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Abstract: The expectation of a mass movement out of cities due to the rise of remote work associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, is counter to longstanding theories of the benefits of agglomeration economies. It suggests centrifugal shifts of economic activity which could boost neighbourhood economies at the expense of the downtown core. Using mobile phone data from SafeGraph, we track migration and daily mobility patterns throughout the New York metropolitan area between July 2019 and June 2021. We find that diverse suburban centres and exurban areas have bounced back more quickly than the dense specialised commercial districts in and around Manhattan.

Some commercial districts attract the majority of their visitors during the daytime, while others at night. This difference in peak time of population flow may be affected by land use, such as mixed use. This paper aims to analyze the impact of mixed land use on population flow in the diurnal and nocturnal districts. The standardized values of the population in each census tally district form distinct patterns for every hour of the day. Using k-means clustering and hourly location-based population data collected from smartphone signals in Seoul, we classify commercial districts into two groups: diurnal and nocturnal. We introduce a binomial logistic model where a binary indicator is used as the dependent variable for the two groups. A comparison of land use patterns between the two groups shows the following significant differences: First, the nocturnal districts tend to have distinctive features consisting of vibrant streets due to a higher degree of mixed use. Second, mixed land use and a high percentage of residential use in commercial areas have a positive impact on visitor concentration at night. Furthermore, the land use of the adjacent areas significantly influences the visiting patterns of commercial districts. These results imply that a proper degree of mixed use attracts more people to commercial areas, even at night, thereby enhancing the vitality of the streets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research addresses the problematization of the meaning of commercial districts. As viewed from the principles of urban design, a field of study located within urban semiotics, it analyzes sense of place and the ability to acquire it. Focusing on the case of commercial districts, this study conceptualizes the most recurrent urban design principles in commercial neighborhoods (vitality, memory and versatility), examining their relationship with the surrounding public space. Likewise, through a case study of three cities, the article examines the way in which the three main principles of urban design found in these places are materialized. Considering the important role that such principles play in relation to the public space adjacent to these neighborhoods, it is also shown that they are significant for the construction of the sense of belonging of the communities that inhabit and use them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The globalisation and corporatisation of the retail and services sectors has led to differing public-policy responses throughout the world, and this invites comparative international analyses of the nature and effectiveness of these responses. This exploratory analysis compares the nature and operation of the American Main Street approach and the Italian Centro Commerciale Naturale initiatives, as well as some of the cultural and political factors in each country that have given them their specific focus and shape. The formal structure and rules of the Main Street programme, while excluding many retail districts from participation, also appear to be responsible for the success of those that commit to following the rules. The Centri Commerciali Naturali do not share common structures or rules and they allow easy entry into the initiatives for commercial districts, which are part of a much stronger national system of political support for small businesses than exists in the USA. On the other hand, the Centri Commerciali Naturali focus primarily on physical improvements and promotion, and most of them devote little or no attention to organisational capacity-building or self-management, which may limit their effectiveness over time. The findings raise several questions for subsequent research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The VIRTUAL GUARD is a general-purpose computer-based CCTV surveillance system for detecting potential criminal activity in public areas. The system monitors all activity in the surveillance area, the vast majority of which is people innocently going about their normal business. It will alarm when the observed activities of particular pedestrians and vehicles match any of the pre-defined “suspicious behaviour criteria” programmed into the system. At the same time as analysing movement behaviour, the system uses computer-controlled pan tilt zoom cameras to obtain close-up video recordings of any pedestrians and vehicles at the scene. The system can provide automatic surveillance in many different situations, from parking areas and commercial districts, to housing, recreational and transport facilities. It is particularly suited to the protection of government or commercial buildings located on city streets or other public areas where it is not possible to install perimeter fences [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]