http://www.triplepundit.com/2008/03/a-new-american-dream-from-sub-prime-crisis-to-livable-communities-mcmansions-revisited/ Business, Better. Since 2005 Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:58:43 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.triplepundit.com/2008/03/a-new-american-dream-from-sub-prime-crisis-to-livable-communities-mcmansions-revisited/comment-page-1/#comment-12743 Bob Matsuoka Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:30:06 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2008/03/a-new-american-dream-from-sub-prime-crisis-to-livable-communities-mcmansions-revisited/#comment-12743 "lifestyle centers" aren't too much more than re-conceived suburbs/malls. The main problem with the concept is that they attempt to artificially create value in order to drive profit to the developer, and developers are not enough of an economic force to maintain them for more than a short period. Cities, on the other hand, typically operate in reverse. They have an attractor (natural or manmade location, such as a port or river bend, historical accident such as a railroad junction) which generates economic interest in the location, out of which arises commerce and attendant city centers, architecture, stores. This activity covers a variety of economic interests, enough for one to pick up when another falters, and thus sustain the location far beyond what a single developer could afford. Suburbs/malls/lifestyle centers are essentially population monocultures, vs. the diverse ecology of a city. A monoculture requires constant energy for its sustenance, and is very susceptible to disruptions in its environment. Hence a landscape filled with failed suburbs, malls, and eventually "lifestyle centers", while cities undergo cycles of rejuvenation. “lifestyle centers” aren’t too much more than re-conceived suburbs/malls. The main problem with the concept is that they attempt to artificially create value in order to drive profit to the developer, and developers are not enough of an economic force to maintain them for more than a short period.
Cities, on the other hand, typically operate in reverse. They have an attractor (natural or manmade location, such as a port or river bend, historical accident such as a railroad junction) which generates economic interest in the location, out of which arises commerce and attendant city centers, architecture, stores. This activity covers a variety of economic interests, enough for one to pick up when another falters, and thus sustain the location far beyond what a single developer could afford.
Suburbs/malls/lifestyle centers are essentially population monocultures, vs. the diverse ecology of a city. A monoculture requires constant energy for its sustenance, and is very susceptible to disruptions in its environment. Hence a landscape filled with failed suburbs, malls, and eventually “lifestyle centers”, while cities undergo cycles of rejuvenation.

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