Public Buildings in Community Centers

The placement of public and civic buildings usually indicates a local government's development priorities. By locating new public buildings (e.g., libraries, government buildings, and schools) within existing centers, governments and school districts demonstrate their commitment to investment in existing downtowns and encourage further investment in those areas by the private sector.

If a municipality wants to build a walkable community, it should try to ensure that new schools and government facilities be located within easy walking and bicycling distance of many people. Attracting residents to areas where those facilities already exist is also an important step.