Retail

SoHo Broadway

How Cities Can Help Retail Catch Up with Residential

Scott Beyer details the old real estate wisdom of "retail follows rooftops," especially as evidenced by cities like Cleveland in recent years.

February 1, 2015 - Governing

Shopping Carts

Is A Small, Urban Wal-Mart Too Little Too Late?

Recent reports have revealed weaknesses in the big box business model. Will Wal-Mart’s new urban stores be as successful as its outdated model?

February 21, 2014 - PlannersWeb

South Mall Parking Lot

Massive Wave of Retail Store Closings Predicted

Sears, Macy's, and J.C. Penney are among the national retailers who've announced substantial store closings recently. Retail industry experts believe the closures are just the beginning of an approaching "tsunami" of shrinking and shuttering stores.

January 24, 2014 - CNBC

Can Parking Apps Help Save the Mall?

Across the United States, brick-and-mortar stores are engaged in an existential war with online retailers. The newest weapons in the battle for customers are technologies that make the search for a parking spot a cinch.

November 30, 2013 - The New York Times

10 Models for Revamping Your Outdated Retail Center

With retail tastes changing faster than a window display at the Gap, communities across the world are developing creative solutions to refresh their vacant and underutilized retail centers. Ten projects show what's possible.

October 28, 2013 - Urban Land

San Francisco Fights to Keep Chains Out as It Invites the Wealthy In

The battle over whether to allow a proposed Jack Spade store to open in San Francisco's Mission District points to the incongruities of a city desperate to maintain its retail diversity while it loses its residential diversity.

September 23, 2013 - The New Yorker

Paris Is What People Want; How Can We Make More of It?

Hazel Borys concludes her whirlwind European travelog. This week: a look at the DNA of Paris, and how to replicate it elsewhere.

July 2, 2013 - PlaceShakers

Outlet Malls Buck Retail Trends

While traditional enclosed malls, big box stores, and strip malls are struggling in an uncertain retail marketplace, sales at America's outlet malls are growing at a healthy pace. One mall near New York City is showing the pains of popularity.

May 24, 2013 - The New York Times

In America's Cities, the Better-Off Trade Retail for Restaurants

The replacement of retail establishments with restaurants in America’s urban centers has a demographic slant.

May 19, 2013 - Architect Magazine

Don't Close Shop Just Yet, Gen Y Still Likes Shopping in Stores

The rise of online shopping has been seen by some as presaging the demise of the physical store. However, a new report based on national survey results shows that Generation Y isn't ready to give up shopping on foot.

May 19, 2013 - ULI

The Next Step in Downtown Pittsburgh's Resurgence: Build More Parking?

With an approaching mayoral transition, Mark Belko looks at what Pittsburgh's next leader will need to focus on to keep downtown's rejuvenation rolling. Should building more parking be at the top of the list?

April 8, 2013 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bike-Oriented Development Sprouts in Portland

With the traditional metrics of retail economics and geography being undermined by the Internet, businesses are searching for new ways to reach potential customers. Astute business owners in Portland are recognizing the value in good bike exposure.

March 6, 2013 - Green Lane Project

Empty Main Street

Should We Let Main Streets Disappear?

Kaid Benfield pens a provocative column in which he suggests that the traditional American Main Street is a thing of the past, and may no longer fit our modern retail economy. Are traditional main streets still worth preserving and emulating?

February 4, 2013 - NRDC Switchboard

Can a Parking Garage Spark Detroit's Retail Comeback?

John Gallagher writes about the optimism surrounding a project proposed by Quicken Loans founder and developer Dan Gilbert, which could bring 33,000-square feet of retail space, and 1,300 parking spaces, to downtown Detroit.

November 2, 2012 - Detroit Free Press

What Does Amazon's New Strategy Mean for Main Street?

Farhad Manjoo probes the internet retail giant's shifting strategy on the geographic distribution of its facilities, and wonders what the implications are for local retail once Amazon can offer same-day delivery.

July 13, 2012 - Salon

Cities Frown Upon Air Conditioned Sidewalks

As the Summer months heat up, Sarah Laskow reports on cities' efforts to keep retailers' doors closed.

June 3, 2012 - GOOD Magazine

With Malls and Mom-and-Pops Struggling, What is the Future of Retail?

Tom Stoelker pens a feature in The Architect's Newspaper examining the decades-long upheavals in retail and current efforts to shape retail in ways that will preserve urban character while growing the economy.

February 26, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

New DC Zoning Code Goes Back to the Future

David Alpert provides a thorough analysis of the first third of Washington D.C.'s proposed new zoning code, and finds a return to kind of development patterns that formed the neighborhoods residents treasure today.

February 8, 2012 - Greater Greater Washington

Urban Revitalization: Baby Steps or the Magic Bullet?

Writer Tara Sturm explores the merits of incremental urbanism on revitalization efforts with the help of L.A. architect Alan Pullman, highlighting grassroots, community-driven economic development.

February 3, 2012 - Buildipedia.com

Rules for Planning Successful Retail Developments

Hazel Borys discusses how several key form-based guidelines for retail can encourage success in the most risky of all development types.

December 24, 2011 - PlaceShakers

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.