Description
Book SynopsisThe retail environment has evolved rapidly in the past few decades, with the retailing industry and its placement and design of brick-and-mortar locations changing with evolving demographics, shopping behavior, transportation options and a desire in recent years for more unique shopping environments.
Trade Review"Robert J. Gibbs, a charter member of the Congress for the New Urbanism, looks at what it takes to build a shopping center that thrives. He outlines every ingredient, from business models. . . and structure. . . to storefront design and parking." (Landscape Architecture Magazine, May 2012)
"Every component of this book is organized systematically. Gibbs conveys his expertise with rigorous clarity. This guide should prove invaluable for anyone who wants to do retail in a way that adds to a community's character and also makes economic sense." (Better! Cities & Towns, March 2012)
"His book will be most useful to private-sector planners and those who work with public-private partnerships. But the material it contains will also be helpful to public planners dealing with zoning issues." (Planning Magazine, March 2012)
"The book has chapters on big topics like lease language and making smart use of anchor tenants." (Shoppingcenterreporter.com, February 2012)
Table of ContentsForeword xi
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction xix
Chapter 1: Retailing Fundamentals 1
1.1 Retail Theory 1
1.2 Shopping Center Business Models 4
1.3 Corner Stores 5
1.4 Convenience Centers 6
1.5 Neighborhood Centers 8
1.6 Community Centers 11
1.7 Regional Centers 12
1.8 Lifestyle Centers and Town Centers 13
1.9 Outlet Centers 17
1.10 Urban Transect: Hamlets, Villages, Towns, Cities, and Metropolises 18
Chapter 2: Retailer Business Models 21
2.1 Hobby Retailers 21
2.2 Small Owner-Operated Businesses 22
2.3 Income-Producing, Owner-Run Businesses 23
2.4 Regional and National Chains 24
2.5 Franchise Stores 25
Chapter 3: Retail Anchors 27
3.1 Form Follows Anchor 28
3.2 Scale 29
3.3 Historic Downtowns 30
3.4 Anchor Business Models 32
3.5 Anchor Placement 33
3.6 Anchor Expansion 33
3.7 Anchor Replacement 34
3.8 Alternative Anchors 35
3.9 Shopping Center Anchor Types 35
3.10 New Design Trends 39
Chapter 4: Downtown Commerce: Challenges and Opportunities 43
4.1 Market Shifts 43
4.2 Peak Retail Market Share 44
4.3 Urban Market Share Decline 45
4.4 Converting Downtowns to Malls: A Failed Experiment 46
4.5 Urban Commercial Challenges 47
4.6 Rents 47
4.7 Space Limitations 48
Chapter 5: Economically Sustainable Commercial Urbanism 49
5.1 Advantages of Strong Retail Sales 49
5.2 Consumer Demand and Preferences 50
5.3 Market Research 52
5.4 Worker Expenditures 53
5.5 Tourist Expenditures 54
Chapter 6: Shopping Center Built-Form Types 57
6.1 Strip Center 57
6.2 Linear Strip Center 57
6.3 Single L Center 59
6.4 U Courtyard Center 60
6.5 Double Reverse L Center 61
6.6 Lifestyle or Main Street Centers 64
6.7 Dumbbell Center 65
6.8 Market Square Center 67
6.9 Double Market Square Center 71
6.10 Floating Main Street 73
6.11 Linear Square Center 74
6.12 Half Block Center 76
6.13 Retail Crescent Center 78
6.14 Deflected Blocks Center 79
Chapter 7: Planning and Urban Design 81
7.1 Urban Merchandising Planning Theory 81
7.2 Shopping and Weather 82
7.3 The Public Realm 83
7.4 Sidewalks 84
7.5 Site Furnishings 85
7.6 Street Trees 86
