What is Seaside?
Seaside is a pedestrian-scaled beach town founded 25 years ago that has become a model for The New Urbanism, a movement that is changing urban and suburban planning and development practices throughout the country. Built upon rediscovered traditional town planning principles, the residential and commercial growth of the town has been ongoing and thoughtful. Located on the coast of Northwest Florida and essentially built out, the town has 489 residential dwellings and 76 commercial tenants. As a place where the entrepreneurial spirit is nurtured, the homes and retail shops in Seaside are individually owned.
Seaside’s 80 acres are laid out so that most of life’s daily needs are available within a short walk or bike ride. Three large public greens offer space for social activities and events. All public spaces are linked to a thriving town center that serves not only Seaside, but the surrounding communities as well. Dozens of shopping and dining options are located in or adjacent to the town center. Civic components include one of Florida’s first state public charter schools, an Interfaith Chapel, a non-profit institute, a repertory theatre, a post office, and several parks. As an environmentally conscientious community, the precious coastal dune system remains intact on the Gulf side of town and preservation of the indigenous vegetation is a priority. The only lawns are public greens.
The enormous success of real estate and commercial sales in Seaside has led to a profusion of communities and neighborhoods developed following the principles of the Seaside model. Even HUD’s new programs, such as Hope VI, follow the town’s planning principles for low and mixed income housing developments and HUD officials have visited and held seminars in Seaside.
Where is Seaside located?
Seaside is on the coast of Northwest Florida along County Highway 30-A, approximately 80 miles east of Pensacola and 35 miles west of Panama City.
How big is Seaside?
80 acres
What is the density of Seaside?
All land + beach = 7.5 units/acre
All land = 10 units/acre
Residential buildings = 20 units/acre
How many units?
489 individual dwellings, including about 100 guest homes. They range in size from small and cozy for a couple, to large and rambling, big enough for several generations to gather together.
How much of the town is commercial?
95,630 Sq Ft (2.195 Acres)
How many merchants are in Seaside?
Approximately 76 merchants, ranging from clothing stores, restaurants, grocery store, furniture, jewelry, unique gift items, artwork, etc...
How many people rent cottages in Seaside on an annual basis?
12,000 – 14,000 unique reservations in Seaside annually.
What are Seaside’s busiest times of year?
Seaside has multiple seasons:
Spring Break: March – April – 100% occupancy
Summer: Mid-May – Mid-August – 80% occupancy
Labor Day: 50%-65% occupancy
Fall: Red Wine Festival – 50-75%% occupancy
Does Seaside have a homeowners association?
The Town Council is the governing body of Seaside. It is comprised of the presidents of the nine street associations, a Seaside Community Development Corporation representative, an owner representative and a renter representative.
How many families live in Seaside year-round?
10% of the owners are year-round residents (primarily in Ruskin Place). About 240 residents rent their homes through the Cottage Rental Agency.
Does the town have a school?
Yes. The Seaside Neighborhood School is a public county charter school for grades 6-8. Approximately 100 students attend school in Seaside. Places are allotted through a lottery.
What non-profit organizations are located in Seaside?
Seaside is home to two non-profit organizations, The Seaside Institute and The Seaside Repertory Theatre. The Seaside Institute was founded by Robert Davis in 1983 and is committed to making sure the values of togetherness, place and community grow stronger each year. Annually, The Institute presents four to six seminars around the country that teach the theory and practice of New Urbanism and Smart Growth. The Seaside Repertory Theatre is a professional, not-for-profit theatre company dedicated to producing high-quality, live theatre for audiences of all ages. Founded in 2000, the Seaside Rep performs for over 20,000 people each year.
Does Seaside have a Code?
Yes. The master plan and the Seaside Urban Code were drafted in the summer of 1982. While they continue to this day to evolve and to change, these documents still incorporate the original simple and cogent ideas. The code stipulates the yards, rooftops, percentage of house that faces the street, percentage of house that is porch and what building materials can be used. Colors and architecture must go through the Architectural Review Committee. Seaside’s houses share a common vocabulary of building forms and materials, but there is also a great deal of variety and heterogeneity within the town. The streets are designed to accommodate cars and parking but also to make walking more convenient and more pleasant than driving.
