Gauche Indeed

Paris tries to redevelop an old industrial area and seems unable to re-create the principal thing for which one visits Paris:

Others complain that, like La Defense, the area lacks the street life and sidewalk-level charm for which Paris is loved. At the moment there are few cafes, restaurants or small shops to speak of.

I wonder if the problem (no life on the sidewalk) is something as simple as failing to observe The Three Rules of Urban Design.