Strip malls were always a terrible idea and only the consumer glut of the 60s to the 90s could sustain them
Now we are in full worldwide austerity and the temples to capitalism lay empty
They’re pretty awful, but the stats in the article don’t support your assertion:
In Scarborough and increasingly here, those businesses are often diaspora-owned. They’re cultural and community hubs offering personal services, groceries, restaurants and more. In Toronto, there are more than 200 of these strip plazas (as they’re called there) that are 97% occupied right now. They depend on that plentiful parking to serve customers coming from across the city, and the space tends to be affordable.
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Those small enterprises are likely going to be challenged to afford the rents in a brand new, modern building. Even if they can secure a lease in the new building when it’s completed they’ll certainly struggle to find affordable space in which to temporarily re-locate during construction.
The expansion of commercial activity into residential neighbourhoods to offer alternatives to expensive main street locations
More of this. Local hubs please.
That’s what they have been doing in Vancouver surrounding areas. Shopping store fronts on main level and apartment building and town homes above.