{"id":1004772928,"date":"2025-09-30T02:12:34","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T10:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commercialsearch.com\/news\/?p=1004772928"},"modified":"2025-10-15T04:35:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T12:35:01","slug":"how-mixed-use-can-build-real-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.commercialsearch.com\/news\/how-mixed-use-can-build-real-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"How Mixed-Use Can Build Real Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For decades, office life often had a mildly bleak, mundane twist baked in. Think the set of The Office<\/em>, with coworkers commiserating and bonding through routines around fluorescent-lit cubicles. Retail and residential were, of course, literal miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the live-work-play revolution shook up the old cliches, today’s placemakers are taking the office-anchored mixed-use project more steps forward. Whether they’re architects<\/a>, developers or property managers, the people shaping how such destinations look and are used today\u2014and tomorrow\u2014are turning into curators working for the community on a more personal level. Belonging and community have entered the chat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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READ ALSO:<\/strong> Why Retail Belongs in Office Projects<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By blending in art exhibitions, fitness classes, seasonal markets, charity events and the like, these spaces become more than corporate campuses or a simple mix of their individual components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bell Works\u2019 \u201cmetroburb\u201d model<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One concept working on redefining the office park is Bell Works. Ralph Zucker, president & CEO of Inspired by Somerset Development, coined the term “metroburb<\/a>\u201d to describe his vision: a metropolis within suburbia.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Bell Works Chicagoland location is the second of its kind, featuring multiple public events every month.
Image courtesy of Inspired by Somerset Development<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The model first came to life in 2008, when Bell Works turned the Bell Labs campus in Holmdel, N.J., into a mixed-use destination. The success of Holmdel inspired expansions into the Chicago area, as well as Fort Monmouth, N.J. Each redevelopment follows the same guiding principle of creating spaces where people don\u2019t just work, but want to spend their time, and has become a brand for the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Chicagoland, a 1.6 million-square-foot former AT&T campus is being reborn as a walkable community with office, retail, dining and gathering spaces. The design team behind Holmdel of Wright & Co., Alexander Gorlin Architects and npz studio+ carried over the philosophy of blending functionality and vibrancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Programming is at the heart of Bell Works\u2019 success. Monthly calendars showcase fitness classes, block parties, concerts, and even pet-friendly events. Larger gatherings, such as the Illinois Vintage Fest and seasonal craft fairs, attract visitors from across the region and are events Bell Works plans to continue hosting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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READ ALSO:<\/strong> Three Adaptive Reuse Projects That Pop<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Venues like the Bell Market and The Square host everything from casual coffee catch-ups to social hours. An on-site gym, FitLab, is open to the public, making it not just a tenant amenity, but a resource for the wider area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plans at Bell Works Chicagoland include the opening of the West side of the property featuring expanded conference facilities, an indoor turf field, as well as an outdoor patio with a bar, all designed to make pedestrian areas more social and engaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Zucker puts it, \u201cWe create the canvas for people to paint the picture of their daily lives.\u201d In practice, that means creating spaces that bring some of that inclusive town square vibe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community connections in Bellevue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On the opposite coast, Bellevue, Wash., offers another case study of how mixed-use can redefine neighborhoods. The Spring District<\/a>, developed by Wright Runstad & Co. and Shorenstein Properties, spans 36 acres and is designed around accessibility and open space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n