https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2020/2/6/movie-set-urbanism
I recently read this article talking about the rise of pseudo-main streets, or what the author calls “movie set urbanism”. These are typically suburban complexes that have been very intentionally designed to look like old-fashioned, authentic main streets like you might see in a movie or a small town. But once you step beyond the storefronts, you realize you’re actually just in the middle of a big parking lot – kind of like a movie set. It is quite literally a façade.
As outlined in the article, the problem is that these are not actually main streets. Most of the development is dedicated to parking, because these developments are constructed in areas where very few residents are within walking distance the way an actual main street would. What that means is most of the customers of these main streets have to get in their car and drive here anyway. Therefore, these malls share none of the convenience with an actual main street and are not sustainable.
In principle, I completely agree with everything in the article. But there’s one caveat: winter.
The original author has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Minnesota, so he should be able to empathize. It’s currently -23º C outside here in Ottawa, and in all likelihood it’s going to be below freezing for another couple of months.
Here’s my open question for anybody reading: in your opinion, what does sustainable development look like in a world where walking even moderate distances is impractical for a significant portion of the year?