Around the Bay Area, apartment blocks and office buildings are going up at a rapid pace, mostly with retail space on the first floor.
But the boom of online shopping, high construction costs, and zoning restrictions means many of those spots are going unfilled, according to developers and brokers. Is retail in trouble? Can anything be done to help street-level shops? And if retail goes away, what can maintain the life of our streets?
Guest:
J.K. Dineen, reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle and author of Here Tomorrow
Web Resources:
San Francisco Chronicle:SF developers struggling to fill new ground-floor retail spaces
ABC News: Analysis: Why empty storefronts line San Francisco's Castro neighborhood
BISNOW: As Retail Struggles, So Do San Francisco Property Owners Seeking Ground-Floor Tenants
BISNOW:Retail Hell: Bankruptcies Now Higher Than During Great Recession