Navigation

▼

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Wednesday Wishlist: Retail Under Highways

In Houston, one of this issues that is currently holding back developers are the highways that bifurcate the city, especially in their downtown area. Gensler (which is a SF-based firm) suggested building retail underneath Houston highways to better connect city streets divided by highways and spur development. I have seen this concept in action when I visited Tokyo many years ago. Heck, there are even whole shopping malls built underneath streets and highways there.

Building retail underneath highways and major roads could make a lot of sense for Downtown San Jose, especially where Highway 87 crosses Santa Clara Street and San Fernando Street. Eventually we will have major art installations in both of those locations, but having retail there would take it to the next level. North Almaden and 87 (leading to Little Italy) would be another great spot. I'm sure there are several potential retail sites along 280 as well.

What do you guys think?

Source: Anonymous Poster, Houston Business Journal




at

8 comments:

  1. GaryJanuary 8, 2014 at 6:54 AM

    Locally, Sunnyvale tried this with it's Greyhound station under the Mathilda Avenue overpass at the railroad/VTA Light Rail/Evelyn. Here's a pic of the old station that's since been torn down. http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarking/display/0efa82d6-1a04-4189-92b2-cb56a0bbab81.JPG It wasn't really successfully integrated into its downtown, nor did it help to extend Sunnyvale's downtown. Once again, it's all in the execution.

    ReplyDelete
  2. downtownratJanuary 8, 2014 at 7:21 AM

    I don't know if this would be a deterent to the homeless or if the homeless would deter the patrons of the business.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2014 at 8:16 AM

    Where St John passes under 87 could definitely use some sprucing up.. especially if Little Italy ever wants to take off.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2014 at 9:39 AM

    I think this is a nice idea in concept, and I realize this is a Wish List post, but I have to say that I think it'll be some time before we can sustain detail under our particular overpasses near downtown San Jose (starting with Santa Clara, San Fernando, St. John). While retail (esp. restaurants) are doing well in nodes of downtown now, like SP Square, SoFA, near the Fairmont, etc... retail is still marginal in other areas, especially along the periphery. The thing that we need first is MUCH more density, to drive greater foot traffic, on both sides of Highway 87. This is something we should be pushing for through the Diridon plan as well as when individual projects come through.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2014 at 6:15 PM

    pop up retail.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2014 at 6:49 PM

    i hope this happens soon! this could create more foot traffic!

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJanuary 9, 2014 at 1:30 PM

    San Jose needs retail - good retail - desperately - in the downtown core, not hidden under freeway overpasses or underground.

    ReplyDelete
  8. UnknownJanuary 13, 2014 at 8:18 PM

    this is nothing new in tokyo. they utilize every inch of space including under freeway/train overpasses and it fits: https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ffln9jOvKcc/UrXgTvlZz_I/AAAAAAAAU7U/FCqMh5vgk3s/w1296-h859-no/DSC04059_60_61_fused.jpg

    then again, san jose isnt tokyo

    ReplyDelete