You might choose where you live based on what a neighborhood seems like now, and what it might be like in the future. Quiet and bucolic, or raucous and exciting. Walkable and with an easily-maintained yard, or on the edge of town with a big backyard and near good roads making for a quick commute. You might hope and expect for that to continue. Some aspects of your neighborhood will stay the same, but more will change than you think.
Cities are a dynamic ecosystem! Neighborhoods are part of the ecosystem of a city, and will be affected by changes within your neighborhood and outside of your neighborhood. You may see drastic change in your neighborhood without any buildings changing in your neighborhood.
The neighborhood you live in has undergone multiple changes in its history, and will continue to do so. When you moved in, you were part of the change.
Being thoughtful in adapting a neighborhood to change can preserve the neighborhood’s best qualities while avoiding frustrations as your city changes around it. An old single-family home being replaced by a duplex or set of townhomes makes the neighborhood more residential, not less. Commercial space for a small coffeeshop or bakery provides a neighborhood gathering spot and builds community.
