Walkable Shopping Areas are Good for Business

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Article Summary

Walkable Shopping Areas are Good for Business

November 2013
Author:
Gary Hack, PhD, University of Pennsylvania
Topic:
Transportation, Public Transit, Roads and Streets, Pedestrian Facilities, Bike Facilities, Communities, Zoning and Mixed Land Use, Architecture and Building Design
Audience:
Advocates, Practitioners, Policy-makers
Population Served:
Unspecified
Location by State:
National
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Summary:

Walkable commercial districts are a key component of communities that promote active living. This report examines whether there are also economic benefits to businesses in walkable communities.

Key Findings and Recommendations:
  • There is great enthusiasm for walkable shopping areas among retail experts, developers and many residents of urban and suburban areas.
  • Walking shopping areas have a potential to prosper as a result of demographics, increased gas prices, public policies encouraging higher densities and changing life style preferences.
  • Businesses can be successful if such areas reach a critical mass, cater to diverse needs, are located in higher density areas or have good mass transit service, and have a supermarket as an anchor.
  • With success, enterprises in walkable shopping areas are able to pay higher rents for their space, and housing near walkable commercial areas commonly sells for higher prices than in more distant areas.

 

Read the full report: Business Performance in Walkable Shopping Areas

Suggested Citations:
Hack, G. (2013). Business Performance in Walkable Shopping Areas. Princeton, NJ: Active Living Research, a National Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
 

Related Tools & Resources

All Tools & Resources

Business Performance in Walkable Shopping Areas
Document Type: Research Papers
Topics:
Transportation, Public Transit, Roads and Streets, Pedestrian Facilities, Bike Facilities, Communities, Zoning and Mixed Land Use, Architecture and Building Design

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