With Chrysler and General Motors filing bankruptcy and the closing of Car dealership around the country, the question is what will become of the dealership, especially in Southern California, once they are closed? Sometimes opportunity knocks for urban development. The auto industry will change their practice by how the public will respond to their direction and how will cars be produce for the environment and sell them.

Most of the dealership that are closing are located along commercial corridors, which give the opportunity to reimagine the streets as a whole with the amount of  square acres each dealership owns, a clear investment for the locals to build something new and make it relevant for the community. What is meant about local to have something being built is people living within their community has the opportunity to influence the development and design in the area of concern. The notion of auto dealership is almost becoming obsolete as relevant of real estate agents are being taken over by real estate brokerage website in selling property, consumers are more apt to buy thru the internet because prices, specific preference on car model’s accessories and ease of purchasing thru dealers without traveling.

In a report by Planetzen,  The Future of Empty Car Dealership, the majority of web readers stated that local residents should determine what kind of development to replace the empty car dealership which says a lot because the importance of local input and a foreseeable opportunity of social experience other than politicians, developers, planners and architects. The more input between professionals and ordinary folks who have a stake can be educating, less trivial in terms of identity and a move towards a sustainable community in the American suburbs.

One case for debate and focus is the Big Valley dodge Dealership on the corner of Van Nuys Blvd. and the MTA Orange Line in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, which is the North-East of the intersection. The possibility of a new urban center that connects itself along Van Nuys Boulevard that can spread to neighboring communities.

While the world’s economy is in a downturn and one of  the primary focus in it’s survival is saving the environment, the redevelopment of suburbs can infuse hope and rejuvenation of once hopeless landscape that is catered to the automobile and consumption. Each of us has a responsibility to choose where they work and live, but also to invest their interest in improving their neighborhoods by community involvement such as local neighborhood councils meetings, grassroots organizations and personal choices (live near work, shop at local farmer’s market, grow your own vegetable garden and buy local products). The re-imagination of our suburbs one step in the grass.

Van Nuys station copy

Site of a possible transit oriented development at the Big Valley Dodge on the corner of the Orange line stop & Van Nuys Blvd.

Song of the Blog: Stop Boogie Shuffle by Charles Mingus on the Album Mingus Ah Um