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ORLANDO - When Miller Sellen Conner & Walsh moved into Baldwin Park, the 26-year-old company got more than a new address.
It got a bird's-eye view on the success of "village center" communities, which have become a specialty for the planning firm. In fact, Baldwin Park is one of its creations.
"It's a laboratory for what we do," says Executive Vice President James Sellen. "Just look out the window. It works."
After Celebration, success
During Orlando's rapid growth in the 1970s and '80s, such amenities as schools and parks were an afterthought.
Yet, "Communities are based on certain building blocks," says Sellen.
He says the first question prospective homeowners ask concerns the location and quality of the nearest school. Then they want to know about the neighborhood and nearby parks.
Now, after the success of Disney's Celebration community, village communities have gained appeal for those who want to live in or near a city but with a village atmosphere. "They created community from the get-go," says Sellen.
Such communities typically are built to include parks, retail and...