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Truth vs. Myths of Downtown Planning
An article by Philip L. Walker, AICP in the American Planning Association’s Planning Magazine explored the “Top Ten Myths of Downtown Planning.” The following is an extract from the article with Mr. Walker’s comments on Myth No. 3 and additional comments by Buxton’s staff.
Myth No. 3: Our strategy for revitalizing downtown should focus on retail.
“Successful downtowns enjoy a rich mixture of diverse uses…however, a singular focus on retail is usually an ill-advised strategy… in fact, given its importance to most downtowns, housing is often the best bet of any component… residents make their downtown feel inhabited and safe thereby attracting those living outside of downtown to visit for shopping, dining, cultural events and other activities.”
Buxton’s Response:
We agree with Mr. Walker’s comment that “successful downtowns enjoy a rich mixture of diverse uses.” All too often communities concentrate on one or a limited number of projects to reenergize their downtown. While we do believe that retail development should be a major component of the Downtown Plan, retail by itself will not drive the revitalization efforts.
A model for successful retail development is the shopping experience at a well-run shopping mall. Mall managers know that to attract consumers the shopping experience must provide a safe environment, easy access to parking, a mix of retailers and restaurants, entertainment opportunities and events. Downtowns or commercial districts that emulate the mall shopping experience will increase the chances for their retail development efforts to be successful.
View the October 2009 Community Matters Newsletter
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