Is anyone tired of strip malls being called something "town center"

[NcSc74]

When I get time I like to cruise through everyones region and one constant here in the south is a new strip mall going up and it has some erroneous name like forest acres town center or "centre" for all of you sophisticated types. Am I the only one that is getting annoyed with this. Town center they are not and there seems no end to them.

[StevenRocks]

It's all marketing. Mall is a four-letter word, figuratively and literally.

[suburban george3]

Developer's are just running out of ways to name these places. However, they could just call them the "Shoppes at Forest Acres" or the "Forest Acres Shopping Center." Maybe we should pass laws to make them put Strip Mall at the end of their names "The Forest Acres Center Strip Mall," yeah, that sounds good!

[sax184]

When I get time I like to cruise through everyones region and one constant here in the south is a new strip mall going up and it has some erroneous name like forest acres town center or "centre" for all of you sophisticated types. Am I the only one that is getting annoyed with this. Town center they are not and there seems no end to them.

It's just another sign of how indifferent our culture is to creating communities of lasting value in order to make a quick buck. The marketing is just an attempt to convince people that they're not wandering through an urban wasteland.

Hopefully your insight will help unplug others from the Matrix.

[JDC]

Yeah, that stuff kind of makes me sick too. What's even worse are the street names you find in the "communities" that surround these places. Like Pebble Creek Drive, Fox View Place, and Laurel Branch Drive (all real street names in Cary, NC).

[StevenRocks]

It's just another sign of how indifferent our culture is to creating communities of lasting value in order to make a quick buck. The marketing is just an attempt to convince people that they're not wandering through an urban wasteland.

Wouldn't that be a suburban wasteland. An urban place called a Town Center might have some sort of validity to its claim.

[jasoniman24]

Yeah, that stuff kind of makes me sick too. What's even worse are the street names you find in the "communities" that surround these places. Like Pebble Creek Drive, Fox View Place, and Laurel Branch Drive (all real street names in Cary, NC).

Yep, like the street names at the new retail development in Greensboro at Elm-Eugene St and the I-85 byp, try Retail Lane. Sounds like a game on the Price is Right. Oh yeah, Four Seasons Towne Centre must be one of the original "town centers", being renamed this in the 1986-87 renovation.

[RaleighHeelsfan]

Yeah, I'm fed up with it. I am even more tired of these stupid drug stores going up on every major corner. This country has no imagination at all. Nobody thinks about what this crap will look like in the future. The ugly cookie cutter homes will be ghetos because they are already ugly and built poorly. I am so tired of it. Will it ever end??? Then they cut down all the hardwoods and replace them with the ugliest pine trees I have ever seen....erggggggggggggggggg

[NcSc74]

Yeah, I'm fed up with it. I am even more tired of these stupid drug stores going up on every major corner. This country has no imagination at all. Nobody thinks about what this crap will look like in the future. The ugly cookie cutter homes will be ghetos because they are already ugly and built poorly. I am so tired of it. Will it ever end??? Then they cut down all the hardwoods and replace them with the ugliest pine trees I have ever seen....erggggggggggggggggg

I am with you on that. Lets build a huge strip mall then in corners of the parking lots lets put a ___________(insert name of any commercial chain resturant) then we can build a huge housing subdivision right beside it and call it (insert any rehashed name to invoke thoughts of living in a rural setting but its in the city) such as _______________ Trace or Heritage__________. On top of that we can put up walls around the subdivision to keep all of the undesirables out and you can drive everywhere you want to go.

[sax184]

Wouldn't that be a suburban wasteland. An urban place called a Town Center might have some sort of validity to its claim.

Yes, I guess a "suburban wasteland" would be a more accurate term. Though I'm not sure that a true urban place would ever call itself a "town center" - it would just refer to itself as the name of the town. In Europe, it is more common to refer to "the center." "Downtown" and "uptown" seem to be the popular term for the real thing in America.

[Tayfromcarolina]

I've always like the name ...Galleria sounds so high fashion or something.

And I like all the serene names for streets and thoroughfares in surburbia, and in cities.

Jade River Drive, River Field Drive, Suncrest Lane, Blazing Star Drive. (All real names in Raleigh, NC)

[NcSc74]

I've always like the name ...Galleria sounds so high fashion or something.

And I like all the serene names for streets and thoroughfares in surburbia, and in cities.

Jade River Drive, River Field Drive, Suncrest Lane, Blazing Star Drive. (All real names in Raleigh, NC)

To add to the list...Quail Hollow Court, Frozen spring drive, Fairfield Green drive, Starlight manor drive...

[StevenRocks]

Yes, I guess a "suburban wasteland" would be a more accurate term. Though I'm not sure that a true urban place would ever call itself a "town center" - it would just refer to itself as the name of the town. In Europe, it is more common to refer to "the center." "Downtown" and "uptown" seem to be the popular term for the real thing in America.

