To pay this charge, owners try to put their parcels to better use. Since the most valuable lots lie about the center, it is the center which draws development. The world looks different to owners dozing at the wheel, waiting for land values to rise. They'll get busy building apartments, stores, offices, schools, theaters, mixing all uses together to maximize their return. Many house-hunters are drawn to where all the amenities are in walking distance.
Many shopkeepers locate where people walk about.
Other businesses collect themselves close to their suppliers and customers. There are plenty of takers for new downtown development. At least that's what land values tell us. Land values merely reflect the desirability of locations. The more people want on, the more they must pay.