Every other week we post a brief article from Downtown Idea Exchange. Over the course of the year we’ve covered everything from business recruitment to streetscape improvements to festivals and events.
To wrap up the year, we’re highlighting five of our favorite posts. Creative, informative, and adaptable, they showcase some of the best work in downtown revitalization around the country.
All five are online along with dozens of others from 2017 and earlier.
#1 Downtown leaders place renewed emphasis on supporting at-risk businesses. This post from way back in January reflects both the challenges of recruitment and the greying of business owners in many areas.
#2 DIY retail fills vacant block. Attractive, low-maintenance storage sheds fill a vacant downtown lot increasing connectivity for pedestrians and drawing shoppers downtown.
#3 Turning construction into a downtown happening. A carefully crafted ad campaign turns traffic jams into an opportunity to miss the rush and enjoy the evening downtown.
#4 Downtown commission eliminates incentives, fills vacant space. Shaking up a “traditional” incentive program and working with individual business owners is bringing more commercial tenants downtown.
#5 Complete streets project improves safety and accessibility. A small town shows how to make streets safer for pedestrians, improve traffic flow, address intersection congestion, and slow traffic where needed.
To read any of this year’s posts visit DowntownDevelopment.com.