Areas like St-Denis Street used to be bustling shopping destinations, but a shift in recent years has resulted in many empty storefronts.

René Bruemmer explores the issue of commercial vacancies in Montreal, where 15 percent of street-level retail spaces are empty. "Among the causes cited are some of the highest commercial property taxes in Canada, avaricious landlords demanding high rents, online shopping, restrictive zoning policies and debilitating road construction."
St-Denis Street is one commercial area that has been hit especially hard. Once a premiere shopping area, the corridor is now struggling with vacancies and decreases in foot traffic. "Experts say the vacancies are also a symptom of stores failing to adapt as consumers shift to buying local instead of driving to destination streets, seeking neighbourhood shops for vegetables or manicures or shoe repair. St-Denis has relatively few stores and shops catering to local needs, and merchants say that’s killing their businesses," says Bruemmer.
Solutions for revitalizing areas like St-Denis are not always clear. The causes of decline vary from street to street and are dependent on local policies and regulations as well as external factors, such as online shopping. "Arteries that are flourishing, like Fleury St. in Ahuntsic or Wellington St. in Verdun, have strong business associations that have reconsidered their needs," notes Bruemmer.
FULL STORY: Montreal's vacant storefronts: 'I think this street is dead'

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living
Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.

Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown
In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.

Off-Peak is the New On-Peak
Public transit systems in major U.S. cities are starting to focus on non-rush hour travelers as pre-pandemic commuting patterns shift and transportation needs change.

Tacoma Coalition Calls for ‘Tenants’ Bill of Rights’
The group wants to put more power in the hands of tenants, but the city has its own, competing proposal for addressing the housing crisis.

New Power Transmission Line Approved in the Southwest
The proposed transmission line will transfer wind-produced power from New Mexico to cities in Arizona and California.

The Limitations of ‘Reconnecting Communities’
The Biden administration has pledged to correct the damage imposed on communities by highways and infrastructure, but many projects are only committing to minor improvements, not transformative changes.
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
Code Studio
TAG Associates, Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Knox County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
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.