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December 2, 2011

In the news this week comes two different stories about new lifestyle centers being built not too far from existing Destination Main Streets. It's interesting to note that the articles themselves make no mention of the nearby Main Streets.

The first article comes from the South Florida Sun Sentinel and is about a development in Delray Beach, Florida. The project is called Delray Marketplace and is being billed as a shopping and entertainment complex. Delray Marketplace will be on the far western edge of the city on Atlantic Avenue. Delray Beach's own Main Street is mostly centered around Atlantic Avenue on the far eastern side of town close to the beach.

The second article comes from the Orange County Register and is about a development in San Clemente, California. This project is called Plaza San Clemente and is described as an outlet mall. However, a wide variety of uses will be located there, including restaurants and a movie theater so it almost sounds more like a lifestyle center that just happens to feature outlet stores.

It's good to see developers explore a variety of retail styles and no longer focus on the traditional mall. However, it's also important not to forget the Destination Main Streets located just a short distance away that are also filled with shops and restaurants, many of which are more unique than those found in the new developments nearby.

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November 29, 2011

There was an article in this weekend's Orlando Sentinel about SunRail, Central Florida's new commuter railroad that will one day run north and south through the Orlando metro area. The focus of the article was how cities along the route could benefit from construction around the SunRail stops. Since SunRail will run on existing tracks, there won't be much say in where the line itself will go. Therefore, some cities will be better positioned than others to take advantage of SunRail's proximity.

For example, the suburban cities of Maitland, Altamonte Springs, and Sanford all have large business centers, made up of corporate parks and malls, several miles east of the SunRail stops. But these cities, including Longwood, Lake Mary, DeBary, and parts of Orlando are planning transit-oriented development, walkable communities around the stops that will feature offices, and residences, along with ground floor shops, restaurants, and other services. It's a telling sign that more people are beginning to appreciate the benefit that Main Street style developments can bring to an area.

But what about the existing Destination Main Streets in the area? Sanford's SunRail stop will be about a mile to the east of its historic downtown. A shuttle will be set up on a trial program to run between the historic downtown, the SunRail stop, and Seminole Towne Center, a large mall further to the east. Despite this, businesses in downtown Sanford may not see much benefit from having SunRail nearby.

On the other hand, Winter Park's Main Street is perhaps the best equipped to take advantage of SunRail. Winter Park's SunRail stop is in the heart of its historic downtown, not far from the shops and restaurants on Park Avenue and Hannibal Square. Maps, signs, and even volunteers will help direct SunRail passengers from the train to Winter Park's businesses, all a short stroll away.

It will be interesting to see how each city in Central Florida handles the coming of SunRail. No matter what though, mass transit is an excellent ingredient to any Destination Main Street.

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October 17, 2011

This weekend's Orlando Sentinel carried an article about the struggles and successes of downtown Sanford. The city invested heavily in its downtown along First Street several years ago. Streets were repaved in brick, sidewalks were widened, and decorative lighting fixtures were installed. All helped contribute to the boost in Sanford's traffic.

But soon after the recession hit and people stopped spending money. Shops closed. Although the economy has not fully recovered yet, downtown Sanford's recovery has begun. New stores, restaurants, and coffee shops are opening or are about to.

City leaders attribute some of the success to the many events held in downtown. Alive After 5 and Sanford Art Walk are two monthly events that have brought foot traffic back to Sanford. But part of the challenge now will be to get these visitors to spend money again. One goal is to make Sanford a more hip, eclectic version of Winter Park.

Something that Sanford has over Winter Park is it's close proximity to the huge Lake Monroe. The waterfront is within a short walking distance from First Street. One idea would be to continue the streetscape improvements down the side streets to help connect First Street to the waterfront, fully tapping into Sanford's natural advantage.

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July 12, 2011

For a county its size, it's unusual that Baltimore County has always lacked a strong urban core. The closest thing to one has been its county seat, Towson, which has high-rise office and residential buildings, shops, a large university, and a bustling mall. But its downtown has been plagued by vacancies.

The potential is certainly there. A recent article in the Baltimore Sun spells out the efforts by the County Council to bring more visitors to the area. Towson has a street layout conducive to more Main Street style developments. A good example of what is currently working in Towson is Allegheny Avenue where many restaurants are located. Wide sidewalks provide room for outdoor cafe seating. Tall buildings where people live are in walking distance. There are very few vacancies. Folks are frequently seen walking along the streets--even after normal working hours.

These are some of the aspects that the County Council wants to replicate on other blocks in Towson. A revitalization bill has been adopted that includes "urban design standards." The standards are voluntary but submitting to them can allow a development to be fast-tracked for approval. Some standards include wide sidewalks, two-story height minimums, store fronts on the ground floor, and no window tinting on the store-front windows. Interestingly, there are no height maximums, but a setback would be required for buildings taller than four stories.

Towson has quite a bit going for it now, but new development meeting these standards would be an added plus. Additional Main Street shopping and dining could make Towson a competitive destination and an urban oasis in the suburbs in much the same way that Bethesda is in nearby Montgomery County. True, Towson does not have a mass transit system like the Washington Metro but Towson does have some of its own pluses going for it. With nearby Towson University just to the south, Towson could capitalize on that and capture a bit of a college town feel. As new apartments go up in the area, it will be interesting to see our Towson's urban core grows.

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June 16, 2011

Anyone familiar with College Park, Maryland may realize that it doesn't hold up compared to other college towns. The central part of town itself is U.S. 1, a major highway, which runs along the east side of the University of Maryland campus. Only a few bars, restaurants, and shops exist in a small section along the highway before giving way to strip shopping centers and sprawl. And that one section has a brick wall designed to prevent pedestrians from stepping into the high speed traffic zooming past. As college town Main Streets go, College Park can't compete with the likes of Newark in Delaware, Charlottesville in Virginia, Chapel Hill in North Carolina, or Athens in Georgia, just to name a few.

But a new project in the works could change all that. The Baltimore Sun reports that an East Campus town center is currently in the works. Plans call for hotels, restaurants, and shops in a walkable environment. The project would include a transit center for the future Purple Line light rail, which will connect College Park with Bethesda, Silver Spring, and New Carrollton. Other amenities include a grocery store, movie theatre, music venue, conference center, and much needed student housing. The hope is for the new town center to form a new core for the town and give the University of Maryland a public face that a University in its standing deserves. The challenge for the developers will be to make the project unique enough to give it personality so that it doesn't just look like any other shopping center around the country. Too much surface parking or too many chain stores could cause the plan to backfire.

Go to the East Campus Redevelopment Initiative web site for more information.

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