America running short of small apartment buildings

New York

URBANISTS often lament that developers no longer erect the small apartment buildings that were once a staple of city neighbourhoods. Instead, they construct single family homes or large apartment buildings.

There are good reasons to revive this "missing middle", however: Small buildings are a good way to add density without compromising the character of quiet, single-family districts. They also provide a convenient way for older homeowners to downsize without leaving their neighbourhoods.