November 7, 2019 — In Battle Creek, MI, generous incentives are attracting tenants to the downtown district. Battle Creek Unlimited Inc. offers subsidies of as much as $200,000 to breweries and restaurants. New Holland Brewing Co. landed the first incentive; it used the money toward a $1 million renovation of an 18,000-square-foot building. The total…To read more — login/sign up

 

Valerie Marmone once ran a clothing boutique in Sacramento, so she knows firsthand how hard it is to operate a retail business in an era of tight margins and online shopping. In her post-entrepreneurial career, Marmone works as vice president of business development at the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. In that role, she runs the annual…To read more — login/sign up

 

October 10, 2019 — With many smaller cities struggling to lure skilled workers, a few downtowns are trying something new: They’re offering to help people pay down their college loans if they move to town. Last year, Hamilton, OH, launched a Talent Attraction Program that offers up to $10,000 to workers who earned college degrees…To read more — login/sign up

 

September 19, 2019 — In the annals of cultural assets, a quilting museum and a public mural project might sound like an unremarkable pair of attractions. But Paducah, KY, has combined those two resources with local pride and a relentless place-building campaign to turn itself into a widely recognized arts hub. "The city really sees…To read more — login/sign up

 

September 5, 2019 — Many cities set downtown parking rates and then forget about them for years. A few of the largest cities have embarked on ambitious parking plans that rely on wireless sensors and real-time data to adjust prices throughout the day. Seattle chose a middle route. The city carefully studies parking patterns and…To read more — login/sign up