From Shopping Centers
to New Town Centers
Steiner + Associates
Columbus, Ohio
The built environment is a reflection
of the underlying trends of each
period in history.
Agora (Ephesus) / Grand Bazaar / Retail Main Street / Interior Mall
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Post-war Trends
Post-war trend:
Technology
The automobile, mass-produced, primary means of
transportation, elimination of mass transit.
Post-war trend:
Retail
The department store dominates the
retail environment.
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Post-war trend:
Urban Planning
Zoning is the primary urban planning tool.
Post-war trend:
Resources
Unlimited access to land and energy.
Post-war trend:
Culture
Materialistic. Rebounding from a long period (1926 – 1945)
of material deprivation.
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Shopping Environments 1945 - 1990
Planned by the municipal engineer
Laid out by the department stores
Accommodates and celebrates the use of cars
Primary focus: sale of merchandise
Set on unlimited land and disposable buildings
The Result:
A set of single-use retail environments...
Single-use retail environment:
The Regional Mall
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Single-use retail environment:
The Power Center
Single-use retail environment:
Neighborhood Centers
The Present
New trends lead to new
retail environments
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Technology
Retail
THEN
NOW
Automobile
Internet
Department Store
Branded Retailers
Zoning
New Urbanism
Cheap & abundant
Scarce & expensive
Material
Spiritual
Urban Planning
Resources
Needs
New Shopping Environments: 1990 forward
Designed by architects
Accommodates all types of merchants including:
leisure time, mass and specialty
Encourage pedestrian usage and social interaction
Accommodate all types of real estate uses: residential,
office, hospitality, civic…
More sustainable by density and adaptive re-use
There is an emergence of mixed-use
and high-density urban nodes
in suburban or infill locations
with an emphasis on place making
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Some examples
all from 1999 forward
Crocker Park : : Cleveland, Ohio
Easton Town Center : : Columbus, Ohio
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The Grove : : Los Angeles, California
Zona Rosa : : Kansas City, Missouri
Bowie Town Center : : Bowie, Maryland
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City Place : : Palm Beach, Florida
Victoria Gardens : : Rancho Cucamonga, California
All these projects have
common characteristics
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Their public spaces frame and anchor their layout
A significant portion of their public spaces are outdoors
Non-retail leisure time uses
are a significant component of their tenant mix
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Non-retail real estate uses:
residential, office, hospitality…are integrated in their design
The design of their outdoor public spaces
follow traditional urban space planning principles
They act as the social and civic hubs of their communities
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These New Town Centers
are a response to
five fundamental trends
They are not a temporary fad
or design preference
The Trends
Trend #1
Sustainability and environmental responsibility
• Land is in limited supply : higher densities are preferable;
• Construction is precious : adaptive re-use provides long term
value
• Infrastructure is precious : mixed-use optimizes their utilization
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Trend #1 Conclusion
The New Town Centers are
sustainable and environmentally friendly
urban places
Trend #2
Architects reclaim urban planning from engineers
•
•
•
•
Application of urban design principles;
Improved design of public spaces;
Social- and Customer-centric designs;
Traffic and Civil engineers subordinated to
place-making objectives
Trend #2 Conclusion
The New Town Center designs
are more responsive
to the community’s design expectations
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Trend #3
The end of urban planning by zoning
• End of artificial separation of uses
• Emergence of non-specialized developers
• Better understanding of integrated design by architects
• Acceptance of mixed-use by lenders
Trend #3 Conclusion
The New Town Centers
are the natural consequence
of the need for suburban social hubs
Trend #4
Reintroduction of leisure time uses
in retail environments
• Re-establishes the social role of the “Market place” (The Agora)
• Brings the need for open-air environments
• Provides a more comprehensive response to lifestyle needs
