Quote:
Originally Posted by logan5
The copy paste thing is a major problem at street level. The retail units leave no opportunity for creativity. The facades are so restrictive that no small business wants to be in them, which equates to dead sidewalks. Part of what makes using public transit so use-able in the City of Vancouver is that it is combined with good retail streets.
The Marine Drive developments once again proves that it is imperative that these developments include retail units that allow for visual variation. Have a look at the businesses it has attracted. There's 4 banks, nail salons, mattress store, insurance offices, and of course a Shoppers Drug Mart. For restaurant options you have 6 or 7 chain fast food places, and a couple real restaurants.
Not a real exciting place.
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.21060...4!8i8192?hl=en |
It's definitely a lesson that Metro Vancouver (and any other Canadian municipality copying these forms of TOD) will learn in the next 5 years when these places start operating. Our next generation of town centre developments will hopefully be more inclusive of small business spaces - assuming that they make it beyond the pandemic.