Finally, someone has actually put into writing what I’ve been scratching my head over for the past few years–the growth of the new mall. Or “lifestyle centers” as they are called in this piece on Slate. Built to look just like a quaint, downtown street, these multi-purpose shopping/eating/working/living centers are popping up all over the place. I know of at least one back in Ohio, and there are two right here in my own Arlington.

I should say right away that it’s not that I’m opposed to these “created” towns; I actually do quite a bit of shopping there. They always have the best stores, even if they are the big, corporate chains. I know some folks who live in the condos above the Market Common in Clarendon. Pentagon Row has a little courtyard that can be used for concerts and even a skating rink in the winter. These little gems definitely enhance the overall shopping experience.

I guess my frustration with them is that they feel so… fake. In Clarendon, though the “common” area has a little courtyard and some playground equipment, you can’t help but be distracted by the music they pipe in through the speakers, strategically hidden among the shrubs and parking meters that line the streets. (I think they have those in Columbus, too.) And even though they’ve topped it off with fancy condos, it’s still–well, a mall.

I say, if you really want the city experience, nothing beats a good old fashioned strip of quirky buildings full of mom-and-pop stores and restaurants.