When you get rid of the nitty gritty functions of a city- the things that are necessary, but not always pretty- and try to replace it with all residential or chain businesses- often these businesses move out to the suburbs or farther out- creating more suburban sprawl, and robbing the area of its distinctiveness- and self sufficiency.Just like the old south- a one crop economy will always be vulnerable to failure.Having just restaurants,boutiques, upscale "loft style" housing, and law firms does not make us very strong. This kind of sanitizing has destroyed the traditional mixed use blocks of Capitol Hill/ Navy Yard over the years and put residential at the fore-front.Now all of the NIMBYS and car addicted people , and everyone else, have to go out to Virginia to do any big ticket shopping or to get things done that were once everyday in much of the area.This is a long term recipe for disaster. Not only do we need to save the Florida Market venues- but a concerted push must be made to keep our disappearing mom and pop stores in the city- and to being them back.Yes- we must turn some housing BACK to mixed use.Right now- to say this- is heresy.
If you are really seeking Markets, you need to explore central-PA. York, Hanover and probably the best example, Lancaster, all are built around fabulous public markets. I only say Lancaster is the best because their urban center is the prettiest, most pedestrian friendly town I know this side of the Atlantic. For its size, it is pretty denslely packed and there is a diverse mix of Pennsylvania-Dutch, Puerto Rican and whatever other anglo-American communities. A lovely town and you can get their on Amtrak through Philly. I encourage you to check it out!
Richard
Pittsburgh has a rich stock of historically significant buildings that should be preserved. However two problems exist which cause many developers to tear down the buildings and start from vacant land. The first problem is that you do not know what the "hidden" conditions are in an old building so getting your arms around the costs is at best guesswork. This is something that we cannot change. The second problem and most significant is if one applies for historic tax credits, the developer cannot sell or condo the units for 5 years. This problem certainly can be rectified but it is getting no attention. If the 5 year window for selling was eliminated, many more developers would preserve rather than tear down existing structures. This is a real problem that needs immediate attention.
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