Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
Issue link: https://sct.epubxp.com/i/753030
82 S C T / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 Most mixed-use projects coming out, whether new or redeveloped, "are all about adding energy and connec- tivity," said Craig Neeb, executive vice president and chief development officer for International Speedway Corp. "They serve as experiential gathering places, they are regional destinations driving traffic to the greater community, plus they drive ancillary development and all the positives that come with that." In- nities is also a worldwide phenomenon. In a recent socioeconomic case study of Hammerson's decade-old Bullring center, in Birmingham, England, 29 percent of the area respondents said the center has come to be an important part of the city center, 20 percent said it has improved community well-being, and 19 percent said it has raised the overall quality of life. "Bullring has transformed Birmingham's city center through dramatic changes to its road and traffic infrastructure," ac- cording to the study, published by the Netherlands-based Blue Building Institute last November. Earlier models of such community in- tegration include Forest City's mammoth Stapleton Denver, built on the site of the decommissioned Stapleton Internation- al Airport. After a decade and a half of phased development, the community has nine new neighborhoods, 20,000 res- idents, nine schools, 917 acres of parks and open space, and multiple shopping and business districts. It is also home to dozens of employers. Fort Worth's Sundance Square predates that. Bass Brothers Enterprises began re- viving a flagging downtown Fort Worth in 1979, taking care to preserve the integ- rity of historical buildings while creating others to mesh with those. The company added thousands of residences and a now world-renowned district that employs and entertains thousands and continues to thrive. The notion of creating a community gathering place to win business goes back centuries to the world's great markets and fairs, according to Stark. People were first drawn to them by the opportunity to socialize, and merchants followed in droves. "The industry's move to lifestyle community centers since the 2000s has really been a step back in time to the great societies," Stark said. Given that retail accounts for about 9 percent of the U.S. workforce, according to ICSC estimates, the industry's employ- ment power has always played a huge role in community transformation. Shopping centers create some 12.5 million U.S. jobs, according to JLL, and the nearly $150 billion in sales-tax revenues collect- ed through retailers helps fund crucial ternational Speedway Corp. is developing the 300,000-square-foot One Daytona re- tail-residential development, across from Daytona International Speedway, creating a new gateway to that city at interstates 95 and 4. In addition to a 12-screen cinema, a 67,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops Out- post and some other retail, One Daytona will have 250 hotel rooms and a 276-unit luxury apartment community. The trend of transforming commu-