Sustainable Land Development Today - November/December 2007 - (Page 37) MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT Mixing Pedestrians and Vehicles in Retail Mixed-Use Designing mixed-use development for positive pedestrian experiences. By Douglas Carter Today’s mixed-use development hearkens back to the traditional compact urban community in which individuals and families can live, work, learn, shop, play, and pray, and where travel on mass transit and/or on foot are practical and attractive alternatives to spending hours in a car. In order to be successful, then, the mixed-use development must be designed for a positive pedestrian experience, especially in the retail sector. Design for a positive pedestrian experience, one that is vibrant, yet comfortable, originates with effective urban land planning and truly arrives in the form of a cohesive streetscape. Studies have shown that most people are willing to walk a maximum of 10 to 12 minutes from place to place. This benchmark governs planning for train and bus stops in transit-oriented developments; it applies to the calculation of maximum distances between retail establishments at either end of a retail district and between structured parking and the center of the retail district. This leads, quite naturally, to the development of a cruciform urban land plan rather than a seemingly endless main street. “This leads, quite naturally, to the development of a cruciform urban land plan rather than a seemingly endless main street.” The Public Square That said, there is another effective alternative, which acknowledges that a sizable public park — 20,000-40,000 square feet — is a vital component of a positive pedestrian experience in a mixed-use community. In many communities, this public green space forms the civic square at the heart of the community. This public space can be bordered with retail. What about the old saw, “Retail is only successful when shops face each other across the street?” In the opinion of some planners, that is only a halfcorrect truism. Certainly, it is not a bad guideline to develop a streetscape of retail shops along opposite sides of a main street. However, retail also succeeds when arrayed around a public square. The key to its success is to keep people moving through the square by www.SLDTonline.com 37 http://www.SLDTonline.com
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