From the spectacular success of Bridgeport to the “gridlock” expected at the IKEA store, the planning class is called out as ineffectual in two stories (here and here) in the Zero today.
As well they should.

Buried in section D in the Zero today, the Bridgeport Village success is recounted by the reporter puncuated in a story with a variety of sniffs from a couple central planning acolytes. Why turn up their nose at one of the most elegant and happening places to be in the area? Not enough high density, affordable housing. Planning Czars and Czarinas now believe that Bridgeport needs to be REDESIGNATED as a regional shopping center in order to force upon developers high density housing and to attract mass transit (apparently buses don’t count). If you play with the planners they throw federal dollars at developers; that’s the carrot.

The rub is that a developer is already planning high density apartments within a mile of the place—and he didn’t need to be paid off.

Like the situation at Bandon Dunes, it looks as if planners want to go back, reclassify a privately planned and developed area and claim the job creation, transportation “successes” (when they lay the train tracks somewhere around there) and the high density planning as their planning success. Plus they’ll throw money at them.
Why don’t you guys save the tax dollars and just stay out of it?The other story is the one about IKEA. It’s a well known story. Central planners planned a high density center and even gave away taxpayer land, rights of way, and money to Bechtel to do it in exchange for a light rail contract. Part of the deal, of course, was that big box stores were not allowed. No WalMart. No Costco. Nuttin, honey. But the location, lack of planned parking and other “amenities” were so antithetical to making money in that crummy location that nobody came to the party. IKEA made a pitch, and, the planning poohbahs, elected officials, et al looked the other way, removed some of their mandates and said ok. Now we have Randy Leonard complaining about their sign. Gads.
IKEA has been trying to get into the Portland market for awhile. Costco wants to expand as does WalMart.
Planners: you have “Peter Principled” your way out of your relevance.
Bonus question for Walmart haters: From what countries are most of the items in IKEA imported?
China and Poland.
For extra credit check out the story about Portland’s “Smart” Growth by the Cato Institute here. It’s great reading.