Greyfield redevelopment

Bus Transit at Belmar

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When it was built in the 1960s, Villa Italia was the largest mall west of the Mississippi. In decline years later, Villa Italiana was scraped and replaced with Belmar, an award-winning mixed-use neighborhood development. Now buses serve the development's tight-knit network of streets and blocks. On the right are eclectic local shops in tiny retail space lining a Belmar parking structure.

Micro Retail at Belmar

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A 2006 Charter Awards winner, Belmar is one of the more promising malls-to-mixed-use conversions. And here's one reason why. Too many projects of this genre generate a modicum of mixed-use urbanism but focus heavily on major national retailers. They provide parking at typical mall ratios (such as 4 spaces per thousand square feet) and, as a result, parking overpowers the sense of place. On Belmar's side streets, one sees a variety of locally owned boutiques and restaurants. And as pictured here, the creators of Belmar do something particularly creative -- lining a parking deck with tiny retail spaces occupied by offbeat and artsy businesses.

Eastgate Mall 3

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The planned resuts of designing for gradual growth. A generation of changes eventually reclaims empty spaces with buildings and public places.

Eastgate Mall 2

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5 years into the redevelopment of Eastgate Mall, a town square will replace the parking lot and the mall will be turned inside-out' toward the street.

Eastgate Mall 1

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In 1997, before redevelopment, this mall was nearly empty. Parking lots surrounded a cloistered shopping center.