Why Everywhere in the US is Starting to Look the Same

Summary by Krater

This video explores how globalization, building codes, and corporate standardization have created a pervasive sameness across American cities and suburbs, driven by the economics of real estate development, hotel franchising, and fast-food chains.

From the video

Answers: Why do cities and towns across America and the world look so similar?

• Interstate exit commercialization
• Urban and suburban homogenization
• Type 5 over 1 apartment construction
• Building codes and international code adoption
• Multifamily housing market consolidation
• Choice Hotels International franchising model
• Fast-food franchise standardization and supply chains
• Corporate landlord market dominance in Denver

What it concludes

• Building codes, such as the International Building Code, allow 5-over-1 wooden structure apartments on top of concrete bases, making them a cheap alternative to steel and concrete.
• About three-quarters of all residential land in the US is zoned for single-family homes, creating a scarcity of multifamily housing and driving up development intensity.
• The top 25 largest developers constructed one-third of the 293,000 large building housing units developed in 2019.
• Multifamily housing market consolidation and 5-over-1 construction allow large developers to outcompete smaller competitors and reduce per-unit costs.
• Choice Hotels franchises its brands, allowing independent franchisees to use standardized menus of brands, floor plans, and color schemes while bypassing direct property ownership costs.
• 57 percent of limited-service restaurants in the US operate as franchises, leveraging standardization, branding, and global supply chains to reduce costs.