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Greyfields, the redevelopment of
- Thread starter boiker
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boiker
Cyburbian
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Greyfields is a fun little term coined by CNU to describe defunct, obsolete, failing, or otherwise market lagging shopping centers, strip malls and enclosed malls. They are large redevelopment sites in normally old suburban commercial corridors but do not have the contamination issues of industrial brownfields.
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Manhattan (KS) "Town Center" -- it wasn't even called a mall -- was, at one time, the most happening mall I ever visited. I think the reason for that is because it was not merely treated as a retail center. They routinely held "events" there for 3 day weekends, like a gathering of kiosks/carts for local artisans and craftspeople or a display of elaborate train sets. Every Wednesday night, they had free entertainment at the food court, usually something kid-friendly. I sometimes ate there on wednesday night for the free entertainment for my small kids.
They also had a shop for local artists to sell their work and I think it had some connection to a local charity or non-profit group. It also had a "children's museum" with hands-on educational stuff to do. People an hour away in Topeka would book private parties there because the quality was so high. I know for a fact that the mall donated the space. They were only open a few hours a week, on Saturday and Sunday, for a couple of hours on Thursday (morning, I think) and some other odd time for maybe 4 hours. They asked for donations but did not charge an entrance fee. The kids could do puzzles, read books, there was a shadow room, a fake grocery store where you could run an actual old cash register, an "archaeology" site with toys hidden in a table of sand and sifting tools (plastic kid toys), and more. My kids loved it and it was something I could afford.
There was a good food court with places to have lunch or dinner but "snack" type stores (cookies, candy) were distributed throughout the mall so it was convenient whether you just were thirsty and wanted a break wherever you happened to be or if you wanted to have lunch with your picky kids and have everyone get food at a different place.
It was a place where you had reason to go there for more than just shopping. It had a wonderful atmosphere and I spent tons of time there. I know for a fact that I spent more money there as well because of the time I spent there. I can remember buying clothes for my kids because they were playing video games for free at a demo in Sears and the video game stuff was right next to boys clothes. I could pick stuff out and keep an eye on them. I don't know if someone actually was smart enough to plan it that way or if they just got lucky.
I was always impressed with the place and more so after I left. It wasn't a very big mall but I had a lot more reason to hang out there than I do to hang out at the 2 story mall with a huge theater at one end here in Fairfield. The theater is a big draw and parking near it is always in demand. But it is still something that you have to have money to go to. I went to the mall in Manhattan, KS for all the things that DIDN'T cost cash up front, then ended up shopping, having lunch, etc. It wasn't just a glorified retail location. It was a destination, a place to go for many reasons.
HTH.
They also had a shop for local artists to sell their work and I think it had some connection to a local charity or non-profit group. It also had a "children's museum" with hands-on educational stuff to do. People an hour away in Topeka would book private parties there because the quality was so high. I know for a fact that the mall donated the space. They were only open a few hours a week, on Saturday and Sunday, for a couple of hours on Thursday (morning, I think) and some other odd time for maybe 4 hours. They asked for donations but did not charge an entrance fee. The kids could do puzzles, read books, there was a shadow room, a fake grocery store where you could run an actual old cash register, an "archaeology" site with toys hidden in a table of sand and sifting tools (plastic kid toys), and more. My kids loved it and it was something I could afford.
There was a good food court with places to have lunch or dinner but "snack" type stores (cookies, candy) were distributed throughout the mall so it was convenient whether you just were thirsty and wanted a break wherever you happened to be or if you wanted to have lunch with your picky kids and have everyone get food at a different place.
It was a place where you had reason to go there for more than just shopping. It had a wonderful atmosphere and I spent tons of time there. I know for a fact that I spent more money there as well because of the time I spent there. I can remember buying clothes for my kids because they were playing video games for free at a demo in Sears and the video game stuff was right next to boys clothes. I could pick stuff out and keep an eye on them. I don't know if someone actually was smart enough to plan it that way or if they just got lucky.
