Mall developer seeks advice from women

[flashl]

In designing shopping centers and mixed-use properties, the Trademark Property Company of Fort Worth, Texas used to do what many developers do: put together teams of professionals like architects, designers and building consultants; send out surveys; and hold community meetings.

But in 2005, when Trademark began planning a large mixed-use center, Watters Creek, for a 52-acre site in Allen, Texas, near Dallas, it decided to consult a group it had never called on before: women.

...

The women weighed in on dozens of features, like the center's layout, landscaping, parking options, pedestrian walkways and outdoor art. "They asked us about every detail, and then they listened," Stout said recently.

Listening to women shoppers may seem like an entirely logical thing to do, yet many retail developers and consultants say such input is often missing during the early stages of shopping center development.

IHT

[Captain Hilts]

1. Women need to shop MORE!!!! nt

[Control-Z]

2. Well, honestly,

it has always been obvious (at least to me) that malls were designed by men. When women spend more time in malls then the average man, why would our restrooms be on the second or third floors of the department stores? And they always are, while the men's rooms will usually be on ground level.

Women are often with a child or two in tow, and at some point, with one in a stroller. If anyone has tried to make it to the upper level with both a stroller and a toddler, you know how much of a pain in the ass that is. Can't use the escalator. Can't really use the stairs. So you are left with finding the one slow elevator to get up there. Oh, and you have to pay for any items from the lower level before getting into the elevator, otherwise get accused of shoplifting.

[noamnety]

3. I have a hunch

when people talk about white women's feminism, this is part of what they are talking about.

That's not a quibble with any of the design features themselves - I'm glad to see the focus shift from shopping to being social, and I'm glad the women's needs - scratch that - desires are being considered. But I'm also very aware that the developer's motives are to turn a profit. Whatever it takes.

I'm stuck on this being portrayed as a women's rights issue though, because all of this from the 12 malls within a 30 minute drive and parking spots to make oversized vehicles more convenient and the consumer culture is on one side, and the invisible people making the goods to be sold, and dying or being turned into refugees to support the oil for the cars to fit into those convenient parking spots are on the other side.