Growing Together: Utilizing Live-Work to Enhance Our Communities

<p>Prior to suburban flight, living in urban centers was commonplace, and business owners often lived in their commercial properties. Commonly referred to as live-work units, architect Thomas Dolan defines live-work as “a building, unit, or compound in which residential and work activities are pursued on that same property by most, if not all of the same people.” Over the course of the 21st century, interest in urban living has renewed, and technology has enhanced the level of work flexibility and telecommuting. While the number of people working from home at least occasionally has been growing, recent impacts by the COVID-19 pandemic are accelerating the telecommuting trend. Many people are increasingly working from home to conduct work on behalf of companies while others are employing the live-work model to manage their own businesses across a variety of services including software development, art, and hospitality.</p> <p>To accommodate the needs of the growing telecommuting cohort, multifamily developers have increasingly incorporated coworking amenities into their projects. The Van Alen, a new multifamily building in Durham, includes a cyber café, conference rooms, and various forms of open seating in its amenity package. Likewise, Blu on Farrington, another recent multifamily development located in Chapel Hill, includes amenities desirable to remote workers including common social areas with ample open seating, private work booths, and a coffee bar. These amenities allow telecommuting residents to remain productive outside of their home without purchasing a coworking membership.</p> <p>Additionally, business owners can realize significant benefits by consolidating a home and office into a live-work space, with the [...]</p>