Saw the Arlington Rap video about an hour ago, oy vey that is insane!

Anybody in the mood for Whole Foods? LOL

If you go to the website of Arlington County you will find a video on how the development program based around Metrorail almost was for lack of a better term derailed by pro-sprawl intrests. They did this by tieing Metrorail funding to the construction of I-66. At that time Arlington was losing population to Fairfax & other counties in the area.

The video is about 50 minutes in length.

Is what you are describing Normal in Normal? LOL Sorry Chip, I couldn’t resist

I can think of a reason: The fake downtown might be free of crime, panhandlers, trash, decay, and a generally unsafe feeling that permeates some downtowns.

And maybe this thing is cyclical, going from the downtown to the mall to the (fake) downtown, the latter of which had to be built because the real downtown had one or all of the problems I described above. (And the fake downtown is likely to have free parking as well.)

Now it’s still possible to revitalize an actual downtown, but it takes a special effort to do so (my favorite of these places is the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, Vermont).

I have been studying new urbanism & transit oriented development over the last few years as part of my job. As someone who is transit dependent I look at the impacts of suburban sprawl. Also I look at how some communities as Arlington VA & Bethesda MD said no to falling into the sprawl trap.

In the case of Arlington you have lifestyle centers above several Metro Stations creating compact villages wich are flanked by office buildings & housing of all types & sizes.

All retail for daily living is just a short walk from any point within those villages. Bethesda’s downtown follows the same principle but on a different scale.

Both areas are vibrent at all times of day, & a “Smartrip” card is all you need to get around. As a DC resident you already new that.

True, but I’m talking about developing a real downtown as you said. With services of all sorts including governmental, medical, finantial, grocery or what have you.

I can understand the single ownership problum that you have with this issue, but you have to start somewhere. Perhaps you could sell or lease some land parcels to other developers to creat a more diverse community. The key is walkability & less auto dependents as oil prices rise.

Bloomington has tried to make downtown a retail center, but that concept has failed. However many of the older buildings have been rehabed and turned into loft apartments. Bars and restaruants are still the dominate business, especially after the new arena was built. Bloomington’s downtown fate is still in the air as the town decides what downtown should be.

Normal has taken a more aggresive approach. They have tried to turn downtown into a true center of town. Downtown had its name changed to “Uptown Normal”. However this has lead to many buildings being torn down. Upscale businesses have been brought in, leaving a snootier-than-thou attitude. College bars have been forced to become upscale pubs. Student catered businesses have been closed, even Subway was forced out. Some large-scale projects have been completed (new Mariott hotel) while have been caught in the economic downturn. Currently Uptown Normal is a wreck full of road construction, half-finished projects, and vacant lots where grandious dreams may or may not become reality.