There is something to be said about the recognition, by civic officials, that foot traffic is good for business. After all, it has already been.... There is something to be said about the recognition, by civic officials, that foot traffic is good for business. After all, it has already been recognized and acted upon by commercial interests in the form of capsulated, controlled shopping terrariums like Universal City Walk (Universal City, CA), and The Grove (Los Angeles, CA). At these shopping destinations common folk of every stripe are free to stroll, shop and nosh at leisure for the price of parking. Fun for the whole family. Fountains, sidewalk cafes, quaint and witty store fronts delight the eye across a couple of linear acres. About face. Repeat. Don't look down or you may notice a fiberglass rock hiding a speaker or a patch of convincingly-fake grass.

These constructs are fascinating in their way and nearly life-like, but their falseness permeates the atmosphere like the smell of sanitizer in a public restroom. But honestly, it is no wonder, is it? They are built by businesses, and businesses like captive audiences--no pesky distractions. Unfortunately, cities have taken their cues from the business world. Urban planners singing the praises of revitalized downtowns have been heard, councils have passed measures, and Mayors have cut ribbons and tossed soil with golden shovels. The results have been a couple of dozen linear acres of quaint store fronts dominated by the big names in retail and corralled by parking lots (because shopping destinations always have to have adequate parking.) "Why, people will drive from all over to visit our new downtown," they proclaim.

What brought this all to mind was my last trip to Pasadena (CA). Perhaps a dozen years ago, the city revitalized its "Old Town Pasadena" district in the above fashion. I visit occasionally and enjoy myself every time I go. I am always pleased to see people gladly using sidewalks and I love to shop. Granted, Pasadena is much more than "a couple dozen acres". Many existing buildings were reused (no, keeping the frame alone is not reuse!). It has side streets, inhabited alleys, and a good amount of mixed-use retail/residential/office. But when there I always get this contained feeling--the same feeling I get when I walk through Central Park (New York). It's a sense of being beautifully finite. For those of you who know Pasadena, it is a suburb of classic construction replete with strip malls, huge single family homes, and lots of sprawl. Travel three blocks away from Old Town and the vibrance becomes still. It is like walking through a living museum.

On the other hand, from where I live in Los Angeles, I can walk for miles and never leave a diverse, engaging environment. And let's face it, folks, as vibrant urban living goes, Los Angeles comparatively sucks.

I do not want to take away from what cities like Pasadena are doing. I applaud them roundly. But complacency sets in easily. Enlivening a central district offers people a sense of urban living, but without a vibrant city to surround it, it merely becomes urban-esque. Mayors of these cities, don't stop now! Your revitalized downtowns are not an achievement if they stand alone. They are the first step on a long path to a great future.