One of things that seems to typify European life to me besides the languages, history, cultural differences, etc. is the prevalence of pedestrian malls and large public squares within major city centers. The following article from the IHT about a new pedestrian mall in Madrid is a perfect example. I'm reminded also of the 'Fussgängerzone' in Wiesbaden, Karl Johansgate in Oslo, Kärnter and Graben streets in Vienna - the list goes on.
We in the US certain have some of these scattered about, and of course many of our cities have beautiful urban parks offering a respite from the grit and cacophony of urban life, but I think that a clean, dedicated pedestrian zone within major city centers including high-end shopping, restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and hotels would go a very long way to attract investment, visitors, and life into many US cities suffering from urban flight.
