Cities Want Community Focused Retail

Renaissance Marketplace

Investors aren’t the only players seeing value in experiential retail. Cities are focused on approving retail projects that have a community focus. Developers and architects pushing projects through the entitlement phase have seen the city show increased interest in those elements of new retail and retail redevelopment.

“The city is focused on creating great people places in communities. It seems to be an important factor that cities are considering now when we are going through the approvals process for entitlements. They are looking at placemaking, and they are sensitive to that,” Greg Lyon, principal and design director for Nadel Architecture + Planning, tells GlobeSt.com.