Mixed-use busines districts gain momentum in urban areas

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The transformation of suburban business districts from poorly linked, auto-dependent, segregated-use projects into well-connected, pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use environments is a trend gaining momentum in urban areas nationwide, according to the Urban Land Institute.|ret||ret||tab|

According to James W. Todd, president of The Petersen Companies in Fairfax, Va., the move to reinvent America's 200-plus suburban business districts into safe, secure and attractive "gathering places" is being driven solely by market demand for more inviting settings for living and working. |ret||ret||tab|

He described the evolution of Northern Virginia development, which his firm envisioned in 1984 as an office park devoting 90 percent of its space to office use and the remaining to office support services. As the project developed over the years, it wound up as a mixed-use development with 40 percent of the space slotted for office use, 40 percent used for apartments and houses, and 20 percent used for retail purposes. |ret||ret||tab|

"Our plans changed because the demographics changed. People wanted to be able to live, work and shop in the same area. Traffic congestion has been a friend to the development of mixed-use projects," Todd said. The most important feature of mixed-use projects is flexibility," Todd said. "You have to be able to adjust the plans to meet market needs." |ret||ret||tab|

Many of the same factors that influenced the resurgence of central business districts in the 1990s should be applied to the revival of suburban business districts, Todd said. |ret||ret||tab|

Such factors include: development density, improved spatial connection between buildings, pedestrian interconnections, street layout, and choice in mode of transit. |ret||ret||tab|

A well-planned mixed-use project is an excellent way for a company to distinguish its work, noted Christopher W. Kurz, president of Linden Associates Inc. in Baltimore. "In today's market, the free-standing office building surrounded by pavement is obsolete. If you develop one, you do it at your own peril," Kurz said. |ret||ret||tab|

Kurz cautioned that obtaining financing for mixed-use projects can be challenging, because the developments don't have a long credit history. |ret||ret||tab|

Earlier this year, ULI published Ten Principles for Reinventing America's Suburban Business Districts to offer local government officials, planners and developers practical, usable ideas and information to help make better land use and redevelopment efforts a reality.|ret||ret||tab|

Understand your position in the market;|ret||ret||tab|

Build community support;|ret||ret||tab|

Develop a vision and a plan;|ret||ret||tab|

Stress results over regulations;|ret||ret||tab|

Break up the super blocks and optimize connectivity;|ret||ret||tab|

Embrace mixed uses;|ret||ret||tab|

Honor human scale by creating a pedestrian-friendly place;|ret||ret||tab|

Think transit think density;|ret||ret||tab|

Create a public/private partnership; and |ret||ret||tab|

Share and manage parking.|ret||ret||tab|

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