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Perhaps US will, at least for a few yrs, revert to the '70s-'80s model of affluent avoiding crime-infested, high-tax urban centers w/costly but dense parking....and prefer to stay insulated in high-end suburbs and by traveling via own private automobiles, as opposed to mass transit or walking streets amongst the economically diverse masses...upside of recession is fuel and new cars become cheaper and most have less interest in discretionary shopping/travel anyway....
That doesn't apply to all city models, though.
In Atlanta, crime travels in fancy tricked-out SUVs. There's more crime in some of the suburbs 20+ miles outside the city than there is in some of the inner city areas. You can be in a subdivision of million dollar homes and less than 1 mile on either side are trailer parks or suburban ghetto areas. There have been 4X more mall jewelry store robberies here in the suburban malls than the intown malls.
So, it's going to vary how the recession has an effect on the rich and famous (or rich and reclusive), depending on the setup of the city you're talking about. My guess is that in Atlanta, the well-to-do will simply stop going to the upper-end malls altogether and just have personal shoppers do it for them, or order online like "common" people. LOL
Online shopping has taken off in the last few years, but it's still the strongest during the holiday season so far. With a recession (or dare I say it - mini depression) possibly on the horizon, more and more folks of all income levels may well start shopping online at discount sites year round, and ignore all types of shopping centers.
I definitely prefer "Lifestyle Centers" to traditional malls. They at least attempt to integrate with the surrounding neighborhood-even though sometimes they seem totally fake.
Santana Row in San Jose is a very, very nice one.
Looks beautiful...but after all the pics...it does look fake...heh...Not saying its not nice...but I think its hard to integrate a neighborhood and a Mall...to get something like that...
As mentioned earlier, Santa Monica Place is being redone after being overshadowed by 3rd Street Promenade across the street. I believe they are hoping to make it an extension of 3rd Street.
3rd Street Promenade
Old Town Pasadena
The Pike in Downtown Long Beach
The Beverly Center
Westfield Century City
Westfield Fox Hills Mall
South Bay Galleria
Sherman Oaks Galleria
Plenty of others...
They're not all exactly urban, but they're not strip mall dealios with Wal-Marts and Costco.
Circle Centre mall in downtown Indianapolis is thriving just fine. I know it is not really a mall (maybe it is, I don't remember); but STL's union station seemed to be doing ok last time I was there.
Malls are dead...mixed-use is the current mantra. I never thought strip shopping centers would come back, but here they are again...rechristened "lifestyle centers."
In another 20 or 30 years, things will change again.
I guess mixed use is fine in the actual city, but out in low-density suburbs it just doesn't work that well, IMO. That's why I don't really like lifestyle centers. It's a step in the right direction, but it has this fakeness to it that depreciates its value.
As far as malls are concerned, I LOVE them. I don't get how people say malls are irrelevant in this day and age, especially in a climate like this one and also when most malls are doing alright financially speaking. The concept might be a little outdated, but the malls themselves are quite convenient from a shopping and comfort standpoint.
Both malls here in the Fort are doing just fine. I mean, come on. No one wants to hang out with friends or go from store to store in 20 degree weather, dodging ice patches left and right and with the wind slapping your face so freaking hard that you can barely breathe. If you're going to go shopping, might as well do it in relative comfort.
Minneaolis is hit and miss, both in the city and in the suburbs. Remember, we gave America the whole notion of malls, and we still know them best. Downtown there are three "malls" (to use the term loosely).
Gaviidae has a Saks and Neiman Marcus (The one that took $75,000 worth of RNC money), as well as a few shops and a food court. It is right on Nicollet Mall and is directly served by light rail. It is doing pretty well. It is unique because it also serves as an entrance for alot of offices.
City Center is nothing but a civic embarassment. It replaced every old buildng on a chief block downtown. There is an upmarket restaurant that almost makes it OK from the street, and alot of fast food restaurants and an Office Depot serve workers. It only took millions of dollars of city money to build this monstrosity to architecture and economic solvency.
Block E is less a mall and more an entertainment center. It replaced a dodgy block on the main entertainment strip downtown. Surprisingly, the people who made it dodgy didn't leave. It has the only movie theater downtown, some good restaurants and a Game Works. If it wern't for the reputation, it would be considered a pretty good success.
The Mall of America took alot of public money to open, but since you have all undoubtedly heard of it, I suppose this is another one on the success list.
Southdale was the first mall in the country, and is located in one of the nicest suburbs in the City. All of the upmarket stores have since opened in the adjoining Galleria (Sarah Palin, again) and Southdale has hit the skids. That is a success to rapid decline story if I ever have seen one. Me thinks the Mall of America opening 6 miles away had something to do with it.
Atlanta has a couple of downtown/urban malls, and both seem to be fairly healthy with a high percentage of occupancy.
The Mall at Peachtree Center is an underground retail center that connects the Peachtree Center office tower complex with several hotels and the Peachtree Center Marta station. The retail is very geared toward business professionals - Brooks Brothers and other apparel shops, shoe stores, Barnes & Noble, gift and electronics stores, a day spa, and the Peachtree Center Athletic Club. There is a large food court that attracts big lunch crowds, and a handful of nicer restaurants that include a Benihana and a mystery dinner theater.
The Mall @ Peachtree Center on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/procrast8/227823563/ - broken link)
IMG_0651 on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30367056@N02/2848303187/ - broken link)
The other downtown/urban mall in Atlanta is Underground Atlanta. It gets a lot of criticism from locals for being a crime magnet, but actually it does very well and the space is almost 100% occupied. Underground is mostly tourist-type shops and other tacky/cheap-looking items, but still attracts crowds because of the historic significance of the location. There is a large food court that attracts downtown employees and Georgia State University Students. Stairs to 'Underground Atlanta' on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/aasran/588039888/ - broken link)
Walking Through Underground Atlanta on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/judybaxter/2431879165/in/set-72157604479364621/ - broken link)
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