Two Types of Central Shopping Streets

Abstract

Central shopping streets are classified into two types by their street forms: one is those in which shops face on to a certain trunk street (type A), the other, where shops face a pedestrian street (type B). The difference in street forms between type A and type B influences not only the structure but also the direction of growth of central commercial areas. In this paper, the author discusses the actual circumstances of the two types of central shopping streets by comparing data collected through field investigations carried out twice in 1971 and in 1981.The results are as follows:(1) Comparing the volume of the commercial function of central commercial areas among cities of the same size, there is no difference between type A and type B. The volume of the commercial function of big stores is large and their direction of location is a change-making factor in central shopping streets.(2) Vertical growth in central shopping streets is more evident in type A than in type B. This means that type A has more floor space than type B. Functions locating in type A are much more numerous and diverse than those in type B. This causes in type A an intensive rivalry for location in central shopping streets between retail and amusement functions and other functions (especially business functions). Thus vertical differentiation in functions is progressing more in type A than in type B. In addition, type A tends to form a compact central commercial area, where big stores play the leading role.(3) As type B restricts the access of cars, business functions locate less in type B than in type A. There is a tendency for retail and amusement functions to be located exclusively in type B. From this tendency, horizontal differentiation of business streets from central shopping streets tends to arise in the urban core of the cities that have type B, comparing cities of the same size.(4) The size of the buildings in type A is larger than that in type B. Functional complexity within one building is evident in type A.(5) With regard to stability as a central shopping street, type B is superior to type A. This is because in type A there is a rivalry for location between retail and amusement functions and other functions; in type B it is relatively less. External appearance as a central shopping street is more unified in type B than in type A.Whether it is in type A or in type B, the higher the centrality of the shopping street is, the higher the ratio of the fire-proof structures and the more vigorous the metabolism of establishments.Thus the internal structure of the urban core is undergoing reorganization through changes based on type A or type B, as explained above.