When the discussion of Epcot and artificial places came up this past week, another place I've been to comes to mind. Located in Wilmington, NC, Mayfair Town Center is a shopping center attempting to reflect a downtown atmosphere. Not so much a gentrification project, but it is located just off of lower income housing zones. It consists of one "main street" axis lined with shops on the ground level and lofts above. The street ends directly on center with a large Regal movie theater. Music plays outside and every shrub and tree is perfectly placed and manicured. It definitely feels artificial, similar to Universal Studios or Epcot, but not going to lie, I kind of like it. It takes the users out of the city from which they came to this "happy" artificial surroundings. The best way to explain the atmosphere is comparing it to the movie, The Truman Show, which coincidentally was filmed in Seaside, FL. Are these places bad? I don't think so. Are they necessary? Probably not.
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| View looking down the main strip of Mayfaire, ending with the movie theater. |
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