What Is a Town Center?
Written by: Teresa Barthol | teresa.barthol@exprealty.com | MT Barthol Visions inc.
A town center is an enduring, walkable, and integrated open-air, multi-use development that is organized around a clearly identifiable and energized public realm where citizens can gather and strengthen community relationships both personal & business. Anchored by thriving retail, dining, and leisure uses, as well as residential uses. Also included in a town center you will find some or all of these development: office, hospitality, civic, and cultural uses. Over time, a town center will evolve into the densest, most compact, and most diverse part of a community, with strong connection to its surroundings.
Town Center Life in Mill Creek, Washington is a beautiful example of a Town Center.
Mill Creek has been home for Michael & I for the past 8 years. Even before it became our home, I was talking to new home buyers about the benefits of a Town Center Lifestyle. I defined, what I visioned would be the outcome of the soon to be developed Mill Creek Town Center. I shared my expected outcome for Buyers who purchased around the Town Center. In 2002 as the Town Center began the development, new builders were offering wonderful homes just north of the Town Center. What has happened for those buyers is a completed and popular concept and the value of their homes have increased. What I fell in love with has now turned into our home on the golf course. I love it & my golfing husband loves it as well. A dream come true.
The Real Estate surrounding the community started building & developing in and around 1976 when a 1,073 acres known as Lake Dell Farm owned by the Garhart family turned into a Golf Course and some 4,600 homes that form the Mill Creek Community Association (MCCA)
The benefits are many. An area that is very walkable, many paved and well cared for trails exist around the Town Center. My friends & I enjoy many walks and talks around the Mill Creek community. It could be a walk from my home on the golf course, it comes to about a 3 mile round trip for coffee or lunch. We have options available in several good places for coffee, Starbucks of course, The Spotted Cow, Frost, and my new favorite is Bequest Coffee shop. In the evening it is also fun to walk to dinner with my Michael, we meet friends to talk with along the way. We have several restaurants to choose from, our favorites seem to be the Loft or Azul’s or Kafe Neo. In these more recent weeks, we have moved to pick up from some of these restaurants, doing Door Dash or planning strategically to get to the restaurant early enough to enjoy outdoor dining.
A healthy Town Center is anchored by retail establishments. My personal favorite currently is Kate’s gift shop. Central Market is my go-to grocery store for inspiration. Finding appetizers for an impromptu happy hour. Or if its time to entertain family or friends, I love to start my planning with ideas from Central Market. I’m never disappointed with the deli, fruits & vegetables, or the fresh meat & seafood selections.
A community grows stronger and more connected with festivals to celebrate the holidays throughout the year. The Music nights in the Court Yard during the summer, draw neighbors together for dancing & singing together.
Included in our town center, health clinics, space, hospitality, civic, and cultural uses. Over time, our town center should evolve into the densest, most compact, and most diverse part of our community, with strong connections to the beautiful surroundings. In this 2020 year, the Mill Creek town center is going through some transitions as we have lost the University Book Store, Pier One, (a couple of major retail shops).
Restaurants have experienced closings & reopening. I believe in the vitality of the community and that we will see those empty spaces filled in the months to come.
Over time the Buyers and sellers around Mill Creek have seen wonderful increases in home values and higher rents, for those investors.
Do you live and Love Mill Creek Town Center? Or would you like to move into the area to experience this community of growth and transition? Is the lifestyle of a Town Center location appealing to you? Come out & join me for coffee, lunch, or celebrate nature with a walk around the area to experience the streams, ponds, and parks. I would love to show you the community.