Providence, Rhode Island is one of many cities to get mall-like retail center built with walkability in mind and set around a Plaza.

More walkable malls are having a moment. "Communities across the country are embracing what's been called the Santana Row effect, a nationwide planning trend that seeks to deconstruct the great American enclosed mall and reduce the profile of the cars that come with it," Angela Ruggiero writes in The Providence Journal. Cities from San Jose to Providence are experimenting with this kind of development. "This urbanist movement was a strong reaction against the suburban model that America built some 50 years ago, a very car-dominated culture, Calott said. The city center has now become a mainstream real estate development," Ruggiero reports.
In cities fighting the image of being too car-bound, and trying to build retail, this style has proven popular. Jeff Dodd of Sunset Development, which worked on the development in Providence told Ruggiero, "Although some may say it's a glorified mall without a roof, the openness of the structure makes it feel as though there are no walls."
FULL STORY: Across the U.S., malls are moving outdoors as pedestrian-friendly 'city centers'

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway
The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws
One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy
The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.
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