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Trend #4 Conclusion
The New Town Centers with their urban design
are the ideal environment
for the inclusion of leisure time uses
Trend #5
Emergence of alternative traffic drivers
• Strong “brick and click” retail brands
• Their need for “direct access” by customers
• Strong draw of leisure time uses
• Diminishing impact of the Department Stores on layouts
Trend #5 Conclusion
The New Town Centers provide a strong
cross-shopping environment
for a variety of traffic drivers
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The Future:
•
The emergence of a hierarchy of high-density hubs in cities:
downtowns, suburban Town Centers, Neighborhood
Squares
•
Retail uses will be an integral part of these mixed-use hubs
•
Single-use retail environments will progressively become
less prevalent
S+A “Green” and
Renewable Energy Initiatives
Focus Areas for Steiner projects:
•
Importance of Initial Site Planning – i.e…LEED ND
•
Promotion of Green Design and Construction
•
Renewable Energy
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Site Planning:
•
Renewed focus on redevelopments and brownfield sites
•
Utilization of New Urbanist Principles
•
Inclusion or addition of Green space and parks
•
Shared Parking
•
Recycle building materials during site construction
•
Redevelopment of 30 year old regional mall in Virginia
•
Reintroduced urban street grid into the site
•
Addition of 10 acres of green space (within 75 acre site)
•
Recycled crushed concrete – 90,000 tons of debris diverted
•
Helped the City re-write their parking ratios and regulations
Peninsula Town Center : : Hampton, VA
Promotion of Green Design:
•
Created “Steiner Green Design Standards” for new projects
•
Inclusion of all “no” or “small” cost items with major impact
•
Selective inclusion of larger investment green design items
•
Long term planning and provisions for future components
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Light Reflecting TPO Roofing
•
Occupancy Sensors
•
Waterless Urinals & automated fixtures
•
Low E Glass
•
Low VOC Paints, Adhesives
•
High Efficiency HVAC units
•
Residential Energy Star appliances
•
Extensive use of CFB & LED lighting
•
Waste recycling programs
•
Rainbird Moisture sensing irrigation system
Standard low to no cost features : : MAJOR IMPACT
• Integrated within residential component to serve as amenity
• High visibility and increased resident satisfaction
• Bayshore, Greene Town Center, & Peninsula Town Center
• $350K to $500K investment with required depressed slab
Intensive Green Roofs : :
OH, VA, & WI
• 100% LED Holiday Lighting program at new projects
• Only 15% of the energy usage
• Can run 40 LED strands end to end versus 6 incandescent
• Longer bulb life span (50,000 hours versus 3,000 hours)
Investment in LED Lighting : :
Virginia
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• Invest in increased capacity & engineering of roof structures
• Designing buildings to accommodate future green roof or PV systems
• PTC – Roof section is now becoming a children's play area & garden
• Continued research of collection and re-use of rainwater
• Assembled design team and GC to study system at two different sites
• Extensive research and cost analysis of Central Plant System
Long Term Planning & Infrastructure : :
Examples
S+A Renewable Energy Initiatives:
•
•
Extensive research and planning over past three years
Solar America designation by U.S. DOE
•
•
•
Unique opportunity for high visibility renewable energy project by private
sector within mixed-use development including educational component
DOE & NREL provide technical assistance and expertise
Offset electricity required to power infrastructure associated
with public streets, parking, and community parks
•
250 KW Photovoltaic System
•
Interactive educational display designed with NREL
•
Exposure to nearly 20 million visitors per year
Easton Town Center : : Columbus, OH
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•
85 KW roof mounted Photovoltaic System
•
Three (3) 50 KW Wind Turbines
•
Interactive educational kiosk on Town Square
•
Exposure to nearly 10 million visitors per year
Greene Town Center : : Beavercreek, OH
S+A Sustainability Mission
Showcase that in large scale mixed use projects an investment
in green technologies, including renewable energy, can
reduce operating costs and increase customer satisfaction
and loyalty while serving and promoting the environmental
and renewable energy goals of the Community.
Yaromir Steiner, CEO
Steiner + Associates
Columbus, Ohio
614.414.7300
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