While a number of mega retail developers crashed and burned during the recession, some smaller developers have thrived.
Retail Traffic Magazine interviews people at a handful of smaller development companies, who agree that larger companies take too long to make important decisions and so weren't able to alter course quickly enough during the crash.
"These big companies are like big battleships that can't turn on a dime, but a small company can be like a [patrol torpedo] boat, changing course quickly because it's agile and flexible," adds Howard Paster, president of Paster Enterprises LLC, a St. Paul, Minn.-based company that owns 12 grocery-anchored shopping centers throughout the Great Lakes region."
FULL STORY: Some Smaller Retail Real Estate Firms Have Thrived in the Downturn
Retail Openings Outpace Closures in 2021
An estimated 20 percent of the stores to open so far in 2021 are Dollar Generals.
Long-Delayed $5 Billion American Dream Mall Opens
It took 17 years and no small amount of public ridicule as it sat dormant in the New Jersey meadowlands, but a small portion of the American Dream mall is now open to the public.
Stories of Big Box Redevelopment Success—After Years of Frustration
The Minneapolis area yields two case studies of troubled sites, home to big box retailers, finally rejoining the community.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research