This project aims to develop a comprehensive knowledge of the capabilities of different last-mile strategies and policies for varied markets and delivery environments.
As e-retailers compete with increasingly consumer-focused service, urban freight witnesses a significant increase in associated distribution costs and negative externalities including greenhouse gas emissions advancing global climate change, as well as criteria pollutant emissions worsening local air quality and thus affecting those living close to logistics clusters. Thus, the author considers the potential of e-commerce to render economically viable, environmentally efficient, and socially equitable urban goods flow, which is pertinent to understand the opportunities and challenges associated with urban freight in light of the increasingly consumer-focused e-commerce distribution.
California, like most of the country, was facing a transformation of retail before the COVID-19 epidemic. Increasing Internet shopping has ushered closing of anchor stores, such as Macy's, Sears, as well as the closure of many regional shopping malls, which have sizeable footprints, ranging from 40-100+ acres. The epidemic has accelerated these trends. This offers opportunities for redeveloping failing malls to address pressing needs in California, the need for housing, and for efficient transit provision for such redevelopments.
This research is focused on how mall conversions can be planned and implemented in a sustainable way. From a review of the relevant literature on sustainable redevelopment, and taking into account the California context, the project developed sustainability criteria for assessing shopping mall redevelopment plans in the state, and applied the criteria to four cases with active redevelopment plans.
Researchers at the University of Southern California looked at case studies of ten distressed malls in California’s metropolitan areas to assess their potential for mixed-use development, including housing.
This research will help policymakers understand the obstacles faced by socially vulnerable populations in accessing healthy food, whether those obstacles involve transportation access or awareness.
This webinar presented findings from a recent study of ten case studies of distressed malls in California’s metropolitan areas to assess their potential for mixed-use development, including housing.
