Publication Date

Spring 2025

Degree Type

Master's Project

Degree Name

Master of Urban Planning (MUP)

Department

Urban and Regional Planning

Keywords

Mixed-use, Retail, Vacancy, Activation, TOD

Abstract

This planning report provides an in-depth exploration as to why so many mixed use communities, including transit-oriented developments, in metropolitan regions across the country are facing challenges with filling in their retail business vacancies at the ground floor. It also provides a current snapshot of best practices to remedy this widespread barrier to cities functioning more effectively and sustainably. This report provides a combination of findings from a literature review which identifies the most common reasons and remedies for business vacancies, and a research design which identifies which urban planning or urban design characteristics correlate most frequently with case sites that have had more success with leasing their retail spaces. The completion of this report involved six case sites in total from the southern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area: three of which were case sites with more than half of their spaces currently being leased, and the other three were sites with less than half of their spaces filled. Closely correlating with literature review findings, research design findings reveal that successful case sites consistently (1) had more welcoming street design amenities, (2) were near already existing bubbles of retail activation, (3) leased to businesses which need to be accessed in-person, (4) had more furnishings in their spaces remaining for lease, and (5) were located near higher numbers of educational facilities and transit stops.

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