Corners Are Important!
Updated Nov. 2020
Excerpts from an Article written by Sarah Blankenship, Project Design Assistant, Texas Main Street Program
A good example downtown corner grocery in Bembride, England
Intersections and gateways are a frequent concern for many downtowns. Many times the first view is auto-oriented strip malls, stores, fast food restaurants, or gas stations that have the parking lot in front. For many downtowns this is a crucial intersection. If the visitor is not directed by signage, they may miss the downtown entirely. But signage alone should not and is not
Corner gas station in Georgetown, Texas.
Infill gas station in Geneva, Switzerland (photo source www.citykin.com/2011/01/sidewalk-gas-pumps.html
enough. Thinking bigger picture about the urban environment, these corners should signify the dense urban downtown fabric that is to come.
Re-thinking the Gas Station
Gas stations are a prominent type of business located on the corners of these intersections, and they could look far better than the common scene of gas pumps with a canopy out front and the small store behind. The entire urban downtown scale and environment can easily erode after the gas station. If the building is not built to the sidewalk edge, the pedestrian experience disappears. This does not have to be the case for new infill gas stations. See the photo from Geneva, Switzerland (above, right) where the building is built to the sidewalk edge and the gas pumps are actually located on the sidewalk. Note how pedestrians, cyclists, and cars are using the area.
Perhaps more applicable to Texas Main Street cities and current safety regulations would be to flip the location of the gas pumps to the rear or side of the building. This can create a safe walking environment while increasing the aesthetic appeal of the corner. The picture of the rendering (below, left) is a good example, where the building is built to the sidewalk edge and the gas pumps are located in the rear. This illustrates how a chain gas station can still fit into the unique downtown context. This approach can act to extend the length of the downtown as new businesses and infill move in and build in the same manner to the sidewalk edge, increasing the pedestrian friendliness that Main Street encourages.
The picture of the corner gas station in Milwaukee (below, right) is another effective example. What is interesting about both of these examples is that they include offices or apartments above the first floor. Including living or work density in the area, can influence other stores nearby to cater to these residents/workers. The gas station may also be influenced to act more as a corner grocery store, providing more variety and goods than the typical prepackaged foods.
Rendering of gas station with pumps behind the building, fitting in with the context of downtown.
Neighborhood corner gas station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (photo source: http://milwaukeestreets.blogspot.com/2007/04/urban-gas-station.html)
Bringing back the corner store
It would be ideal to have more of the small corner grocery store concept in downtown and throughout a city. Rather than the current national trend of huge auto-centered supermarkets that must be driven to, walking can be encouraged with more traditional neighborhood grocery stores in more locations. This approach may involve ordinance overhauls for some cities, but it is an important step in trying to deconstruct the problem of spraw in larger cities - and this model helps downtown become relevant for locals. The more the pedestrian experience and walkability is accessible for everyday use, the more the downtown and city will prosper as a whole and become a more vibrant interactive district.
