Downtown Digest News • Web Extras
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
With pedestrian fatalities stubbornly holding at historically high levels, safety advocates are pushing for new policies that make it less hazardous to walk or cycle in U.S. cities. Some 1,700 municipalities have adopted Complete Streets initiatives, according to Smart Growth America, a nonprofit focused on transportation policy. The Complete Streets approach urges construction of streets…Continue reading
Night markets are coming alive after dusk in cities across North America. These bustling open-air markets originated in Asia, where they became a fundamental part of urban nightlife. Today, they are expanding to North America particularly in cities with diverse immigrant populations. These new night markets showcase everything from global cuisine and local crafts to…Continue reading
Tactical urbanism was once an edgy concept. It called for urban guerillas to ignore the usual bureaucracy and take matters into their own hands with pop-up attractions and hastily installed public art. Turns out the idea was so good that major cities are making tactical urbanism part of their official policy. In Indianapolis, IN, a…Continue reading
Stephen Reeve runs New York Cafe in Ketchikan, Alaska — the state’s longest operating restaurant. It was built more than 120 years ago by adventurer Tony Ohashi. This legacy business received funds from the Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program in 2024. Grant funds were used to restore the restaurant’s facade and document its 120 year history,…Continue reading
Traditional economic development strategies focus on wooing corporations: the larger the better. Now, a small but growing number of cities are offering incentives to encourage individuals to relocate. MakeMyMove.com currently lists 106 communities with active relocation programs. For example: Baltimore, MD, is home to the Buying into Baltimore program, which offers $5,000 in down-payment and…Continue reading
Since its launch in 2010, Small Business Saturday, has marked the beginning of the holiday season for many downtowns. But it takes work to make it a big draw. "Trying to get people downtown for Small Business Saturday seems to be a losing proposition," says Abel Gomez head of New Jersey’s Downtown Plainfield. "Most consumers…Continue reading
A century ago, urban neighborhoods were filled with corner stores within walking distance of residents. Today, planners in cities as diverse as Seattle and Spokane, WA, and Auburn, ME, are working to bring grocery stores back to downtown neighborhoods. Corner stores "support a lot of great things that we also support, like compact growth, transportation…Continue reading
In Plainfield, NJ, the downtown organization has been reimagining its name, its image, and its mission. In a move aimed at making the group’s role more clear to the public, the Plainfield Special Improvement District renamed itself Downtown Plainfield. And the organization decided not to stop there — Downtown Plainfield realized that its faded branding…Continue reading
Foot and bicycle races of all kinds are popular downtown. Often they are standalone events, which take participants on routes through the city center. Others are part of a larger event such as the Turkey Trots held regularly on Black Friday. But downtowns across the country are also creating their own races based on local…Continue reading
In Raleigh, NC, the city is installing a new generation of garbage bins. Evanston, IL, is also upgrading its trash receptacles. And New York City is cajoling litterbugs to stop dropping trash on city streets. It’s an age-old battle with some new solutions. Downtown Raleigh has introduced trash, recycling, and cardboard, or TRAC, bins in…Continue reading
