The Ever-Evolving American City on a Hill

Ave Maria, a Florida town founded by Tom Monaghan, former owner of Domino’s Pizza, stands out as an unusual urban development. Situated an hour from Naples and Fort Myers, the town exists within a challenging landscape characterized by fallow ranches and industrial citrus farms. Despite being largely in a flood zone and enduring sweltering summers, Ave Maria is anchored by Ave Maria University, the town’s main employer. Established with the vision of creating a devout Catholic community, Monaghan’s dream was to cultivate a place devoid of “premarital sex, contraceptives, and pornography.” Opened in 2007, Ave Maria now has over 6,000 residents and is expanding with a new thousand-acre development. The existence of such a town, embodying values contrary to contemporary secular society, raises questions about the nature of community, utopia, and the pursuit of singular ideals in a pluralistic world.

Historically, America has been a land of diverse settlements that sought to create ideal societies, often as an outlet for groups dissatisfied with mainstream culture. Economist Albert O. Hirschman posited that such groups could either voice their concerns within existing systems or “exit” to form their own communities elsewhere. From the Puritans’ flight to Massachusetts to the founding of cities by Mormons across the Midwest and West, Americans have engaged in the pursuit of creating utopias, reflecting their specific beliefs. Ave Maria is a continuation of this tradition, where the search for a model society is manifest within a modern context. While Ave Maria may be perceived as a product of patriarchal conformity, for others, it represents an ideal haven for families seeking community and safety, distanced from larger, more chaotic urban centers like Miami.

Utopian visions often grapple with the tension between strict ideals and the real-world complexities of modern life. Robert Nozick suggested a reinterpretation of utopia, viewing it as a space for diverse experiments rather than a fixed blueprint imposed on all. This “utopia of utopias” allows individuals or groups to propose and test different living modalities, fostering a marketplace of ideas for social exploration. Ave Maria fits into this eclectic landscape, boasting traditional urban designs that invoke a sense of community, despite also being characterized by standard suburban sprawl. The interplay between lofty ideals and everyday practicalities illustrates the difficulty of adhering to specific visions of utopia.

Examining historical attempts at utopian living reveals the inherent challenges of such ventures. From Robert Owen’s failing communal project in New Harmony to John Humphrey Noyes’s Oneida community, numerous attempts have faced obstacles ranging from financial failure to ideological schisms. Conversely, some projects have thrived and evolved into successful, modern urban spaces. Notably, California witnessed a series of utopian experiments, though stringent regulations have stymied many recent initiatives. Despite environmental and housing crises requiring innovative solutions, new propositions for communal living often encounter resistance. Nevertheless, this urge to establish experiment-driven community models continues, underscoring the persistent desire to seek better alternatives to mainstream urbanism.

A significant factor impacting the success of such experiments is the regulatory landscape in places like Florida. Ave Maria was founded after overcoming various zoning hurdles, enabling it to develop relatively freely compared to many regions across the country. Florida’s unincorporated areas offer fertile ground for innovative developments, which can experiment with urban designs that embrace mixed-use living and a focus on walkability. Examples of successful urbanist communities in Florida demonstrate how uniquely enabling frameworks can produce livable spaces for residents seeking alternatives. This legal climate fosters an environment where towns like The Villages, a golf-centric retirement community, flourish, illustrating the viability of lifestyle-oriented urban planning without the rigid confines typical of many locales.

However, building such communities is fraught with difficulties, and many projects ultimately fail, either through lack of jobs or internal ideological conflicts. Ave Maria faces its own set of challenges, from grappling with its utopian ideals to navigating the complexities of modern urban living. Over time, elements of Monaghan’s original vision have softened as the town integrates into broader society, embracing a more pluralistic character. Instances of dissent and diversification highlight the inherent tension between utopian ideals and the need for adaptability in an ever-changing cultural landscape. Despite these adjustments, Ave Maria remains a notable experiment in community-building, representing both the ambitions and limitations inherent in the pursuit of distinctive social patterns.

In summary, Ave Maria stands as a compelling case study within the broader context of American utopian ventures. Its origins and ongoing development reflect a rich tradition of seeking paradise amid the mundane realities of contemporary life. The town embodies the struggles and aspirations of those who attempt to carve out spaces defined by particular values, challenging the prevalence of conformity in modern society. With an acceptance of its unique identity and a willingness to adapt, Ave Maria illustrates the complexity of building community in a diverse world and serves as a testament to the enduring quest for ideal living arrangements.