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Copyright of Journal of Planning Education & Research is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cities throughout North America are experiencing a population boom in the city centre, fueled by changing consumer preferences, particularly amongst young adults. However, not all communities have experienced this phenomenon equally. In Prince George, a mid-sized city located in northern British Columbia, the downtown has not undergone a population resurgence. Instead, development continues to expand outwards at the edge of the city. Using a web-based survey, this research seeks to better understand the attitudes of young adults in Prince George, to gauge their perspectives about living downtown, and to understand the factors that constrain market demand. Our findings indicate that respondents hold negative perceptions about the downtown, which leads to soft market demand and impedes plans for population growth in the downtown. KEY MESSAGES * Young adults are fueling population growth in the downtowns of cities throughout North America. * Many mid-sized cities, such as Prince George, have not experienced this same phenomenon, because of soft market demand, stemming from negative perceptions about the downtown. * To increase the downtown population and contribute to the broader goal of revitalization, the city, in collaboration with other stakeholders, must first address the underlying factors that are impeding market demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cities aim for more sustainable patterns of urbanization, intensification has emerged as a core planning strategy. In 2013, the City of Regina set new intensification targets: absorb 30% of annual population growth through intensification and add 10,000 residents to the city centre by 2035. In the decade since, implementation has been unsuccessful. This study explores the barriers to core area intensification in Regina by engaging with key informants through semi‐structured interviews. Our findings identify the most significant barriers as soft market demand, a city centre that is unappealing as a residential context, insufficient political will, an absence of developers who specialize in core area intensification, and unfavourable development economics. These findings illustrate the unique challenges faced by mid‐size Canadian cites in disrupting entrenched development patterns and driving development towards the downtown. Key messages: Despite having adopted ambitious goals for intensification in 2013, Regina has been largely unsuccessful with implementation, as dispersed and decentralized development patterns have prevailed.The major impediments to intensification include soft market demand, limited appeal of residing in the city centre, insufficient political will, absence of developers who specialize in core area intensification, and unfavourable development economics.The barriers identified in this research illustrate the unique challenges and circumstances in mid‐size Canadian cities relative to their larger counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the precarity of urban society, illustrating both opportunities and challenges. Teleworking rates increased dramatically during the pandemic and may be sustained over the long term. For transportation planners, these changes belie the broader questions of how the geography of work and commuting will change based on pandemic-induced shifts in teleworking and what this will mean for society and policymaking. This study focuses on these questions by using survey data (n = 2580) gathered in the autumn of 2021 to explore the geography of current and prospective telework. The study focuses on the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the mega-region in Southern Ontario, representing a fifth of Canadians. Survey data document telework practices before and during the pandemic, including prospective future telework practices. Inferential models are used to develop working-from-home scenarios which are allocated spatially based on respondents' locations of work and residence. Findings indicate that telework appears to be poised to increase most relative to pre-pandemic levels around downtown Toronto based on locations of work, but increases in teleworking are more dispersed based on employees' locations of residence. Contrary to expectations by many, teleworking is not significantly linked to home–work disconnect – suggesting that telework is poised to weaken the commute–housing trade-off embedded in bid rent theory. Together, these results portend a poor outlook for downtown urban agglomeration economies but also more nuanced impacts than simply inducing sprawl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Downtown Eugene's retail core transformed drastically after the institution of the pedestrian mall in 1971. The "Eugene Mall," which was demolished across four stages between 1985 and 2002, was a part of the city's federal urban renewal program of the late-1960s. This research examines (1) the reasons for the mall's failure, (2) the displacement of retail businesses and brief rise and decline during the first phase of the mall's existence (1971–1985), and (3) the resurgence of the downtown core through a shift in approach, specifically one that allowed diverse non-retail projects during its second phase (1986–2002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseño y Comunicación is the property of Cuadernos del Centro de Estudios de Diseno y Comunicacion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Standort: Zeitschrift für Angewandte Geographie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This essay is a partial result of a study about Downtown Vitória-ES, for, due to the changes occurred in its urban space, there was an alteration of interests of capital in general and real estate, which led to an emptying of the area and abandonment of several properties. The investigation aims to analyze quantitative data from the Citizen Security Observatory of the Government of Espírito Santo, provided by the Jones Santos Neves Institute, from 2018 to 2022, specifically the records of those involved in incidents of robbery and/or theft at residences, commercial establishments, people on public roads and in public transport. The results show that there was a reduction in incidents recorded by public security bodies during the period of analysis and it is clear that other neighborhoods present higher values, indicating that Downtown is not the most violent area in Vitória. We can assume that the feeling of insecurity may not only be linked to the number of occurrences, but also according to the interests of the real estate market and the ways in which the neighborhood is experienced and reported in the media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal