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Who built the first suburban community?
Abraham Levitt and his two sons, William and Alfred, built four communities called “Levittowns” in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico.
Who designed Levittown?
In 1947, William Levitt of Levitt & Sons began building mass-produced, affordable housing for veterans returning from World War II. Island Trees, or Levittown as it later became known, is widely recognized as the first modern American suburb.
Why did William Levitt create suburbs?
Levitt foresaw that the return of millions of young soldiers and sailors from abroad would jump-start the housing construction industry, which had been dormant since the start of the Depression. He bought up 7.3 square miles in Nassau County and created the first Levittown.
Why were levittowns created?
Built after World War II for returning veterans and their new families, the communities offered attractive alternatives to cramped central city locations and apartments. In addition to normal family dwellings, Levittowns provided private meeting areas, swimming pools, public parks, and recreational facilities.
Where did Levitt get the idea for building houses in the US?
In 1941 the Levitts built 2,350 defense housing units at Norfolk, Virginia. Of these, 1,600 were slab-based worker houses, constructed in assembly-line fashion. It was here that Levitt conceived the idea for his Levittown project.
Why was Levittown created?
Levittown was designed to provide a large amount of housing at a time when there was a high demand for affordable family homes. This suburban development would become a symbol of the “American Dream” as it allowed thousands of families to become home owners.
Who lived in Levittown?
Bill Levitt only sold houses to white buyers, excluding African Americans from buying houses in his communities even after. By 1953, the 70,000 people who lived in Levittown constituted the largest community in the United States with no black residents.