By Julia Boyle
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
“It’s like a college campus— like a city in itself,” Ralph Neeld says of Seabrook, where he has lived with his wife Emily since March.
The couple became interested in a town center-style community ten years ago when they visited Seabrook’s sister community, Charlestown, in Baltimore, Md. “We were looking ahead and liked the convenience and the lifestyle,” he says.
‘Sense of place’
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) holds the characteristics of a town center community—neighborhood atmosphere and vibrant public places—among its Top Ten Principles for Livable Communities.”
“Citizens need welcoming, well-defined public places to stimulate face-to-face
interaction, collectively celebrate and mourn, encourage civic participation, admire public art, and gather for public events,” the report says, adding, “a ‘sense of place’ gives neighborhoods a unique character, enhances the walking environment, and creates pride in the community.”
Perfect example
The Neelds name those qualities when describing their life at Seabrook. “We walk about a mile and a half a day, which is much more than we did when we lived in our house,” Ralph Neeld says.
Although they have friends in the area because they moved from nearby Neptune, they also say one of the best parts about their current lifestyle is meeting new ones. “Everyone’s so friendly; it’s easy to meet people,” Emily Neeld says.
They mention events held in the performing arts theater, a bank, a convenience store, and the three on-site restaurants as other benefits to living in a community with a pair of clubhouses as part of its two neighborhoods. “There’s quite a bit to do here if you want to,” she says.