In Vancouver, the presence of corner stores indicates diverse, dynamic, and affordable neighborhoods. But is the disappearance of such stores from neighborhoods across the city a sign that residential areas are becoming unbalanced?
Can an independent corner store still survive in Vancouver? And, if not, what does that imply about the state of the city's residential neighborhoods? These questions were the topic of a recent discussion led by Andy Yan, an urban planner for Bing Thom Architects.
"We might not give much thought to these oases in the urban desert, but their existence can improve a neighbourhood and raise property values," writes Kerry Gold. "Because they succeed best in areas with diverse incomes and urban density, they represent an equilibrium, the happy existence of a multi-layered community. There is a correlation between the corner store and affordable housing. They go together."
But in Vancouver, "corner stores are disappearing from neighbourhoods, with 82 per cent in non-residential areas," worrying planners, developers, and business owners alike.
“The corner store is a sign that things are in balance,” says Jake Fry, a director of non-profit Small Housing B.C. “There is something about income and the corner store and population — they have to be balanced properly. It really is the biggest telling thing of a dynamic neighbourhood. It’s like the canary in the coal mine.”
FULL STORY: Corner stores mean solid neighbourhoods
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.