Portland Gets it Right, Can it Work Elsewhere?

The November Metropolis magazine has a one page piece on a new square in Portland.
http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20101117/portland-trailblazers

As part of a long-term project to build parks in the city, this converted city block is different from previous versions containing the usual grass and trees. The newest addition to the project is a paved public square that includes elements promoting social interaction and even a full service cafe. The cafe was thought too commercial by some, but the square has been attracting roughly 500 visitors per day. The question is, can this type of public space be exported to the suburban context to promote social energy?

On the downside, Portland is much denser than most suburbs so there are fewer people within walking distance. That means the trick is finding a way to attract a self-sustaining level of social activity when people have to arrive via car. It is this reason that I think suburban pocket parks are destined for failure. There just are not enough people within walking distance to populate a small park to the extent that social energy becomes self-sustaining (people attract people).

I think the answer is to incorporate such a public square into an area that people are already visiting for other reasons. Most inner-ring suburbs have strip centers in decline. We already know that electronics, clothing, sports equipment, and a lot of other retail work best out of the big-box typology. Old strip malls malls have to find a way to remain relevant at a smaller scale. Since this smaller scale generally means fewer cars per square foot of space, unused parking lot space can be home to public square like the one in Portland. The synergy created between the public space and the repurposed strip center tenants might be just what older suburbs need to generate much needed social energy.