WEST CHESTER TWP. - Morgan Shafer sips coffee from a to-go cup while sitting at a red light in her Volkswagen Toureg. The light turns green on Union-Centre Blvd. She accelerates to 50 mph only to get caught at the next red light.

"Dammit. I hate when that happens. I wish there was a type of neighborhood where everything is in one place. Somewhere I could walk to a restaurant, or a movie, or a shop... something not typical. I want to get away from the traditional neighborhood. Does such a place exist?"

Shafer won't have to wait for long. Scores are lined up for a planned new development, The Village at the Streets, in West Chester (motto: "You don't like going downtown, so we bring downtown to you").

The development is an example of so-called "New Urbanism," an idea of mixed-used suburban development that combines residential, shopping, dining, and even working areas all within walking distance. The neighborhood's Italianate style of architecture, and village square, awnings and gaslight lamps, suggests a European town.

Later, navigating through a maze of parking islands on her way from Target to Dick's, Shafer expressed optimism. "Italianate architecture? That sounds so fabulous! There probably isn't any of that Italianate architecture anywhere else in the country!"