SUMMARY FOR ARTICLE

A long-held urban redevelopment strategy has been the investment in flagship cultural projectslarge-scale, iconic museums and arts centres that are intended to enhance the city image while catalyzing private sector investment and attracting tourists to the surrounding area. however in terms of mocas ability to catalyze local development international prestige has not been sufficient to conquer the physical and perceptual barriers associated with its location within bunker hill and downtown. despite the accessible and walkable mixed-use design context and the museums relative success at building a regional audience neither sjma nor the collective presence of the flagship cultural facilities has been able to significantly catalyze private sector development as planned. as a consequence the downtown context is largely incompatible with arts development.although sjma and the other cultural facilities are oriented in such a way as to feed the neighbouring commercial spaces and hotel the bland mediterranean theme of the paseo and its commercial spaces do not seem aesthetically or technically conducive to many of the commercial establishments such as art galleries or art supply stores that would benefit from a location near a contemporary art museum or performing arts theatre. while these may be aesthetically pleasing locations they are not practical in terms of creating opportunities for expanding arts development.