Development Activity

The city is a prime generator of economic activity, and efforts undertaken by various council departments including the City Center Manager can act as a catalyst in encouraging this activity to occur. By understanding market forces and commercial trends and working closely with property developers, investors and estate agents, it is possible to identify and promote development opportunities. The key sectors of development activity in a city center are: retail, office, residential, hotel and conference facilities, and attractions.

Retail

Retail is one of the primary activities found in most cities. In a 1994 study completed by URBED, the diversity of shops and services was considered the most important factor in a city's health by 96% of respondents. The retail mix in cities and towns will vary according to the city's catchment area, proximity to other towns and cities and the total number of office workers and visitors.

Retail in historic cities and resort towns can serve as an attraction and leisure pursuit for the visitors. It is therefore important that small independent shops are encouraged which add character and uniqueness to the area.

For cities which serve as regional shopping destinations, the purpose of the visit is more often based on comparison shopping, with the diversity of retail shops and department stores playing a critical role in the success of the shopping area. Regional centers are likely to be affected by the development of out-of-town shopping centers, which typically offer a wide merchandise mix with relative ease of transport and parking, in a well-managed, climate- controlled environment.

For smaller towns which have a food store as their main anchor, the primary motivation for visiting will be food shopping, with smaller purchases made at adjacent shops. The viability of these towns is particularly vulnerable to competition from out-of-town food stores.

Office Development

The office sector is an important source of employment for a city, as well as providing additional spending on retail and other services. To encourage the development of new office space or refurbishment of existing space, it is necessary to identify gaps in the type of office space required. For example, although there may appear to be a sufficient amount of vacant office space, the location, quality and size of the space may inhibit businesses relocation. Increasing technological requirements of businesses mean that smart new office developments need to be built. Increasing competition from out-of-town office developments which provide free parking and easy access may require cities to improve their competitive advantage, through grants, free parking or Park & Ride provision for employees.

Residential

Housing within a city center can help to sustain a broad mix of daytime and evening activity, including restaurants and night life. It can also have the impact of reducing crime levels by ensuring that there are more people with eyes on the street.

Although there are significant benefits to encouraging housing in the city center, there are sometimes conflicts which need to be resolved. Although the city center may be a convenient location, noise generated by daytime busking and evening entertainment can sometimes be incompatible with residential use, particularly for the elderly. It is also important to ensure that there is sufficient parking to meet the needs of residents. To encourage the development of second and third storey space for residential use, the government introduced the programme 'Living over the Shop', which provides grants and advice to property owners. Although this programme has proven successful, one difficulty in converting space is often the need to reduce valuable retail frontage to create separate entrances.

Hotel and Conference Facilities

Hotels and other conference facilities encourage business and visitor spending in the city center. Larger hotels often have their own facilities which can attract conferences, banquets and corporate meetings. In some cities large purpose-built facilities are being created. Although they are not financially profitable without the support of other commercial developments, they can generate additional revenue for a city including filling bed spaces.

Attractions

Visitor attractions often include museums and galleries, but can also be libraries and sports facilities. There tends to be a high rate of failure of new attractions. For this reason it is important to establish what new attractions will be most important to ensure the attraction has a specific niche market, with good management and financial backing underpinned by a detailed feasibility study. If new attractions are strategically located in relation to other developments, it is possible to affect visitor flow through the city center, enhance visitor experience and potentially encourage new development to take place.

 

Articles under this City Center Management topic have been lifted from Chapter 10- City Center Management by Kimberly Paumier, from the book: Investigating Town Planning- Changing Perspectives and Agendas, edited by Clara Greed.