7.7 Tree Impacts on Shopping 88
7.8 Tree Selection 89
7.9 Street Lighting 90
7.10 Outside Dining 92
7.11 Plazas, Squares, Greens, and Courts 92
7.12 Way-Finding Signage 95
Chapter 8: Parking 97
8.1 Parking Demand 97
8.2 Historical Information on Parking Ratios and Indices 98
8.3 Neighborhood Center Parking 100
8.4 Community Center Parking 103
8.5 Regional Center Parking 103
8.6 Lifestyle Center Parking 104
8.7 Village and Town Downtown Parking 105
8.8 Large Town and City Parking 106
8.9 On-Street Parking 107
8.10 Parking Garages and Decks 108
8.11 Parking Meters 110
Chapter 9: Store Planning and Visual Merchandising 113
9.1 Storefront Design Theory 113
9.2 Signage 115
9.3 Awnings 117
9.4 Visual Merchandising 118
9.5 Storefront Design Recommendations 120
9.6 Store Lighting 121
9.7 Lighting Recommendations 123
9.8 Specialty Niche Focus and Cross-Merchandising 123
9.9 Store Maintenance 125
Chapter 10: Retail Development Finance 127
10.1 Methods for Analyzing Real Estate Development 127
10.2 Parking Structures 129
10.3 Vertical Stacking of Mixed-Use Projects 130
10.4 The Push for Local Retailers 130
10.5 Elements of Making Deals with Retail Tenants 131
10.6 Purpose of Public Subsidy 133
Chapter 11: Leasing—The Lifeblood of the Deal 135
11.1 Operating Covenants 136
11.2 Permitted Use and Exclusive Use 137
11.3 Co-tenancy Clauses 138
11.4 Sales-Driven Provisions: Percentage Rent, Radius Clauses, and Early Termination 139
11.5 Maintenance 140
11.6 Signage 140
11.7 Assignment 141
Chapter 12: Management and Operations 143
12.1 Central Management 143
12.2 Cost-Benefit Metrics 145
12.3 Special Events: How Do They Impact Sales? 146
12.4 Business Recruitment and Leasing 148
12.5 Pop-up Stores 148
12.6 Defensive Management Practices 149
12.7 General Guidelines for Commercial Center Management 152
Chapter 13: Platted Town Centers 155
13.1 Background 155
13.2 Land Speculation 156
13.3 Building Standards 157
13.4 Management 158
13.5 Parking 158
13.6 Alleys 159
13.7 Regulated Use 159
13.8 Operating Standards 159
13.9 Recommended Minimum Operating Standards 160
13.10 Developer Responsibilities 160
Chapter 14: Case Studies: Historic City Centers 163
14.1 Bay City, Michigan 163
14.2 Alexandria, Virginia’s Old Town 164
14.3 Ballwin, Missouri 169
14.4 Birmingham and Pontiac, Michigan 170
14.5 Charleston, South Carolina 172
14.6 Damariscotta, Maine 174
14.7 Fresno, California 176
14.8 Houston, Texas 177
14.9 Naples, Florida 181
14.10 Oxford, Mississippi 182
14.11 Santa Ana, California 184
14.12 Santa Cruz, California 187
14.13 St. Andrews, Scotland 188
14.14 Wasilla, Alaska 191
Chapter 15: Case Studies: New Town Centers 197
15.1 Birkdale Village, Huntersville, North Carolina 197
15.2 Daybreak Village, South Jordan, Utah 198
15.3 East Fraserlands, Vancouver, British Columbia 198
15.4 Easton Town Center, Columbus, Ohio 200
15.5 Middleton Hills, Middleton Hills, Wisconsin 201
15.6 The Glen Town Center, Glenview, Illinois 202
15.7 The Grove, Los Angeles, California 203
15.8 Mashpee Commons, Mashpee (Cape Cod), Massachusetts 205
15.9 San Elijo Hills Town Center, San Marcos, California 206
15.10 Rosemary Beach, Fort Walton County, Florida 207
15.11 Seabrook, Washington 209
15.12 Seaside, Florida 210
15.13 University Place Town Center, University Place, Washington 212
15.14 The Village of Rochester Hills, Rochester Hills, Michigan 214
Endnotes 217
Index 221
