In California’s Stanislaus County, the Relief Across Downtown (RAD) gift card program is working to put more money in consumers’ hands and help local businesses get back on their feet. The RAD Card is a digital gift card which may be used at participating downtown businesses. And it offers a real incentive to spend money…Continue reading

 

As part of a redevelopment of their downtowns, two mid-sized cities are making an unusual move: They’re giving up the traditional model of a city-owned parcel housing City Hall. Instead, the cities are spurring downtown redevelopment projects by partnering with private developers. In the process, they’re moving city administrative offices into mixed-use developments. The cities…Continue reading

 

The federal government is directing hundreds of billions of dollars to states and cities, a windfall that has downtown leaders nationwide positioning themselves to get much needed funds. In March, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) into law. The initiative calls for $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus, including an infusion of $350…Continue reading

 

New Orleans’ French Quarter was once the rare entertainment district that allowed revelers to drink while they strolled public streets. However, many small cities not known as party towns are getting in on the act. City officials and downtown leaders see the new wave of public consumption districts as a way to draw visitors back…Continue reading

 

The owner of 15 South Avenue in downtown New Canaan, CT, is seeking permission to convert second floor commercial space to residential. For years, both floors in the small building have been retail. Because of the low demand for retail space in the city center, the owner would like develop a one bedroom apartment. Many…Continue reading

 

For a quarter-century, the Downtown Improvement District (DID) in Reading, PA, managed the city’s declining urban core. The DID’s ambassadors picked up trash, and the organization hosted summer concerts, a holiday parade, and other events. However, Reading never experienced a true downtown renaissance, and questions about the DID’s effectiveness festered. Those doubts came to a…Continue reading