Publisher:
University of California, Institute of Urban and Regional Development (IURD), Berkeley, CA
Abstract:
American cities have struggled to maintain the centrality of their downtown areas. As retail and office uses have continued to move into suburban areas and outlying regions, many local governments - especially of smaller and mid-size cities - have all but given up on the prospect of replacing the commercial vitality once found in many city centers. The ability to attract a permanent residential population, lured by good regional access, has become a necessary prerequisite for attracting new commercial uses back to the inner city.