I don't like the idea of stores I don't care about inviting increased traffic around my house, but i would happily have increased traffic if it meant at least some stores I care about are just downstairs.
Yes, it works pretty much anywhere if the retail in question is the relatively useful/high traffic sort (e.g. grocery stores, bakeries, coffee shops, restaurants/cafes, etc). And it doesn't have to just serve the people of that exact building, if there are a bunch of other 5-over-1's or similar in the immediate area.
Honestly, this sounds like a bit of a stereotypical American question: "Can <thing that the rest of the world already does> actually work at all?"
Edit: I should add that of course there can be other variables at play. For example, if the general street design of the area is more pedestrian friendly, that's helpful to this style of zoning/building, and if the street design is hostile to pedestrians, then these things won't work quite as well.
The area has downsides, but it is doing well economically.
People walk a few blocks for groceries, to the bakery/cafe, or a restaurant. Other common businesses are pharmacies, drug stores, clothing (separately fashion, thrift, tailor, seamstress, etc), book stores, appliance stores, hardware stores (like Ace not Home Depot), etc.
Where it gets ugly is when the buildings get too big, either vertically or horizontally. I would argue that 5 over 1 is actually the sweet spot.
The downside, when they're new, is the rent for the commercial floors is only affordable by mid to upper market merchants. 30 years hence, we could see "gentrification" where thin margin businesses can survive. Like, you can have a grocery store, but it'll be an expensive grocery store with higher mark-ups and fancier food. The coffee shop will be one with thoughtful art pieces and not recycled-trash-cum-art, etc.
Or in other words, it’s good against cars :)
I've read that this design isn't ideally suited to many retail establishments but the details escape me.
If you require the retail space, this is probably a non-issue, because there's only so many national corporate chains that will want to open a store in a given area; if you have a LOT of 5-over-1s in a neighborhood, there should be enough space left over for independent stores too.
Sometimes they seem to attract high end medical and beauty/spa businesses. There's nothing wrong with the businesses individually, but a glut of them isn't useful for the neighborhood (nobody needs eight cosmetic dentists). And replacing a strip of walk-in businesses (groceries, cafes, hardware stores, affordable clothing shops) you use regularly with mostly appointment-based services businesses you use occasionally if at all isn't great.
- 4 grocery stores, including a small turkish one - a café - 2 fast food places - a nail studio - 2 hair salons - a school - 3 bars (4 if you include an ice cream place that has bar nights in the winter sometimes) - a tailor - a smokeshop
I'm sure more that I don't frequent. My building itself doesn't have a shop at the bottom, but most buildings around me do. The only necessities that I have to go further at all for are a pharmacy and a hardware store, and they're not far.
I wouldn't say I live in the middle of the city either, kind of on the edge of the "high density" area. As in where I am there are only apartments and businesses but if you go 2 blocks further away from the city center there are also single-family homes. And they benefit from the amenities provided by us apartment-dwellers as well.
Now, with my second kid going to school (public) I have to drive (it's literally 1 mile). It has changed the whole schedule. That single drive! Annoys me as hell. It's hard to imagine how convenient it is when you don't have to drive anywhere, even school, day care, etc. This makes a huge difference.
A better angle would be biking the kid to school, but it's possible/probable that the route isn't good for bikes.
in NYC, for example, this is probably one of the most common methods of getting to school.
children are learning but they are not dumb. They can generally recognize dangerous situations and exercise good judgment, and shocking crimes like stranger abduction are incredibly rare. they can, if services exist, go to the playground and the school unassisted, but unfortunately we now live in a society where even if you trust your kids, someone else might call child services on you.
And no affordable parking for people to come and visit you. It's fine. They won't.
These parking meters go wild with what electronic meters allow. The hourly cost changes depending on time of day and events (there are 3 very large event venues that could be served or could abuse this parking area) from perhaps 50 cents (truly cheap for a meter, except no free hours if I remember right) to over 10 dollars (eye watering). And there are no signs showing the current cost or cost schedule - you have to let each meter tell you. And most of these spaces are still full - There is certainly money to be extracted there.
Street parking in Mission Bay is a traumatizing experience :-)
Yes. I live in a 4-over-2 and will go to stores that are relevant.