Architecture & Planning is the property of King Saud University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates trends in downtown real estate and urban responses to real estate demand shifts during the COVID and post-COVID recovery periods for a selection of U.S. downtown areas. It charts the diverging responses of different real estate sectors to the COVID-19 pandemic—and the implications for the spatial allocation of activity across metropolitan areas. Using local data from four major U.S. metro areas, it documents how sustained shifts in rents and vacancy rates are putting pressure on cities to reconsider—and in some cases redefine—the “highest and best use” of much of their downtown real estate assets. After analyzing economic and policy constraints that are hindering responses, it concludes by proposing strategies for how the downtown real estate sector can adapt to the shifting needs of the post-pandemic population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main city square, Trg Nezavisnosti, in Podgorica is a relatively young square formed as a part of the new city "Nova Varoš". Its turbulent history of existence is anticipated from the initial placement of a central square distanced from public social events. With several changes in design and outlook over a short period, the square still fails to fit within the general urban image. Besides not being recognized as the central point, citizens do not identify with it in the current state. This paper offers an overview of the square development through an analysis of the social background of each affected period. Through the analysis of unsuccessful attempts at construction and reconstruction, we can sense a much deeper problem that transcends just the physical forms and boundaries. Chains of events and urbanistic decisions that lacked more profound research provided temporary solutions that could not grow old within the city and community. In the transitional period, this place shares the destiny with many others, as decentralization and the fast pace of new urban dwellings make it hard to find a single central point. This research explores more layers of societal problems that physically and visually manifested in the example of the main square in this capital city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Przestrzeń Urbanistyka Architektura is the property of Cracow University of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Pixo: Revista de Arquitetura Cidade e Contemporaneidade is the property of Pixo Revista de Arquitetura Cidade e Contemporaneidade and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Algerian cities, like other cities, the Mediterranean in particular, have not been spared the negative influence of certain factors such as weather, nature, and people (combined or sporadic) that have been imposed on them. Imposed, which has lost some of its momentum, their function and their sense of civilization. However, the old and historic urban fabric of these cities has experienced most of the impact. As in most Algerian urban centers, the city center of M'sila is part of the old residential districts which are experiencing a number of problems that have affected its urban and functional status, and which reflect the way of life of its inhabitants, which has led to the appearance of urban disorder and the dissemination of a distorted urban image of the architectural heritage of this region. Over time, he became unable to keep pace with developments and was far from his aspirations. In order to know the mechanisms necessary to rehabilitate its urban sphere and work to develop it and preserve this cultural heritage, and to contain this phenomenon, we had to seek to reform this situation with the aim of providing conditions of comfort to its inhabitants. In this study, we have therefore opted for the search for the most important causes which are at the origin of the problems encountered by the center of this city, and consequently to propose appropriate solutions to this situation, while preserving the ancient heritage of the city, which would correspond to its characteristics and ingredients and work for its development and promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North American downtowns are struggling to recover from the global COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to investigate the varying rates of recovery experienced by downtown areas in the 66 largest cities of the United States and Canada. Leveraging Location-Based Services data extracted from mobile phone location trajectories, we assess the recovery rates in the 2023 post-pandemic period, juxtaposed against pre-pandemic 2019 levels. We find significant disparities in downtown recovery rates. Economic factors emerge as crucial determinants, where downtowns hosting a concentration of sectors with remote/hybrid work options – such as information, finance, professional services and management – displayed sluggish recovery. Conversely, downtowns with a focus on industries like accommodation, manufacturing, education, retail, construction, entertainment and healthcare exhibited greater resilience post pandemic. Furthermore, higher density, crime rates and education levels were correlated with slower recovery rates, as were harsher weather conditions and longer commuting times. Lower-density and auto-orientated downtowns demonstrated a swift rebound, even surpassing pre-pandemic activity levels. These findings underscore the necessity for tailored policies to bolster the revival of North American downtown areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive urbanization and global warming are impacting the health and well-being of urban population. Nevertheless, urban environments with different designs will have different micro and local climate conditions. This study used data from micrometeorological measurements performed in different urban spaces (downtown, urban park, riverside) in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on hot summer days in June 2021. Air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and globe temperature were measured and Mean Radiant Temperature (Tmrt), Psychologically Equivalent Temperature (PET), and modified Psychologically Equivalent Temperature (mPET) were calculated for each location. Results show that the downtown is the most uncomfortable area in terms of the highest TA, Tg, Tmrt, PET, and mPET values registered at this location. The urban park is the most comfortable area with the lowest values of Tg, Tmrt, PET, and mPET. Relative humidity is the highest at the riverside and the lowest in downtown. Furthermore, riverside had lower average TA during summer daytime compared to urban park and downtown likely due to the synergy between river cooling effect (evaporation and sensible heat transfer) and tree shade.

