The Levent district—the financial heart of downtown Istanbul—had become disjointed and isolated, the result of rapid growth, the lack of a viable urban plan, and little collaboration among public agencies and developers. New development had put the needs of automobiles ahead of more pressing urban needs. The approximately 50,000 people who worked in the district had few places to socialize, entertain, or even walk along the street.
Designed to resemble a downtown that has evolved over time, Victoria Gardens is a new, pedestrian-oriented town center located 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) east of downtown Los Angeles in Rancho Cucamonga, a town at the heart of California’s Inland Empire. This project–the result of a public/private partnership among Forest City, the Lewis Group of Companies, and the Rancho Cucamonga Redevelopment Agency–comprises department stores, shops, restaurants, a movie theater, a performing arts center, a library, and 55,000 square feet (5,100 square meters) of office space. Intended to serve as a new downtown for Rancho Cucamonga, the completed town center will also include a mix of 500 residential units.