Proliferation of big box stores

Philip Langdon:

I enjoyed your commentary on Big Boxes, dull cities and the value of small stores. Years ago with the threat of a super box store, our suburb placed a limit on the size of large retail stores to 40,000 sf or 35 percent of the total retail area in a center, except in one shopping center district where stores are limited to 100,000 sf maximum. We also created a PUD district for mixed-use development which has been developed with Crocker Park.  That has not stopped the proliferation of Big Box stores in adjacent communities that are attempting to reap short term gains by this development while at the same time closing many of their older strip centers.

Our mixed-use development has some local businesses but mostly national high-end stores which have not competed with our existing local shopping areas which remain with very low vacancy even in this recession. However more big box developments are being proposed just across the borders to "capture" the passing market and NUD which often cost more due to amenities, extra pedestrian accommodation, parking structures etc are and will be feeling the pinch of these predatory developments you so well wrote about.

Robert Parry
City of Westlake, Ohio