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In colonial days and later expansion of the United States, settlements that became towns and cities generally developed near accessible areas of commerce and natural resources such as coastal bays, rivers and roads. Town squares and main streets formed the core of settlements while houses surrounded that hub of activity. As additional forms of transportation emerged including railroads and automobiles, less accessible locales became viable as well. Over time, as populations grew, urban areas spread further and further from the core and were designated as suburban as opposed to rural/agricultural land.
Regional shopping centers, looking for large parcels of inexpensive land, targeted suburban sprawl as ideal access to a population less attached to a core or downtown shopping district. Big box stores and malls settled into many suburban areas and siphoned trade from traditional shops concentrated in downtowns. Traditional cities with large, concentrated populations were able to survive this transformation as they retained a substantial resident population and employee influx from surrounding communities.
Societal shifts – agricultural- to industrial- to service-oriented – have had fundamental impacts on the success of downtown merchants but the lure of a vibrant, bustling center of glamour, fun, business and commerce continued. Petula Clark’s 1964 version of Tony Hatch’s ode to this ideal, Downtown, was an instant hit. Based on a visit to New York City, the song captures the strength and energy of a lively, healthy downtown community:
Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose?
The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
So go downtown
Things will be great when you’re downtown
No finer place for sure, downtown
Everything’s waiting for you
Sounds good and many city and transportation plans took shape around a concept of mass transit (Transit Oriented Development) from suburbs to concentrated employment hubs. Employees would be able to use this mechanism for daily commutes, reducing the need for personal automobiles. Amenities would be located within easy walking distance. To spur development near transportation hubs, modified building codes and encouraged mixed-use properties combining residential and commercial uses. The composition of a Downtown might vary. In some cities, government offices have formed the core while others rely on a commercial district or a hybrid to encourage crowds of customers.
Our cities of the southeast Bay Area host a variety of such employment/shopping centers: Hayward and San Leandro with established downtowns, Fremont trying to create one from an amalgamation of diverse districts, Newark’s new civic center and Old Town, Union City’s, civic center, historic centers and Transportation District and Milpitas civic center and shopping malls. Fallout from the pandemic including remote work has altered commute patterns and the downtown landscape for some areas. This is not only a challenge for planners, but an opportunity to revisit what we want our downtowns, living spaces and workplaces to be.
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