Regarded as critical infrastructure for a city's planning and design, pedestrian facilities are considered to be crucial to the health and economic well-being of a city's inhabitants. This study assesses the walkable environment of two urban neighborhoods in Abu Dhabi's main island. The research aims at providing the primary data required to facilitate the development of policies, design strategies, and systems that will support sustainable walking environments throughout the Emirate. Specifically, the study examines the walking behavior of the users of two neighborhoods in Abu Dhabi. The following questions were explored: (1) What patterns of walking behavior are observable in the street, and what are their diurnal and seasonal rhythms? (2) What potential reasons could explain the observed walking behavior? (3) To what extent do the built environment and climate affect walking in Abu Dhabi? (4) What particular strategies could be adopted to encourage walking in Abu Dhabi? Data collection and analysis tools include the following: (1) Geographic Information Systems (GIS), (2) fieldwork, and (3) qualitative data assembled from a survey questionnaire. Survey results presented walking as a widely used form of non-motorized transportation for both leisure and utilitarian purposes among blue-collar employees working in the service and retail sectors. Transportation, entertainment, physical fitness, and health were reported as major reasons for walking. Although participants' walking patterns were not significantly affected by climate, respondents reported that weather was the main source of discomfort while walking. Policy and design changes, infrastructure enhancement, and potential shading methods are proposed to enhance the walking experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Main Street Program is a popular smaller-scale economic development strategy used to revitalize historic town centers across the rural United States. In this article, a difference-in-differences design using longitudinal business establishment data is implemented to estimate the program's causal impact on job and establishment growth in downtown retail districts. Using a pooled sample of four Midwest states, the author found no significant effect of Main Street Program adoption on downtown jobs or establishments. However, for each individual state, a substantial degree of structural heterogeneity across states exists. Iowa emerges as a state where the Main Street Program appears to yield its hypothesized economic benefits to the downtown business districts of participating communities. These findings suggest that Main Street Program participation effects are not generalizable across states and that implementation and local context matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Amman’s growth expansion was shaped by its topography (valleys and hills), which generated a special character and patterns of the urban form. The city was built on seven hills, which are connected by steep stairs that serve as pathways to the downtown core. The rapid urbanization caused by uncontrolled population growth, as well as random and unplanned formations that were far from following any kind of aesthetic, resulted in the expansion of the center towards the surrounding seven hills. The continuous intersection of these hills caused their boundaries to blur and melt. As a result of the intense transformation, which is causing the hills’ appearance to become more uniform, their continuing overlap may completely destroy the unique character and imageability of downtown Amman. Methods: This research made use of topographical context analysis and the Geographical Information System (GIS) as well as its 3D modeling function to identify the optimal visibility and viewing angle when looking from the valley towards the hills and between the hills. Results and discussion: We identified the main vistas, i.e., highly significant views, which could subsequently be adopted as the locations for proposing landmark scenarios via 3D model GIS analysis. The projection process helped determine the significant views from the valley towards the hills and between the hills. Overall, three scenarios were proposed for the landmarks, out of which, the best one was chosen. It corresponds to the topographical analysis and the community needs, depends upon the local context and urban fabric, and is optimal for decision-making.

