Agritopia

The neighborhood was first envisioned in 1990 by Joe Johnston, a Gilbert resident who saw developing the land upon which sat his family farm as a means of "creating place" in a rapidly urbanizing environment.{{Cite web |last1=Bickel |first1=Joshua |last2=Hammerschlag |first2=Annika |last3=Walling |first3=Melina |date=2025-05-28 |title=A little bit of farm, a little bit of suburbia: That's the recipe for Agritopia |url=https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-arizona-agrihood-agritopia-farms-neighborhood-sprawl-a749ddd6ae3a08d8bb7d37bebda1c163 |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=AP News |language=en}} His family gave their blessing for Johnston to develop the land, and construction began in the early 2000s.{{cite web |last=Buntin |first=Simmons B. |title=Agritopia in Gilbert, Arizona |url=http://www.terrain.org/unsprawl/24/ |publisher=terrain.org}}{{cite news |last=Leavitt |first=Parker |date=March 8, 2012 |title=Gilbert development proposal features unique design |url=http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert/articles/2012/03/08/20120308gilbert-development-proposal-features-unique-design.html |publisher=Arizona Republic}}

The community contains 452 lots on which the developer built single family homes, cottages, and bungalows, all in neotraditional architectural styles from the early 20th century United States. The community also includes a functioning urban farm, a community garden, a private 470-student Christian school, a community center, a retirement home, and four restaurants. The developers established neighborhood covenants which encouraged home-based and agricultural businesses, and pedestrian transit, but discouraged rental housing. Homes range from {{convert|1300|sqft|m2}} to {{convert|7000|sqft|m2}}. Street and home designs are intended to encourage socialization among neighbors.{{cite web |author=Kate Murphy |date=March 12, 2014 |title=Farm-to-Table Living Takes Root |url=http://agritopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/nytimes.com-FarmtoTable_Living_Takes_Root.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307124102/http://agritopia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/nytimes.com-FarmtoTable_Living_Takes_Root.pdf |archive-date=March 7, 2017 |access-date=March 31, 2017 |work=The New York Times}}

Within Agritopia are currently two stand-alone restaurants. Joe's Farm Grill was featured on the Food Network's show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" hosted by Guy Fieri.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} Next door is The Coffee Shop, which won an episode of Food Network's Cupcake Wars.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}} A set of buildings called "Barnone" features artisanal craftsmen selling their goods and making them onsite.{{Cite web|url=https://barnoneaz.com/|title=Barnone, a Craftsmen Community Gilbert Arizona|website=Barnone}}File:Gardening lots for rent at Agritopia.jpg

Community farms, though popular among developers in the southern US as an amenities option for neighborhood residents in new listing zones, have been criticized for the role they play in driving gentrification in those same regions.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Kate |year=2022 |title=Understanding the Impacts of Urban Agriculture in Gentrifying Neighborhoods in Denver |url=https://digitalcommons.du.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3049&context=etd |access-date=2025-05-28 |website=University of Denver (digitalcommons.du.edu)}}{{Cite journal |last1=Hawes |first1=Jason K |last2=Gounaridis |first2=Dimitrios |last3=Newell |first3=Joshua P |date=2022-09-01 |title=Does urban agriculture lead to gentrification? |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204622000962 |journal=Landscape and Urban Planning |volume=225 |pages=104447 |doi=10.1016/j.landurbplan.2022.104447 |bibcode=2022LUrbP.22504447H |issn=0169-2046|url-access=subscription }} Though the produce grown in Agritopia's farm lots is donated to a local food pantry and sold at a market in downtown Gilbert, low participation of the community's members in the project has been noted by outside observers.

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• {{cite news |author= Murphy, Kate|title= Farm-to-Table Living Takes Root|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/12/dining/farm-to-table-living-takes-root.html|newspaper= The New York Times|location= New York City|date= 2014-03-11|access-date= 2015-06-21}}

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Category:Gilbert, Arizona