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Retail Design and Management
CD-5
Observation
Downtown retail will only be able to compete against managed retail elsewhere if it is organized and administered with equal skill.
Discussion
There are a number of management techniques that are instrumental in increasing the level and overall quality of shopping. These include:
Generating storefront design with exciting visual appeal.
Encouraging storefront circulation through pedestrian and automobile traffic.
Identifying strategic tenant mixes and working towards building them in the future.
Improving streetscape, landscape and lighting, which will provide an inviting, clean, and secure shopping environment.
Ensuring that streets are kept in their cleanest possible form.
Generating the perception of ample and convenient parking.
Creating standardized shopping hours that are competitive with the regional malls.
Attaining excellence in marketing, advertising, leasing, and management.
Making an on-foot police presence a common sight in Downtown.
In addition, number of rules govern successful retail district design. These include:
Commercial development should be located along the busiest streets and intersections.
Traffic-dependent retailers should be located on the home-bound side of Main Street.
Commercial development should located on both sides of the street to establish a shopping district identity, to promote cross shopping, and to create a viable and complementary tenant mix.
Commercial development should be located on real (vehicular) streets that provide many connections to the adjacent neighborhoods.
There must be metered on-street parking, preferably par-allel, in front of all shops and restaurants.
The commercial town center should have an overall park-ing ratio of five cars per 1000 SF of first floor retail. The majority of the parking should be located behind buildings on block interiors.
The commercial town center should be adjacent to a small (approximately 1/4 acre) central plaza, green, or gathering place.
The primary shopping street should have two to three an-chor type stores/amenities (approximately 20,000 SF) as well as a blend of other civic and community uses.
The commercial development should be multi-storied when possible, with a combination of residential and office on the upper floors.
The highest density residential development should be adjacent and highly accessible to the commercial area via roads and sidewalks.
Traffic through the commercial district should move ef-ficiently but slowly, allowing for well-marked and easily accessible pedestrian crossings.
When possible, shopping streets should have their vistas terminated on retail or civic buildings to create a distinct identity.
Recomendation
The organization and management of Downtown retail should adhere as closely as practicable to the rules and techniques listed above.
Creating a unique shopping atmosphere that gives the cus-tomer a reason to come, Downtown will be the foundation of Downtown Baton Rouges retail success. This atmosphere can be created by using existing architecture, street design, and enhanced management techniques. Downtown Baton Rouge must continue to focus upon its unique assets of architecture, history, and sense of community. Coupled with a strong retail selection, this approach could create an entertainment draw that expands far beyond the existing primary trade area.
Responsibility
Downtown Development District and Plan Baton Rouge
Project Status
The Downtown Baton Rouge Market Assessment and Merchandising/Leasing Strategy, completed in February 2001 by H. Blount Hunter of H. Blount Hunter Retail and Real Estate Research, provides strategies that address implementation, design and management.
Implementation
Explanation of Terms
Product
Centralized Retail Management
Responsibility
PBR & DDD
Implementing Agent
DDD
Feasibility Analysis
DDD
Initial Financing
PBR
Project Financing
FF & PI
Timing
P1