What is shown is not better than what you grew up in; it's the same. It's an outdoor mall, pretending to be a downtown.
The only difference is that this mall doesn't have the food court and the giant corridors; instead it's outside where the rain and bugs can get to you.
Hey, at least it serves as a proof-of-concept to suburbanites that it is entirely possible to walk around outside without dying. It takes time to wean folks off of suburban malls and back into urban living: first we show them that the world is nicer than an air-conditioned mausoleum; then we show them that walking is wonderful; then we convince them to live where they can walk to work; then we all prosper!
> at least it serves as a proof-of-concept to suburbanites that it is entirely possible to walk around outside without dying.
Except for that whole "walls all the way to the sidewalk" thing. We've been getting tons of that in my town, and it's pretty much the death of walkability. It's claustrophobic and unpleasant, and people are staying away from the areas that have this in droves. The people that live there simply get in their cars are drive to somewhere nicer to do their stuff.
The only difference is that this mall doesn't have the food court and the giant corridors; instead it's outside where the rain and bugs can get to you.