Retail Uses
Recent Retail Closures in U.S. Cities Follow Trends Established Before the Pandemic
While some cling to debatable claims about higher crime rates as the cause for recent high-profile store closures in U.S. downtowns, the real reasons are more realistically extensions of the causes of the “retail apocalypse” from the before times.
Chain Retail Slow to Recover From Pandemic in New York City
2020 was a rough year for retail chains in New York City, making even a slow year, like 2021, look like a recovery.
Zoning for Marijuana: Retail Not Included
Local municipalities in New Jersey retain local control in response to a state law that legalizes marijuana businesses throughout the state.
Retail Openings Outpace Closures in 2021
An estimated 20 percent of the stores to open so far in 2021 are Dollar Generals.
Opinion: How Trader Joe's Nailed its Pandemic Response
Cities could learn from the grocery store chain's successful navigation of the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Link Between Smart Cities, Fleet Technology, and Economics
The theoretical planning of smart cities could help make city economies stronger as purchasing becomes more straightforward.
The State of Commercial Corridors (And How to Protect Them During the Pandemic)
The pandemic is accelerating recent trends in commercial real estate with potentially catastrophic consequences for the commercial corridors that play such a fundamental role in the urban fabric.
Seattle Extends Outdoor Dining for a Year, Eases Rules on Heaters for the Winter
Outdoor dining is going to hang out for a bit.
The Impacts of Repeated Closures on California Commercial Real Estate
Carl Muhlstein discusses the recent re-closure of California businesses and the subsequent impact on the regional real estate market.
A Tale of Two Real Estate Markets
Hotels, retail, and office properties, along with renters, have been ravaged by the economic downturn of the pandemic. Meanwhile home sales are booming as people with money in the bank take advantage of low interest rates to upgrade.
Post-Pandemic Era of Shopping Malls Creates Opportunities for Downtowns
The COVID-19 pandemic and massive mall-retailer closings has left millions of highly skilled workers from the retail and food and beverage industries unemployed and eager to work. Many will seek to open their own businesses in downtowns.
Lessons from the Pandemic: Housing, Retail, Broadband
Second in a series of conversations about what comes next in local government policies and processes, this time between Geoff Koski and Ben Brown on housing, retail, and broadband
Free Parking as a Restaurant Business Incentive During Coronavirus
As restaurants and other local retail businesses ponder how to stay open as people stay at home and social distance for the foreseeable future, parking regulations will likely be reevaluated—they already are in Cincinnati.
It's Easier to Consume Marijuana in Public in Colorado, Starting Today
This article pitches Colorado's new commercial marijuana regulations, including making more space for public consumption, as a way for the state to keep up with California.
Retail Apocalypse Blazes New Trails
The demise of a beloved outdoors gear chain in Southern California suggests that no store is safe in America's high-priced cities.
A Sprinkle of Stores: Wrestling With Jacobs's Uncertainty
Jane Jacobs used vague terms to describe the number of stores necessary for a safe and vibrant streetscape. Here, author Fanis Grammenos attempts to discover a more specific number to attach to this prescription.
Understanding the 'Dark Store Theory' Costing Local Governments Millions in Property Tax
The New York Times takes a deep dive into the "dark store theory" costing local municipalities millions, and potentially more, in property tax revenues all over the country.
6 Charts to Summarize the 'Retail Apocalypse' in 2018
2018 was more of the same for the demise of retail businesses in the United States.
Keeping Downtown Main Streets Full
Oakland County, Michigan has announced an initiative to attract and retain retail businesses.
Friday Fun: Can You Save the American Mall? (The Video Game)
It's a free online video game, in retro 8-bit style. What could go wrong?
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
