The American Alley: A Hidden Resource

John Pattison

This four-part series, which culminated in the ebook below, explores American alleyways as promising sites for incremental infill development.

The American Alley, Part 1: A Hidden Resource

Overlooked and neglected for too long, it’s time to rediscover the strength-building potential of the American alley.

Looking at the history of the alley reveals not only why they were once so useful, but why they are underutilized in many cities today.

Let’s look at how alleys fell out of favor in the American development pattern, and how this relates to zoning codes and ADUs.

There is a human scale that has been forgotten here in America. Here’s how we might be

An interview with Thomas Dougherty, author of the American Alleyways series.