Understanding the Legacy of Pedestrian Malls

Abstract

Problem, research strategy, and findings: In the postwar period, cities in the United States installed pedestrian malls to support downtown retail as suburbanization lured shoppers to malls on the periphery. Many cities removed their malls after downtown retail continued to falter. This failure has fostered a negative perception of pedestrian malls among city planners and the general public. In this research I re-examine pedestrian malls as public space and ask why some cities removed their malls while others remain. I compiled a catalog of all 140 pedestrian malls built between 1959 and 1985 that provides the data to understand the full scope of the phenomenon during this era. The catalog also includes data that tests hypotheses about why some pedestrian malls survived, including climate, proximity to a university, and nearby population. I supplement the catalog with a survey of pedestrian mall managers to understand the role of renovation and management in their survival. The results show pedestrian malls are more likely to survive in places with temperate climates, near universities, and in growing cities, though there are exceptions. City governments or business improvement districts actively manage many remaining malls, and programming and periodic renovations have helped them remain vibrant.Takeaway for practice: Old pedestrian malls failed because cities installed them to save retail and did not consider the fundamentals of placemaking when siting and designing them. Many remaining pedestrian malls are in areas with high pedestrian volumes. Cities have continued to design and manage these spaces according to best practices. Planners considering new pedestrian spaces should not be deterred by the history of old pedestrian malls, as long as they choose their site carefully and manage the space to keep it safe, clean, and inviting.