Jayne: Cities build anticipation

The epiphany was largely the result of urban planners. Not that long ago, downtowns were declared dead. Suburbia was where it was at — a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle and have a large backyard and drive to the local shopping mall.

But then cities discovered that they were dying. Life-saving measures included reclaiming waterfronts for the public rather than industry (Vancouver is a prime example). And mixed-use structures with street-level retail below towers of residences. And multistory parking garages instead of block-sized parking lots. And in recent years, with many people conscious of reducing their driving, proximity and public transit have become even more important.

Cities were revived — and then a pandemic arrived.

The long-term ramifications will be vast, even for those who would rather have a root canal than venture into the city, be it a midsized downtown like Vancouver’s or a major city such as Portland.

As a report from the Brookings Institution put it last year: “Continued demand for downtown living — and whether it spreads to surrounding central city neighborhoods or relatively smaller metro area downtowns — will have big implications for how people consume land, housing, and transportation in the years to come.”

One certain impact will be on office space. As companies recognize they can have workers at home — as many have over the past year — the demand for office space will decline. Experts say this could be slightly offset by a desire for more distancing within the office, but in the long run it will alter the percentage of downtowns devoted to workspaces.

Other changes are less predictable. While vaccines will help tamp down COVID-19, the disease will still be with us; and the willingness of people to risk close proximity already is helping determine the future of American living. As The Columbian recently reported: “The region’s already-brisk housing market accelerated dramatically when the COVID-19 pandemic set in and families found themselves trapped at home and in desperate need of more space and amenities for work and play.”

Because of that, choices made now will help determine the future of cities — and, by extension, suburbs and rural areas. “There’s no reason to think that the current pandemic will kill cities,” Kevin Gillen of the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation at Drexel University told SmartCitiesDive.com. “We have a saying: Cities don’t die of natural causes, nor are they murdered. They commit suicide.”

With a raft of construction projects in downtown Vancouver, the city and developers are betting on a long, thriving future.