Copyright of Space & Form / Przestrzeń i FORMA is the property of West Pomeranian University of Technology, Department of Architecture & Urban Planning and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines the socialization of international students through their residential environment during their stay in Montréal. It provides a contextualization of the spatial and social environment in the dense and relatively heterogeneous downtown area of Quebec's metropolis. It then delves more deeply into the (co)housing conditions of international students through an exploration of the qualities and dynamics of three types of accommodation: traditional university residences (RUT), private residences for internationally mobile individuals (RPI) and traditional private rental housing (LPT). On the basis of a mixed method study using a combination of statistical sources and in-depth interviews, the socio-political conditions and relationships of international students are empirically documented. Supporting the academic literature, we show that their residential conditions and practices tend to generate limited spatial and social experiences that challenge the socializing qualities of their vertically ascending residential habitats. The findings open up the reflection on the design of social interiors that take on the characteristics of "refuge", "haven" or even fragmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porn cinemas (known as cinemões in Brazil) located in the Center of Fortaleza (CE), Brazil, emerged in the second half of the 20th century, enabling the socialization and experience of dissident sexualities from the city's compulsory heteronormativity. We situated their emergence concurrently with the production of Fortaleza's urban space, identifying that they are consolidated amidst a devaluated downtown area as a venue that was destined to the elite's consumption and entertainment. Field records, reports, and search on virtual social networks allowed us to interpret these porn cinemas as spaces where multiple masculinities coexist. Besides sexual desires, the 'cinemões' enable meetings between friends, exchanges of experiences, affections, and memories. When thinking geographically about these cinemas, we move towards an open and relational interpretation of the space that allows us to highlight the multiple meanings found there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Builder (1896-0642) is the property of PWB MEDIA Zdzieblowski sp.j. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Local authorities are developing urban management plans for the sake of enabling the urban opportunities offered and rationally react to the challenges imposed. Parking Management Plan, especially in downtowns, is of central importance, due to the challenges of meeting the parking demand, and the economic, environmental and urban consequences. In response, cities have formulated innovative parking management strategies. These strategies go beyond filling the gap between supply and demand to the minimization of demand. At the local level, the city of Assiut -the Capital of Assiut Governorate- is the largest city in Upper Egypt, and the most attractive and important in the region, especially in the economic and service domains. However, Assiut downtown encounters various urban challenges, among which parking is considered the most severe. Despite successive traffic and planning solutions, the gap between supply and demand remains. In this paper, Parking Management Strategies that would contribute to the local context are investigated. International management strategies are reviewed, the local context is surveyed and analyzed, the appropriateness of these strategies for application is investigated, and requirements of application are identified.

Copyright of Revista AUS is the property of Revista AUS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research provides a historical analysis of the American experiment with pedestrian malls. Specifically, we ask why some pedestrian malls have failed and were reopened to vehicular traffic while others have succeeded. Over 120 post-war malls from across the United States are statistically analysed, examining the relationship between the mall's lifespan and a variety of geographic, demographic, and economic factors. Using a Cox proportional hazard model, we find that cities' population density, the median age of the residents, the percent of the population that is white, proximity to beach, whether or not the City is a tourism destination, length of the mall, and the percent of sunny days are all significant in explaining a pedestrian mall's longevity. In addition, we also examine qualitative, design-based characteristics in order to better understand why certain pedestrian malls, despite their locational disadvantages, have thrived to the present day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a time when funding for small communities is limited, an analysis of investment strategy is critical. Façade improvement grant programs are thought to spur spillover of both direct and indirect investment in downtown districts by leveraging built capital and harnessing a sense of place. Through case study, with interviews and observational analysis, we empirically analyze this phenomenon in three U.S. communities in the state of Montana; Helena, Kalispell, and Anaconda. Findings show that direct public-private investment through downtown façade grants, administered by downtown-focused organizations in accordance with long-range plans and visions, leverages positive indirect spin-off via supplementary privately initiated renovations and building maintenance. This implies that strategic downtown investment through façade grants generates a multiplier effect, creating layers of return on investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims at analyzing the possibility of including developers (private companies focused on profits) into the process of revitalizing tenement houses located in the center of Poznan. The consideration is located in the capital city of Wielkopolska and takes into account the analysis of both the local housing real estate market and developers’ enterprises in the city. The authors, supported by economic calculation and a case study, have researched the case of a free-market developer’s project of revitalizing a well-located, yet run-down tenement house, and, on the contrary, the case of a developer taking over a property being a municipal resource. Having researched the market in order to set the parameters of further research works, both scenarios where evaluated when it comes to their economic, social and spatial results.

