Back to the Future... Tuesday's Dispatch, New Year's Message - 2005 (Jan 4), about the benefits of living in a "walkable" living environment generated a huge amount of feedback from readers. Below are just a few comments.

Pete Genet with Cushman & Wakefield in New York City points to two factors influencing shopping patterns in the U.S.: "the American myth of the yeoman farmer -- the ideal that places rural life above the debauchery of urban living -- a myth deeply embedded in the American psyche" and government programs like the interstate highway system.

Wendy Flint with Palmer & Cay Properties in Savannah, GA, writes. "The key word is 'American.' We are so infatuated with choices that, if everything was in reach, it would feel limited. The other issue is 'bargain.' Are we getting the best deal with the shops nearby? Last, but not least, would you feel closed in after a certain amount of time and feel like you just have to get away from home for a while?"

Alan C. Billingsley with RREEF in San Francisco, CA, writes. "For families, schools are the big driver. Once past that hurdle, the options are slim. Although you can point to a number of locations around the country that offer both, they are really few in number. Where offered, a significant premium can be commanded in home value. And I would argue, better than average home appreciation in the future."

John Perlman with Adams & Co. Real Estate in Atlanta wonders "... how many independent shopkeepers in the United States can afford the high rents of boutique retail environments? ... Everyone says that they want the independent coffee shop, card store, florist and bookstore. But then they go driving off to Starbucks. Walgreen's and CVS have clobbered the Hallmark stores. Grocery stores sell more flowers than anyone else. And for all the talk about the service from local bookstores, they're an endangered species due to both the category killer big box stores and the online retailers."

Paul Stell of Stellar Development Company in Lubbock, TX, writes. "Today there is resurgence in the use of traditional principles in town / community planning. In design circles, it is commonly called New Urbanism. As applied at the neighborhood level, New Urbanism is commonly called Traditional Neighborhood Development."

--Peter Pike