What is the average home price in Seaside?
The average inland home price is $900/square foot
The average gulf front home price is over $1,000/square foot
Is the town fully built?
Out of 19 phases, 16 have been completed
Who are the town founders/developers?
Robert and Daryl Davis
Seaside Community Development Corporation
P.O. Box 4730
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459
www.seasidefl.com
Who were the town planners?
Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk
Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (master planner)
Miami, Florida
www.dpz.com
Leon Krier, Architect and Town Planner
Claviers, France, (master plan consultant)
Douglas Duany (landscape architect)
Attis Corporation
Miami, FL
Rick Hall
Transportation Planner
Hall Planning and Engineering
1237 North Adams
Tallahassee, FL 32303
http://www.hpe-inc.com/
Seaside Facts
§ The Post Office is the geographical center of Seaside and is a great example of the classical building style.
§ Tupelo Street was the first street developed. The town was developed east to west one street at a time. The Tupelo Street Pavilion was the first pavilion at Seaside; it is now one of nine. Robert and Daryl Davis were married in the Tupelo Street Gazebo in 1983. The pavilions act as gateways to the sea and serve as symbols of the neighborhood’s sharing of the beach.
§ The Honeymoon Cottages were named because they were designed to be big enough for two people to enjoy. The Beachside Cottages on the other side are a little larger and are referred to as the Anniversary Cottages with the idea that you’ll need a little more space to bring your family.
§ The first four-story commercial building, designed by architect Stephen Holl, was named Dreamland Heights in J.S. Smolian’s honor. The four-story commercial building to the west, 25 Central Square, was designed by Rodolfo Machado and Jorge Silvetti.
§ Public greens are a major characteristic of new urban developments. Seaside has three public greens: the Amphitheater, Ruskin Place and the Lyceum. These open areas are used to host over 200 free events per year, from concerts to children’s theatre to wine festivals. There is also a croquet lawn within the Seaside Swim and Tennis Club that hosts weddings, concerts and other events.
§ Except for within the town center, only native vegetation is permitted. Seaside allows no grass which means no fertilizers, pesticides, watering or noisy mowers. No exotic plants are allowed to be introduced because they can overtake an area.
§ Picket fences are unique in Seaside. No two houses on the same street can have the same picket fence. More importantly, they serve in American urbanism to tighten the spatial enclosure of the street.
§ Seaside has three pools – an adult pool and a family pool on the east-side of town and a larger family pool on the west-side of town. Seaside has six tennis courts and two full-time pros.
§ Seaside has its own Interfaith Chapel; designed by architect Scott Merrill. The Chapel hosts over 200 weddings each year, as well as concerts from visiting musicians or chamber ensembles.
§ The Lyceum was modeled after Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia academic village where individual buildings along side of the lawn face each other with a continuous colonnaded covered walkway connecting the buildings.
§ Ruskin Place was designed as row housing with galleries and workshops on the ground floor and living space on the second and third floors. It was intended to be an arts and crafts district but has turned into more of a gallery/café district.
Town Center Development:
§ The Lyceum Gateway buildings now under construction in the town center are privately owned and should be completed by the end of 2006. The complex was designed by Dan Solomon, WRT Solomon, E.T.C.
§ As part of the new development at Seaside, the Post Office will be moved and will be replaced by the Krier Tower. Leon Krier is a professor, author and architect who has been involved with Seaside from the beginning. Leon is the master planner of Poundbury, the new town next to Dorchester, UK, developed by HRH, The Prince of Wales.
§ When downtown Seaside is fully built out Central Square will become an outdoor living room enclosed by four story buildings with a triple row of palm trees around the amphitheater.
Town Influence:
- Recognized as the birth place for The New Urbanism movement
- Financially successful residential and commercial real estate development
- Environmentally conscientious, including preservation of the dune system and indigenous vegetation, passive solar buildings, etc...
- Improved local economy through increased real estate values and a growing job base
