In his weekly column in the Lancaster Sunday News, Gil Smart asks “How much more retail do we really need?”
“Maybe we are understored. Maybe there are retail chains clamoring for space here. But how wise is it to build yet more retail space within a stone’s throw of existing space that’s struggling?
“Why must we build more places to shop — don’t we have enough?
“It’s a rhetorical question, of course; these decisions are made by private developers and the municipal officials who (mostly) green-light them. Build it and they will come, even if fewer people flock to yesterday’s retail fields of dreams.”
First of all, it need not be a “rhetorical question” because “these decisions” are not made exclusively by private developers. They are in part derivative of zoning laws and thus poor decisions made in the past by municipal bodies.
Not mentioned by Smart is a danger that NewsLanc has discussed on several occasions: That Park City over time due to the growing number of shopping centers will lose its most prestigious and successful stores and begin to build up vacancies.
Once that happens, Park City will cease to be the city’s tax cash cow but instead become a blight and burden to the community.
This is happening with many malls across the country. It may be soon happening here in Lancaster.
I don’t think it is possible for Gil Smart to be smarter than he realizes…
Although I do agree that we already have plenty of shopping opportunities for whatever you are looking for within easy driving distance. We’re nowhere near as inconvenienced as central Pa or upstate NY.