The Case for Walkability as an Economic Development Tool

[thelakelander]

A terrific street redesign is assisting economic development in a southern California community that has suffered from changing economic conditions but is nevertheless seeing significant population growth. This is a story of municipal foresight, excellent recent planning, and green ambition.

Lancaster is a fast-growing city of a little over 150,000 in far northern Los Angeles County, about 70 miles from downtown Los Angeles. Its population has more than tripled since 1980; it increased by nearly a third from 2000 to 2010. It is racially mixed (38 percent Latino, 34 percent white, 20 percent African-American) and, like so many fast-growing western cities, decidedly sprawling.  The satellite view on Google Earth reveals a patchwork pattern of leapfrog development, carved out of the desert. It is a city with a very suburban character.

full article: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/design/2013/01/case-walkability-economic-development-tool/4317/

[jcjohnpaint]

Thanks so much for sharing.  Inspirational 

[dougskiles]

This is great.  I would love to see an economic development comparison between redeveloping an urban boulevard vs building a suburban expressway.  Of course the analysis would need to look at the long term costs associated with each type.

I'm guessing we could completely rebuild State & Union through Downtown for much less than the cost of the Outer Beltway.

[thelakelander]

^I'm in the process of learning a program that does this, at the request of a client.  The great thing, is one I complete the effort, I'll then know how to apply it to what you just described.

[vicupstate]

Great article and what a great street !  Kind of the opposite of what Jax wants to do with Hemming Plaza.

What street would be best for this treatment in Jax?  Main, Bay, State, Laura, Hogan?

[fieldafm]

Edgewood in Murray Hill and San Juan in Lakeshore come to mind. 

[dougskiles]

To a degree, the Town Center projects from the past decade worked toward this goal.  St Johns Ave, Stockton Street, Hendricks Ave and San Marco Blvd have all seen an increase in economic activity.  Hopefully this model can be applied to some of our higher volume roads - and do a little more in the way of Context Sensitive Streets when they do.

[thelakelander]

Great article and what a great street !  Kind of the opposite of what Jax wants to do with Hemming Plaza.

What street would be best for this treatment in Jax?  Main, Bay, State, Laura, Hogan?

Due to our historic pattern of streetcar suburb development, there are several eligible corridors in Jacksonville.  From McDuff and Phoenix Avenues to A. Philip Randolph Boulevard and Edison Avenue, the urban core is choke filled with opportunity.  However, if I had to narrow things down a bit, I'd say these are probably the better corridors:

Edgewood Avenue (Murray Hill)

Park Street (Brooklyn)

Kings Road (New Town/Durkeeville)

State & Union (Downtown)

Hendricks Avenue (San Marco)

San Juan/Blanding (Lake Shore)

West Beaver Street (Robinson's Addition...."farmer's market area")

Main Street (Springfield)

[Spence]

Great article and what a great street !  Kind of the opposite of what Jax wants to do with Hemming Plaza.

What street would be best for this treatment in Jax?  Main, Bay, State, Laura, Hogan?

Due to our historic pattern of streetcar suburb development, there are several eligible corridors in Jacksonville.  From McDuff and Phoenix Avenues to A. Philip Randolph Boulevard and Edison Avenue, the urban core is choke filled with opportunity.  However, if I had to narrow things down a bit, I'd say these are probably the better corridors:

Edgewood Avenue (Murray Hill)

Park Street (Brooklyn)

Kings Road (New Town/Durkeeville)

State & Union (Downtown)

Hendricks Avenue (San Marco)

San Juan/Blanding (Lake Shore)

West Beaver Street (Robinson's Addition...."farmer's market area")

Main Street (Springfield)

how does Norwood between I95 and Gateway rank?