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Originally Posted by KEVINphx
to be fair, most people likely use their mobile device to locate places to eat and go - this may be something that has not yet been studied as far as how it could affect urban planning as I would imagine it is very easy to locate things off the main path - in Paris there are restaurants and shops that lie within the inner courtyards of buildings lining the vehicular streets for example and would be things you could only happen upon in the past but now anything can be found with google maps etc
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I do that and so do many people I associate with. There are still many people who don't approach things that way, however. The Downtown Phoenix ambassadors get plenty of questions from people who step off the train or out of their hotel lobbies and simply look for the nearest, most visible restaurants. The ambassadors can direct them into the Arizona Center, but I worry about those who never bother to ask for help. The point about Paris is true in my experience, but wandering down alleys or into courtyards is an interesting, inviting form of urban adventure made possible by fine-grained development. When the streetscape changes every 100 feet, there's a sense that it's worthwhile to continue walking to find an interesting place. On the other hand, 1000 feet of blank walls, loading docks, and parking doesn't entice the pedestrian to explore further, and the interruption of the sidewalk with too many curb cuts can be a deterrent to walking at all. While I'm surprised the Arizona Center has so many defenders in this forum, I guess I'm pleased as well. I want the renovations to succeed in revitalizing the place despite the complex's substantial flaws. I just hope they find tenants to make it all worthwhile.