Downtown Retail Activity in Large American Cities 1954-1977

Abstract

Arecurrent theme in recent years has been the supposed revitalization of downtowns or central business districts (CBDs) in many large American cities that were characterized by physical deterioration and economic decline during much of the twentieth century. The proliferation of indoor shopping centers and pedestrian malls in CBDs, coupled with the highly publicized successes of Faneuil Hall in Boston, the Gallery in Philadelphia, and Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, among others, has created the impression that retailing in the old urban core is vital and actively competing with suburban counterparts.' However, there is little evidence either to support or to nullify this contention. The lack of evidence is unexpected not only because retailing has been investigated more than any other element of the CBD, in part on account of the availability of comparative data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, but also because retailing has an importance to a broad range of individuals who use the CBD for livelihood, residence, entertainment, or other purposes. Studies of CBD retailing have contributed substantially to an understanding of this core function, but the research is far from comprehensive. Little quantitative research has been generated for census data reported since 1967.2 Consequently studies that systematically examine CBD retail activity during the past decade and a half are not numerous.3 Descriptive studies provide insights about the factors underlying suburban-CBD retail competition but supply little supportive empirical evidence.4 The current state of knowledge is insufficient to comprehend contemporary retail trends and structure and to be the basis for the design of effective public policy. In this article I examine retail trends in CBDs between 1954 and 1977 in