Originally Posted by
Dahon.Steve
In my opinion, there should be an ordinance to have the first floor dedicated for stores, shops and restaurants. Retrofitting the first floor is going to be expensive but not impossible. It shouldn't be allowed to be created in the first place without retail in mind so you don't end up creating blight.
That's the way it is here in Spain: shops and other businesses are located on the ground floor. I've never seen a multi-storey parking lot like the ones in the States. Newer buildings have underground parking lots for residents, but older buildings tend not to have parking lots or garages at all because up until the '70s not that many people owned cars. This has made it very difficult to find parking spaces on the street in neighborhoods like mine, and those who insist on driving into such areas often end up having to park in expensive underground lots that are run by private firms. I warn people who come to visit about this and urge them to either leave their car at home or bring plenty of moolah along with them.
