There's plenty of hope and promise for Main Street. The following information is an excerpt from:
http://www.crcog.org/Publications/TCSP/Ch07_Fact%20Sheet_Main%20Street.pdfThe green, bolded text under "Revitalization" explains why I think the last post is off the mark.
Why Have So Many Main Street Areas Become Run Down?Traditional Main Street areas ... have had a difficult time competing with auto-oriented commercial development in suburban areas. Strip-style commercial corridors, regional shopping malls, and big-box "power centers" are successful for many reasons. They have recognizable chain stores, large-scale shopping formats that provide a wide selection of goods, drive-through services, large movie theaters, large family restaurants, and most importantly, abundant parking and easy access for vehicles. By way of comparison, Main Street areas tend to offer unique and small-format spaces, which are generally unappealing to modern-day chain retailers, and they tend to be constrained in terms of parking and vehicular access. Most people living in the Hartford region nowadays are auto-dependent, and they tend to do their shopping in locations with the best automobile access and parking.
Why Re-invest in Main Street?If suburban commercial sites are so successful, why should local municipality spend time and money attempting to revitalize the old town center? Many Main Street areas still have numerous businesses, residents, and employees, all of whom would directly benefit from improvements to the area. The town as a whole would benefit from the increased tax revenues from a revitalized commercial area. Most importantly, a Main Street area is usually the historical, cultural, civic and geographic center of the community, and improvements to the town center can bolster the town's pride, image, and residential property values.
From a "smart growth" perspective, town centers are "sustainable" growth centers. With higher-density development and a mix of commercial and residential uses, town centers provide a greater variety of housing types and more opportunities for walking, biking, and transit use.
RevitalizationThis smart growth tool can be used in urban, suburban, and rural communities.
They are an alternative to the forces that fuel low-density suburban sprawl. A revitalized town center can attract new investment that adheres to a compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented format.
There has never been a better time to engage in economic revitalization efforts in historic town centers. Old Main Streets are being revitalized nationwide, and some modern retailers see old Main Street areas as the "new frontier" of retailing. Oriented to pedestrians and specialty shopping, these businesses capitalize on the character value and foot traffic of Main Street. They tap into the market that seeks an alternative to mall shopping.What Are the Chances of Success?Many communities have been able to turn around their traditional Main Street areas. Downtown West Hartford, which initially could not compete with the West Farms Mall, managed to renew itself through a multi-faceted revitalization program. West Hartford has been successful because it has managed to build off of the unique attributes that distinguish it from suburban commercial sites: historic architecture, a traditional "Main Street" ambiance, a safe and pleasant walking environment, and unique non-chain stores. Importantly, West Hartford Center has a unique parking scheme that makes access convenient. Similar initiatives are currently being undertaken in Windsor Center and Downtown Rockville (Town of Vernon).