Shopping-mall developers believe that lifestyle centers will improve the fortunes of medium-sized malls, which have been losing customers to the megamalls.
This article is about the trend for new malls to be 'Lifestyle Centers' (aka Outdoor malls). I really do like outdoor malls much more than normal malls, and if you have not had a chance to go to one then you really should check one out whenever you are in the area.
But this got me thinking. Really what these guys are doing is making a new 'downtown'. They just make a bunch of buildings close together and but business in them, that is what a downtown is. So why do these work when downtowns don’t? The answer is the new outdoor malls are pedestrian friendly, where you don't have to worry about getting run over by cars, and life just seems more stroll-y. So why don't downtowns emulate this? The answer: successful ones do. Look at Peal Street in Boulder, and the area by the Arch in St.Louis. These places are old pedestrian friendly places to shop and dine.
So what does this mean? Downtowns that want to become successful should more to a pedestrian friendly setting, if possible close off the road, and build ample parking. So what does this mean for Manhattan (Kansas, for all you random blog readers)? We should close off traffic for Aggiveville, and divert traffic away from Poyntz. I think if the mall would care enough it could integrate it into Poyntz to make a very nice indoor/outdoor mall that would be spifftacular.
OK, lets propose these ideas to the city council members... when are elections for them again?
5 comments:
It already has been proposed, however there were some issues with finding businesses to relocate/fill in Poyntz area. It didn't fly. In fact, there is some precedent that Poyntz has to follow about allowing certain types of businesses in and not allowing others. I remember when Taco Shop (the bestest greasiest worst place in Hays) was trying to move into what was the flower shop at the corner of Poyntz and.. 4th? (The train place)... it got smacked down because it "didn't fit the attitude" they were hoping for.
Besides, Aggieville isn't equipped for such a thing... who wants to wear hipwaders when going to the mall on nights like last night?
I agree for the most part that open-air malls are fun (16th Street Mall in Denver comes to mind for me... I've never been to Boulder other than driving through and to go to the Celestial Seasonings plant. I think I went when I was like.. 2. But I don't remember much of it)... there just needs to be implementations for weather situations. Its cool shopping 16th/Pearl Sts because for the most part the weather is decent... not obscenely hot/humid, it doesn't tend to flood, etc.
There is also the population issue, the places that seem to have outdoor malls have a high population base to work with. Manhattan doesn't really have that steady of a base... nor is it that high. It was kind of a shocker that Hobby Lobby moved here because they tend to need a certain population base before they'll move anywhere. Hays wasn't eligible, and Manhattan's base is not much higher than Hays'. But regardless, the only moving in companies we're seeing is because somewhere else is closing down, or is relocating to a newly built stripmall. And most of the newly built stripmalls (at least on my side of town, I can count at least 3 of them within walking distance of Walmart), most of the storefronts are empty. So unless there is some major boom.. I don't see it happening.
good comment.
i think that is that Aggieville would be much cooler if they closed Moro down from traffic. That street does not really need to be open if they would build a parking garage. Manhattan already has the start of a good outdoor mall in a couple of places, let's just build on them. But I agree there is no way we could get a new outdoor mall built.
There used to be dirivers education(and other ed.) courses that turned out better students.
I think improving that and bringing it(and other things) back up to pre-1940's quality would really help.
I mean it. There are safety records someplace within the government.
Driving problems extend beyond downtowns.
It's not so much that people are driving badly; it's just the fact that there are cars there. I know in many cases closing off main street would be impossible, but what made the new outdoor malls so great, compared to pre-existing downtowns, is that the malls are *much* more pedestrian friendly. (And, well, they are new.) So I think if we could make historic shopping areas more pedestrian friendly then I think they could be rejuvenated somewhat.
And exhaust fumes can get really bad.
Our mall has bus stops... and charters come in. Maybe park and ride stations are next for more downtowns?
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