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Are Lifestyle Centers Killing Downtowns?

Posted by: Abhijeet Chavan
Thanks to: Debra Ames
26 October 2005 - 8:00am

Lifestyle centers, like shopping malls of the past, are contributing to the decline of city centers across the country.

Cities across the country are jumping on the "lifestyle center" bandwagon without questioning how these new developments will impact the economic vitality of their downtowns. The increase in lifestyle centers throughout the Portland, Oregon, region has contributed to the slow materialization of Metro's (Portland's regional planning agency) identified town and regional centers. "Although lifestyle centers may be economically successful in the short term, they compete with the city's urban core, encourage automobile dependence and, in the long term, contribute to a city center's economic and social decline."

[PDF, 1 page, 598 kb]

Full Story: In My Opinion: Lifestyle Centers Hamper Region's Growth Management Strategy [PDF]
Source: AIA Oregon Architect Newsletter, October 26, 2005
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But why not just require basic accessibility, such as no-step entrances and wider doorways? It seems off the mark to argue that it's inappropriate to place this kind of requirement on homebuilders.
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