n Hayward, CA, a grant program has been helping local restaurants go viral. Known as Hashtag Hayward, the program combines placemaking with content creation by social media pros. The program provided grants of up to $10,000 apiece to small businesses. The money was targeted primarily toward interior and exterior improvements that inspired customers to share…Continue reading

 

Since American Express launched Small Business Saturday in 2010, the campaign has grown to have a multi-billion-dollar annual impact on independent retailers nationwide. The event, celebrated on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving, provides an opportunity for downtown leaders to foster community engagement, and for independent businesses to shine. Small Business Saturday events typically feature festive…Continue reading

 

An information rich website is helping the Downtown Denver Partnership draw new tenants to the city center and freeing staff time. The website serves up market information and demographic dashboards that present critical data in an easy-to-read format. The site also provides up-to-date information about available spaces, including square footage and broker contacts. The site…Continue reading

 

This fall, Redmond, WA, celebrated the completion of the final phase of the Redmond Central Connector trail, which connects downtown Redmond with Eastrail, the Eastside’s longest walking and biking corridor. From 1889 to 2008, a railroad ran through the heart of Redmond, connecting the city to the wider region, but also creating a barrier through…Continue reading

 

Large festivals may attract massive crowds, but they tend to be concentrated in short bursts. The big annual event might let downtown shine for one weekend, but what happens when the event is over? Smaller, recurring events address this challenge by providing reasons for visitors to return downtown week after week. Modest, consistent events foster…Continue reading

 

As urban districts embrace small-scale manufacturing, cities are adopting artisan zoning as a land use strategy and economic development tool. Small-scale manufacturers can pick up some of the slack left by the factory jobs of yesteryear, while providing little of the disruption of traditional manufacturing says the Urban Manufacturing Alliance (UMA). "These producers are the…Continue reading