You bring up a very interesting point about "invented" places. We've seen a few fail: Trapper's Alley, AutoWorld, pedestrian malls in downtowns from Kalamazoo to Lansing and Battle Creek and now we have the New Paradise Valley aka Harmonie Park. I wonder why these planned places fail and organically grown ones prosper. The old warehouse district comes to mind as an area that was hopping 6 nights out of 7 dispite the fact that the area was a little rough.
What is it about planning that planners don't get? Don't mean to poke at out resident civic planners, but you guys must look at these failed experiments and wonder the same thing.
The only successful "invented" place I can recall right now, is the San Antonio Riverwalk. I'm sure there are others ...
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