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Why don't more office buildings and apartment buildings in the US use their first floor for retail and dining?
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Considering that this sub is heavily focused on relying less on cars, I feel like this topic is relevant.

I recently noticed (at least in my city) that there are huge sections of high rises where thousands of people work, yet there aren't any dining options anywhere within walking distance. Why don't offices and/or apartments in the US convert some of their space on the first floor to things like convenience marts, restaurants, or small retail shops similar to what is done in other countries?

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One major reason is car dependency that prevents this. If you have retail, the requirements for parking are horrendous versus just putting in office space or a lobby or an extra four apartments on the first/ground floor.

Most developers would actually like to do this, especially in prime(A ) real estate buildings for office use, especially in downtown areas of huge cities. The reason being foot traffic from nearby offices during lunch hours is usually enough to warrant a couple fast food places and one or two independent eateries.

But city steps in and demands parking spaces. And to get around that zoning rules, if there's not already created earlier possibilities, it's a time consuming and sometimes extremely greasy job.

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5 months ago