Well, the article is from the UK, and they’re easily led Sheep, so if their Handlers tell them that life is better in the city, in a box, that’s where they’ll go.
It’s most likely closer to the Dole Office, or whatever they call it in the UK, LOL!
The “downtown” of many blue, mid-sized (200K or so) Midwest cities are decaying from within. (Think Madison, and then for an even better example, Milwaukee, WI.)
Sort of reminds me of DT Saint Paul in Minnesota. The DT area’s become a money pit for the better part of 2 decades save for the hockey arena.