![]() ![]() living downtown without a car, it might seem like i'd be one of those types of people that thinks anything over 2 miles is far away, but because i'm such an avid cyclist, and because i bike commute 15 miles each way to work everyday, i'd say i have a rather large "home territory" for someone who doesn't drive. charles in the far western burbs, to lake villa in the far northern burbs, and everywhere in between. I live in a huge metropolitan area (chicgaoland), and i have friends and family living all over it, from manhattan, IL in the far southern burbs, to st. When I can bum a ride, I usually think of a ten-mile distance as being the local range with bikes, I do suspect that hills factor far more into the equation. But I also tend to be willing to walk further and longer than most people as it is. There's a Borders in an old skycraper's lobby, a Barnes and Noble at the foot of a condo tower, and an fye in a repurposed bank as well (yeah me being a music and book nut, figures I know exactly where those places are), so I don't think it's so much about stores' unwillingness, per se, to locate in downtown areas (with the possible exception of Wal-Mart) as it is that the immediate expenses associated with new constrution/retrofitting in those areas are so sky-high that they seem to eliminate profitability in the terms these retailers are willing to forecast for.īy the way, when I walk, it feels like anything over one and half miles is really far. façade looked like, you would know that the Ross there feels really downmarket compared to its potential.) in Center City now house a Macy's and a Ross, respectively-but the issue is that reuse tends to be really expensive. ![]() For instance, the former Wanamaker's and Lit Bros. The fact of the matter is, if a given site ought to be profitable enough, big boxes have no problem with urban reuse. Yet a lot of people act like that's the only thing big boxes want to build. Even then one could possibly move to bring work closer. The only thing that might be further is work itself. Of course there are times when I need to go beyond that distance, which I do when it is required. ![]() Because to me most places you need to go should be within a 5-10 mile radius. It used to drive me nuts having to drive on and on and on just to get anywhere. When I've been to phoenix and LA in the past. It is all relative to what type of area you live in. Then you probably would assume a 30 minute plus drive is quite alright. Then to you, having to drive 30 minutes in one direction to do something would seem like an eternity.īut if your someone who lives out in the suburbs where things are more sprawled out and big box stores are more prevalent. Where stores are closer, either within walking distance or a very short drive in a car or transit. Has a lot to do with the area that they live in. Perception of distance and how far one is willing to travel. And despite the fact that everyone thinks Detroit is chock full of urban prairies the two areas where they exist (the Near West and Lower East sides) are probably the last place big box retailers are looking to build. Detroit's inefficient government doesn't do much to help the situation either. Most areas of the city that big box retailers might find attractive don't really have large-scale plots of land that they can just snap up and build on. Detroit was completely built out by the 40's and 50's. The problem isn't so much the lack of desire as it is the lack of developable land. Nevermind the fact that Meijer (a regional grocery/general superstore) is building a store near the northern border of the city. It would be like complaining about a K-Mart in San Rafael or Millbrae.ĭon't you think a city of 900,000 with a median income of $30,000 would be attractive to big box stores? Nevermind the fact that the Home Depot in Detroit is the most profitable store in its 100-store region. The store is literally 14 miles away from Downtown across the street from another city. ![]() K-Mart was originally from Detroit before they bought out Sears and moved their headquarters to Chicago. ![]()
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