This essay examines the presence of Milton Babbitt at two important moments in new music in the late twentieth century: the New York Philharmonic's 1984 Horizons festival, and the inaugural Bang on a Can marathon in 1987. In an era in which aesthetic movements like minimalism and neo-Romanticism increasingly represented the artistic vanguard, Babbitt was invited to these events to serve as a stand-in for academic modernism and the immediate musical past. But Babbitt had agency in these encounters: he purposefully took on the role of contrarian while also subtly subverting the expectations of those institutions who sought to render him a symbol of a bygone era. Playing into, but also prodding against, the clichés around his image, Babbitt clearly knew how to perform the identity that had become closely associated with his name. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Insāniyāt / Revue Algérienne d'Anthropologie et de Sciences Sociales is the property of Centre de Recherche en Anthropologie Sociale et Culturelle (CRASC) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Few studies of post–World War II, Washington, DC, focus on the development decisions local black officials made following the passage of limited home rule measures during the 1960s–1970s. This article uses the 1976 Bicentennial as a lens to study the divisions that urban development sowed locally while the city's government was in transition. It focuses on one of the most deeply divisive projects contested during the Bicentennial, the construction of a convention center in Downtown DC, and argues that a new coalition of stakeholders used the Bicentennial to implement a prodevelopment agenda at the expense of the city's black residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the postwar urban renewal era, many US cities constructed high-rise downtown apartment buildings to lure families back from the suburbs. These projects met demand for high-end downtown housing. They often remain occupied today—in stark contrast to the more rapid demise of many other redevelopment projects designed for shopping, entertainment, or public housing use. Yet, they also often fell short of their larger demographic goals. This occupational history of New Haven, Connecticut's first downtown high-rises shows that the projects' architecture, site planning, public realm, and rental structures never lived up to either suburban alternatives or their own marketing promises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates first-best downtown transportation systems in the medium run for a broad range of demand densities. A downtown transportation system is assumed to include a subway system that operates on its own network and a congestible street system that accommodates both buses and cars. A “subway” is any mass transit mode that operates on an exclusive right of way; a “bus” is any mass transit mode for which there congestion interaction with cars1. The analysis is “medium run” in the sense that the subway and road networks are fixed, as are their link capacities, and “first-best” in the sense that the planner faces only technological constraints. The analysis is “downtown” only in the sense that it focuses on high levels of demand density that for most metropolitan areas occur only downtown. The analysis is static (stationary state), ignoring the intra-day dynamics of travel and congestion.

In a medium sized city such as Angers functioning as a student space, festive nights are an important component of downtown liveliness. The impacts are both economic and symbolic, constructing the city’s image as a young and festive space. A survey with diverse businesses downtown (e.g. bars, minimarkets) revealed the role that students’ visitation at night has on the dynamics and orientation of the city’s business activities. As in other French cities, the municipality holds policies for night animation shaping the spatial dynamics of commercial activity downtown.

The aim of this study is to characterize the site, location, and morphology of parking lots in downtown Bahía Blanca; to determine their contribution to environmental urban problems; and to suggest strategies to turn them into spaces in which to apply new urban principles. Strategies related to sustainable urban development, with comprehensive solutions for energy efficiency, sustainable construction, biomass conservation, and resource optimization were considered. The results show that parking lots have increased as urban land use typology within the city downtown. It was observed that parking lots are concentrated in some areas of the city downtown, and that concrete and sheet metal are the main construction materials. The lack of vegetation is also a major characteristic. Their location in urban areas implies vehicle circulation on downtown streets and avenues, which is directly associated to atmospheric pollution. Finally, each parking lot potential was analyzed in order to implement sustainable development measures, related to green policies, design, and construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing literature is pointing towards the prevalence of healthy lifestyles, such as adequate walking, in the Central Business District (CBD) of many cities. However, only one study has investigated the presence of walking hotpsots. Using coarsely geocoded, routinely collected survey data from the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), and a unique 'overlap of spatial clusters' approach, we investigated if a) There were patterns of clustering in walking behaviours, b) If these clusters were co-located and therefore associated with various built environment characteristics and c) What the demographic and active transport use profiles of the residents of these clusters were. A hotspot of walking was found in the CBD of the ACT, co-located with hotspots or spatial clusters of dwelling density, public transport frequency and destination accessibility. Residents of the hotspot walked approximately an hour more than the average ACT resident and had significantly higher odds of using active transport to workplaces relative to driving. Odds ratios of walking relative to driving to work were 9.20 (5.97, 14.18) and bicycling were 3.54 (1.87, 6.69) in the walking hotspot compared to non-hotspots. Policies directed towards creating a 'CBD like' built environment in various locations of cities or refurbishing and redesigning existing CBDs to make them more liveable helps encourage walking behaviors. In addition coarsely geocoded, freely available routinely collected survey data can be used to investigate relationships that may help drive policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]