I think the quality of the development is more important that the name (though the wrong name can sink all but the strongest built areas). There are some really awful downtowns and some decently designed malls out there. I think the overall goal should be creating lasting spaces, whether downtown or out in the suburbs.

[NcSc74]

I think what I am annoyed with is not only cookie cutter houses but cookie cutter style commercial developments. They all have the same layout. They all help to increase car usage in areas that are not ready to hold that kind of traffic. I admit there are some nice designed malls and what not but I pose this question. In our quest to rid the world of enclosed malls have we allowed the other evil to florish. Now all of a sudden a developer can build a long strip mall with all of the common brand stores and call it a town center because there is a subdivision across the street. Major arterials around this country look the same because of this thinking.

[danclever]

Developer's are just running out of ways to name these places. However, they could just call them the "Shoppes at Forest Acres" or the "Forest Acres Shopping Center." Maybe we should pass laws to make them put Strip Mall at the end of their names "The Forest Acres Center Strip Mall," yeah, that sounds good!

Everything sounds better with a silent 'e'. How about "Forest Acres Center Strip Malle."

[Miesian Corners]

We are not in the British Commonwealth, so why spell it "c-e-n-t-r-e"? I guess they want us to write things like. "Cary Towne Centre is my favourite place to shoppe. Its coulouring is beige, like its character."

[StevenRocks]

I admit there are some nice designed malls and what not but I pose this question. In our quest to rid the world of enclosed malls have we allowed the other evil to florish. Now all of a sudden a developer can build a long strip mall with all of the common brand stores and call it a town center because there is a subdivision across the street. Major arterials around this country look the same because of this thinking.

The strip mall, in its many manifestations, can ultimately be worse than the regional enclosed mall from an planning standpoint. The reason for this is that they're cheap to build, easy to dump when things go sour, and defy organization. A regional enclosed mall has to be planned llike a city in a sense, and when things go sour, more creative solutions have to be used to resurrect them. It's easier for a strip mall operator to simply walk away, leaving an rotting eyesore on the corner.

[jasoniman24]

We are not in the British Commonwealth, so why spell it "c-e-n-t-r-e"? I guess they want us to write things like. "Cary Towne Centre is my favourite place to shoppe. Its coulouring is beige, like its character."

Just went to the new tyre shoppe at the Cary Towne Centre.

[jasoniman24]

The strip mall, in its many manifestations, can ultimately be worse than the regional enclosed mall from an planning standpoint. The reason for this is that they're cheap to build, easy to dump when things go sour, and defy organization. A regional enclosed mall has to be planned llike a city in a sense, and when things go sour, more creative solutions have to be used to resurrect them. It's easier for a strip mall operator to simply walk away, leaving an rotting eyesore on the corner.

I remember reading somewhere that the buildings in these strip malls and big box stores are designed to last only about 20-25 years, because these stores always move elsewhere within 10-15 years.This leaves the next tenant (if there is one) an outdated, dilapidated building. That's one of the problems with High Point Road in Greensboro. This just shows how we have become a disposable society.

[StevenRocks]

I remember reading somewhere that the buildings in these strip malls and big box stores are designed to last only about 20-25 years, because these stores always move elsewhere within 10-15 years.This leaves the next tenant (if there is one) an outdated, dilapidated building. That's one of the problems with High Point Road in Greensboro. This just shows how we have become a disposable society.

You are right. Most commercial structures are designed to last for the duration of a couple of tenants and not much longer. It's a culture of throwaway buildings.

[cityboi]

Town Centre use to be the name for indoor malls now they are being used for strip shopping centers. The name is overused and the shopping centers are not exactly near the center of town. When you think of "Town Centre" you think of downtown.

[StevenRocks]

Town Centre use to be the name for indoor malls now they are being used for strip shopping centers. The name is overused and the shopping centers are not exactly near the center of town. When you think of "Town Centre" you think of downtown.

Four Seasons Town Centre in Greensboro, N.C. seems to be the rare exception to this. Greensboro is so suburban that the mall may as well be Downtown Greensboro.

[cityboi]

Four Seasons Town Centre in Greensboro, N.C. seems to be the rare exception to this. Greensboro is so suburban that the mall may as well be Downtown Greensboro.

I dont know about that. There is a big difference between downtown Greensboro and sea of suburban strip centers near High Point Rd.

[Jones_]

All developments should by General Statute, be required to be named after the family farms and plantations they oblitered when they were built, like say Midway out US 64. But a plaque with a detailed history of the land dating back to the original land grant must also be erected on the site (histories will converge of course) so that societies short memory can be reminded of what has been lost

[StevenRocks]

I dont know about that. There is a big difference between downtown Greensboro and sea of suburban strip centers near High Point Rd.

It's not the same physically, but it is a major center of activity and helps define a community, for better or worse. There are likely more people that define their experience in Greensboro by Four Seasons than by Downtown.