're mandating a 20-foot setback here.

And I've been studying and writing about it and befriending architects and developers for the last 10 years. And really, my poor husband, every time we travel somewhere, it's really an architecture tour where I talk to him all the time. Like, oh, did you see the setbacks of this building from the street? Like, oh, it's interesting that they're mandating a 20-foot setback here.

And so really the biggest answer I would say is from my travels and just taking really detailed notes and making a lot of observations about the choices that are made in different cities and what works and what doesn't. And it's actually not a binary thing either. It depends on what your goals are. Is this community trying to be an industrial hub where a lot of big manufacturing happens?

And so really the biggest answer I would say is from my travels and just taking really detailed notes and making a lot of observations about the choices that are made in different cities and what works and what doesn't. And it's actually not a binary thing either. It depends on what your goals are. Is this community trying to be an industrial hub where a lot of big manufacturing happens?

Is this trying to be... a resort community where people can relax? Is this a place that's meant to be multi-generational or is it targeted towards a particular generation? And so tracking those things and building a very rich mental model of the specific details has been the most fun thing for me, honestly. That's my favorite thing to think about.

Is this trying to be... a resort community where people can relax? Is this a place that's meant to be multi-generational or is it targeted towards a particular generation? And so tracking those things and building a very rich mental model of the specific details has been the most fun thing for me, honestly. That's my favorite thing to think about.

Oh, that's so fun. Okay, I'll give you a little persona of the type of person that I think would particularly love living in Esmeralda. So basically somebody who is an adult who's got a young family, but also maybe their older parents or even their grandparents are still alive. They can all live in this community together, which is my experience at Chautauqua.

Oh, that's so fun. Okay, I'll give you a little persona of the type of person that I think would particularly love living in Esmeralda. So basically somebody who is an adult who's got a young family, but also maybe their older parents or even their grandparents are still alive. They can all live in this community together, which is my experience at Chautauqua.

I would stay with my grandmother and we'd have three and sometimes even four generations all in the same home. And I think I'd like them to describe it as a place where their kids have a lot of independence. Their kids can get around on foot rather than having to ask to be driven everywhere. A place where there's a really high level of trust within the community.

I would stay with my grandmother and we'd have three and sometimes even four generations all in the same home. And I think I'd like them to describe it as a place where their kids have a lot of independence. Their kids can get around on foot rather than having to ask to be driven everywhere. A place where there's a really high level of trust within the community.

And when you walk outside, you are very likely to meet people who share your values and those values specifically being a level of learning and creation that but also of invention and building new things. I love the values that Chautauqua has. I think we would build on that, but I'll also point out two major values differences.

And when you walk outside, you are very likely to meet people who share your values and those values specifically being a level of learning and creation that but also of invention and building new things. I love the values that Chautauqua has. I think we would build on that, but I'll also point out two major values differences.

I think on one hand, Chautauqua is much more about lifelong learning than it is about building. I think it's more of a place where you absorb a lot of information and experts come and talk. I don't want to downplay the cool things that Chautauquans are doing either, but it's much more emphasis on reading and consuming and learning.

I think on one hand, Chautauqua is much more about lifelong learning than it is about building. I think it's more of a place where you absorb a lot of information and experts come and talk. I don't want to downplay the cool things that Chautauquans are doing either, but it's much more emphasis on reading and consuming and learning.