Bartlett, TN

Rudolph Jones’ ancestors have lived in the Lakeland area since the 1830s‚ almost 150 years before the incorporation of the city. With such a long-standing history‚ it’s no wonder that the fifth-generation landowner wants to make sure his family’s property will be used for the good of the city and not turned into a strip mall or subdivision.

“We are willing to see our land con verted to a village if it’s done in a context of environmentally sensitive design principles‚” Jones says.

Lakeland‚ with a current population of 7‚000‚ is projected to grow to 25‚000 by the year 2020.

The Jones family plans to foster some of that growth by turning more than 1‚200 acres into an urban village designed by Miami-based Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co.‚ the company that helped to redesign cities along the Gulf Coast that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Company co-founder Andrés Duany is known for his use of “new urbanism‚” also known as traditional neighborhood design‚ which Jones says he will bring to the table through out the development of what is called Lakeland Green.

“There’s no town center‚ no town square and no town identity‚ with the exception of the lake‚” Jones says of today’s Lakeland. “We want to create a sense of place for the community.”

In addition to the planned municipal building and 65-acre park‚ the new devel opment has garnered interest from the YMCA and a small liberal arts college.

“A number of other institutional ingredients are going to make the community sustainable‚” Jones says.

Sal Feraci’s Renaissance Group already knows about Lakeland’s potential. The architectural firm bought five acres and built a 12‚000-square-foot office‚ moving into their new home in December 2005. Renaissance once operated near the Memphis airport‚ where FedEx was its chief customer. But its projects now span 28 states‚ making location more a function of quality of life now.

“It’s an expansion for us for the future‚” says Feraci. “What we were looking for‚ No. 1‚ is to have a building we could construct that would be our own‚ that we could put in a climate where new growth was happening‚ where we could help be a part of the growth that was going on in Lakeland.”

Feraci harbored an ace up his sleeve. He’s an eight-year resident of Lakeland‚ serving on the city’s design review commission and comprehensive plan steering committee.

Not incorporated until 1977‚ Lakeland originally comprised a settlement of homes surrounding an amusement park on 240-acre Garner Lake‚ where Ol’ Huff & Puff once choo-chooed children round a shoreline track.

Today‚ 300 new houses a year‚ widening roads‚ new schools – and new businesses like A2H and Renaissance – mark the changes. But Lakeland prizes its environment‚ says City Manager Bob Wherry‚ with a Tree City USA designation to prove it.

“We try to make sure we have quality growth‚” he says‚ emphasizing that’s a regional goal as the mayors of Arlington‚ Bartlett‚ Cordova and Lakeland meet quarterly.

In Arlington‚ Mayor Russell Wiseman saw his city earn Tennessee’s 2005 award for the best wastewater treatment system in the state. Local industries include a toppings and icings facility of Rich Products‚ the $2.5 billion Buffalo-based food service company‚ and Wright Medical Group‚ a $320 million biomedical implant manufacturer headquartered in Arlington with a staff of 600.

“Our location by two major interstates and rail access sort of sells itself as far as industry locating here‚” Wiseman says. “One thing that we have purposely done is make the process as easy as possible for industry.”