I'm sure some people walk through Owen Brown village center but not me. After the revitalization by Giant Food owner Ahold, the layout of the village center was changed to bring parking lots up close to the stores, eliminating the central court and thus the need to actually walk through the center.If you think back to the way things were, Owen Brown village center had a central pebble stone plaza ringed with benches. I don't think I ever saw people sitting on all the benches at any one time but they had choices.
Owen Brown village center didn't need revitalization, in fact it was fine the way it was. Giant Food, the anchor store, had entrances facing the center court which encouraged shoppers to walk the plaza. The current incarnation of the village center greets strollers with plain white concrete sidewalks and a grass square surrounded by a thin row of bushes, topped with brick walls.
I'd like to see Giant do something, anything with this space. Plant trees and flowers and insert tables perhaps. This gaping hole sticks out like a sore thumb, a constant reminder of the clumsy hand of the builder.
