PROJECT ARCHIVE
Highland Gardens Neighborhood Development Plan
Chester, Pennsylvania | 2018
Walkable Homes. Connected Community.
UC Studios approached Highland Gardens as an opportunity to shape a more connected, human-scale neighborhood while positioning the area for long-term growth and future transit-oriented development. Rather than treating housing, mobility, public space, and infrastructure as separate issues, the team integrated them into a coordinated framework that strengthened walkability, improved first- and last-mile connections, enhanced the public realm, and identified opportunities for appropriately scaled mixed-use development. The result was a phased neighborhood-development strategy designed to improve everyday livability while creating a stronger foundation for reinvestment, accessibility, and future TOD.
UC Studios developed Highland Gardens as a neighborhood-scale residential and community-development concept centered on walkability, quality housing, landscape, public space, and stronger connections to the surrounding community. The plan improved pedestrian and bicycle access, strengthened first- and last-mile connectivity, and identified opportunities for appropriately scaled mixed-use development near future transit. By linking housing, mobility, public-realm investment, and access to nearby services and employment, the framework established a foundation for phased transit-oriented development and broader neighborhood revitalization.