Mixed Use Commands Attention

BOSTON-Mixed-use projects have their drawbacks, but when they’re executed correctly in the right locations, these assets can be both fruitful for developers and the communities in which they are located. Speakers at the International Council of Shopping Centers’ New England Idea Exchange here spoke about both the pitfalls and the advantages of these centers.

One of the major problems developers face are the zoning laws that different municipalities have in place, restricting the uses of buildings, says Joel Skylar, a principal at Boston-based Samuels & Associates. “Traditional zoning doesn’t work when you’re trying to mix uses because traditional zoning was created to separate uses,” he says.

Skylar’s firm is building Hingham (MA) Shipyard, a development with 200,000 sf of retail, 40,000 sf of offices and about 90 condominium units and what he points to as a the type of dense development that people prefer today. “People are looking for a more compact lifestyle,” he says. “The suburban experience of the last 40 to 50 years, a lot of people are realizing, has its limitations.”