Live music, skating rinks, and artificial beaches are now part of developments that want to go beyond just simple shopping and dining.
Katherine Shaver reports that developers are focusing on "experience" as a draw for residents and visitors. "It’s the latest buzzword among developers seeking to transform automobile-centric inner suburbs into walkable urban hubs."
Developers say they also want to encourage environments that help people interact offline, where they can connect while also supporting brick-and-mortar retail establishments, says Shaver:
It’s why you’re seeing so many more restaurants, food halls, cooking demonstrations, outdoor yoga classes, smaller concert venues, bars and lounges, farmers markets, tot lots, fire pits, splashable fountains, restaurant-like bowling alleys, and cocktail-serving movie theaters — anything that helps people interact in a way they can’t online.
These experiences, however, are not completely disconnected from the digital world. "The most successful offerings, developers say, are ready-made for Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat," adds Shaver.
Shaver notes that not all efforts have proven successful. Some developments have competed with other projects, struggled with commercial vacancies, and faced the effects of growths in online shopping.
FULL STORY: Why developers are offering ‘experiences’ to attract suburbanites
Phoenix Mall Sold for Mixed-Use Redevelopment
The former Paradise Valley Mall will undergo a conversion to a mixed-use community with homes, offices, and stores.
The End of the Mall? Navigating the Shifting Retail Landscape
More online shopping means fewer consumers are spending money at brick-and-mortar stores, with suburban malls hit especially hard. But municipalities are looking for creative strategies to navigate a post-mall world.
The Future of the Retail Landscape
Stores are an integral part of the cityscape. So how will online shopping change what we see in the coming years?
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie