Matt Brian explores the incredible lengths retail property owners and local authorities are going to lure Apple Stores to their areas.
In the first quarter of this year, Brian reports, 71 million customers visited Apple's retail stores, an increase of 28 million from a year earlier, with sales rising 90 percent. With this astonishing performance, it's no wonder that property owners and local authorities in cities such as Salt Lake and New York are offering staggering incentives, like waived rent and taxes, to attract the technology trend-setter. Rather than complain about special treatment, neighboring retailers seem happy to see Apple get a sweetened deal.
"The truth is, realtors and local authorities know that when an Apple Store is opened in an area, tech savvy consumers come from surrounding areas to view products, seek help and spend money on luxury electronics."
"Apple might be benefitting from its success, in terms of the money it saves from leases, but companies in the vicinity of an Apple Store don't seem to mind. It's difficult to complain that a company is getting preferential treatment when it helps boost your own revenues and increase the number of people coming to the area."
FULL STORY: The lure of the Store: Why authorities are sweetening deals for new Apple Stores
S.F.'s Transbay Transit Center: Grand Central Station of the West, or Billion Dollar Bus Station?
The developers of San Francisco’s Transbay Transit Center say it has the potential to change travel patterns in the region and land use in the neighborhood, as did New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. How realistic is this promise?
Chronic Homelessness Persists at New York City Transit Hubs and Airports
Two train stations, two airports, and one bus terminal double as homeless shelters in New York City. When some close for the night, the subways fill in.
Grand Central Terminal Owner Files $1.1 Billion Suit Against One Vanderbilt
A $1.1 billion lawsuit challenges the approval of plans for One Vanderbilt, adjacent to Grand Central Terminal, on the grounds that it circumvented the purchase of air rights from the adjacent Grand Central Terminal.
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