can lifestyle centers be anchored by hotels and why haven't lifestyle centers spread outside the west? (suburban, crime)

[the city]

anyone know of any lifestyle centers that are only anchored by a hotel? i think most lifestyle centers are anchored by movie theaters or department stores. also why do u think they haven't really spread outside USA?

[urbanlife78]

They don't call them lifestyle centers outside of the US, but they do get built outside of the US.

[jsvh]

So "Lifestyle centers" are just open air retail/mixed use developments? Interesting. They are happening all over Atlanta, but I have never heard them called that.

I think you could have a retail area with a hotel that may get some use if the development is big enough, but I think it would be hard to have a hotel "anchor" the development unless their were some big entertainment attraction near by.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by jsvh

So "Lifestyle centers" are just open air retail/mixed use developments? Interesting. They are happening all over Atlanta, but I have never heard them called that.

I think you could have a retail area with a hotel that may get some use if the development is big enough, but I think it would be hard to have a hotel "anchor" the development unless their were some big entertainment attraction near by.

Usually, though in many cases they are just outdoor malls that are built to look like a walkable urban shopping area.

[tpk-nyc]

Why do they need such an Orwellian name? Lifestyle Center sounds creepy.

[jade408]

It is also sort of uniquely American to hand over a huge space over to a single developer.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by tpk-nyc

Why do they need such an Orwellian name? Lifestyle Center sounds creepy.

I think it is so it doesn't scare suburbanites like the word "downtown" does.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

I think it is so it doesn't scare suburbanites like the word "downtown" does.

Funny, considering many lifestyle centers are in the suburbs ...

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

Funny, considering many lifestyle centers are in the suburbs ...

Exactly, imagine if they called those lifestyle centers downtowns, and the suburbanites would freak out that crime and city problems would come with it.

[nybbler]

They're not downtowns, they are malls. There's only one property owner and the stores which come in are planned and selected by that property owner, often with restrictions based on deals with previous tenants.