In the ongoing conversation around urban infrastructure, the focus is often placed on roads, public transit, and large-scale development projects

In the ongoing conversation around urban infrastructure, the focus is often placed on roads, public transit, and large-scale development projects. While these are certainly vital to the health of a city, there’s a quieter, often-overlooked factor that plays a daily role in urban equity: the functionality and accessibility of commercial buildings. From neighborhood grocery stores to community centers, these spaces are foundational to city life—and their infrastructure plays a silent but powerful role in determining who can access what, and when.

As cities expand and densify, the role of commercial buildings grows not just in economic terms but also as …