Scrutiny Hooligans gave local urban planner Joe Minicozzi the platform today:

Downtown Pays

Asheville realizes an astounding +800 percent greater return on downtown mixed-use development projects on a per acre basis compared to when ground is broken near the city limits for a large single-use development like a Super Walmart. A typical acre of mixed-use downtown Asheville yields $360,000 more in tax revenue to city government than an acre of strip malls or big box stores. ...

The more valuable downtown properties become, the more revenue the city can generate to address its budget gaps, while also serving the best interests of its citizens. Unfortunately, our public officials may not always make their decisions with full knowledge of the trade-offs. ...

Whereas the mall, considered one of the county’s biggest revenue generators, yielded $8,000 an acre in annual County property tax, the downtown building’s yield was $250,000 per acre in County property tax. ...

Most of us – city planners, elected officials, business owners, voters, and the like – understand that the city brings in more tax revenue when people shop and eat out more. However, we often overlook the scale of the property tax payoff for encouraging dense mixed-use development. ...