Original Photo: Flikr user hildgrim.  Used under Creative Commons license.

Promote opportunities for people only spaces in commercial areas complete with benches, places for bicycles and lots of trees.  This is a great way to increase foot traffic in retail areas while at the same time creating great places for people to meet, exchange ideas and sip on their favorite beer or coffee.

– Larry Jacobs

Original Photo: Flickr user Architecture & Food.  Used under Creative Commons license.

Revitalize existing commercial buildings in major business districts to add residential uses where feasible, encourage live/work facilities, make downtown areas more walkable and increase economic activity.

Many strip malls do not currently make the best use of available land. By redesigning these projects to include more centralized services and a residential component, individual community identity is strengthened and traffic decreases as more people conveniently travel on foot.

The Grand Boulevard project seeks to recreate El Camino Real using these concepts.