I was always impressed with the place and more so after I left. It wasn't a very big mall but I had a lot more reason to hang out there than I do to hang out at the 2 story mall with a huge theater at one end here in Fairfield. The theater is a big draw and parking near it is always in demand. But it is still something that you have to have money to go to. I went to the mall in Manhattan, KS for all the things that DIDN'T cost cash up front, then ended up shopping, having lunch, etc. It wasn't just a glorified retail location. It was a destination, a place to go for many reasons.
HTH.
Cardinal
Cyburbian
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Here are a few references from my collection:
"Infill Development: Strategies for Shaping Livable Neighborhoods," Municipal Research & Services Center
"Urban Infill Housing: Myth and Fact," ULI
"Successful Infill Development," Northeast-Midwest Institute
"Infill and Redevelopment Code Book," Oregon DOT, Transportation and Growth Management
"Vacant -Property Policy and Practice: Baltimore and Philadelphia," Brookings Institution
"Greyfield Regional Mall Study," Congress for the New Urbanism
"Smart Infill: Creating More Livable Communities in the Bay Area," Greenbelt Alliance
A really good example of a feasibility analysis is the "Old Mint Preliminary Feasibility Analysis," by Bay Area Economics for the City of San Francisco
All of the above can be found online. Here are a couple others that are only in print:
"Building Livable Communities: A Policymaker's Guide to Infill Development," Center for Livable Communities
"Mixed Use Development Handbook" and "Professional Real Estate Development" by ULI
"Retail as a Catalyst for Economic Development," International Council of Shopping Centers
"Infill Development: Strategies for Shaping Livable Neighborhoods," Municipal Research & Services Center
"Urban Infill Housing: Myth and Fact," ULI
"Successful Infill Development," Northeast-Midwest Institute
"Infill and Redevelopment Code Book," Oregon DOT, Transportation and Growth Management
"Vacant -Property Policy and Practice: Baltimore and Philadelphia," Brookings Institution
"Greyfield Regional Mall Study," Congress for the New Urbanism
"Smart Infill: Creating More Livable Communities in the Bay Area," Greenbelt Alliance
A really good example of a feasibility analysis is the "Old Mint Preliminary Feasibility Analysis," by Bay Area Economics for the City of San Francisco
All of the above can be found online. Here are a couple others that are only in print:
"Building Livable Communities: A Policymaker's Guide to Infill Development," Center for Livable Communities
"Mixed Use Development Handbook" and "Professional Real Estate Development" by ULI
"Retail as a Catalyst for Economic Development," International Council of Shopping Centers
ragazza_urbana
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I just finished my master's thesis on greyfield redevelopment strategies, focusing on four case studies: Santana Row, Winter Park Village, Governor's Place, & Willingboro Town Center. My main sources were interviews, but I also used the following (besides the ones mentioned already):
William Hudnut, Halfway to Everywhere: A Portrait of America's First-Tier Suburbs (has chapter on greyfields)
ICSC, Shopping Center redevelopment and renovation
David Smiley, Sprawl & Public Space: Redressing the Mall
obviously, CNU, Greyfields to Goldfields
Haya El Nasser, Makeovers bring new life to old malls, USA Today
There's also a big cover story on lifestyle retail in last month's issue of Urban Land. The magazine has published several articles related to greyfield redevelopment.
William Hudnut, Halfway to Everywhere: A Portrait of America's First-Tier Suburbs (has chapter on greyfields)
ICSC, Shopping Center redevelopment and renovation
David Smiley, Sprawl & Public Space: Redressing the Mall
obviously, CNU, Greyfields to Goldfields
Haya El Nasser, Makeovers bring new life to old malls, USA Today
There's also a big cover story on lifestyle retail in last month's issue of Urban Land. The magazine has published several articles related to greyfield redevelopment.
