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Downtown Digest News • Web Extras

Public Space Management Draws People, Revenue, and Partnerships

October 22, 2015
Partnerships between cities and downtown organizations allow the pooling of resources, avoid duplication of effort, and can guide redevelopment and activation of urban parks in the direction most beneficial for downtown residents, workers, and visitors. That’s been the case in Seattle, WA, where the Downtown Seattle Association and its Metropolitan Improvement District manage two of…Continue reading

 

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“Street Scenes” Enliven Downtown

October 8, 2015
To increase the appeal and draw more people downtown for Small Business Saturday, Morgan Hill, CA, created "street scenes." Individual parking spaces in the heart of downtown were transformed by local businesses into activity areas. One parking space was transformed with a holiday theme and featured Santa Claus posing for photos with children. Another spot…Continue reading

 

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Inflatable Events Are Enlivening Downtowns

September 10, 2015
When it comes to radically changing the downtown streetscape, it doesn’t get much lighter, quicker, cheaper, or more accessible than temporary installations of inflatables. Event producers are offering giant waterslides, obstacle courses, and even public art installations of the air-filled variety. Better yet, some are partnering with nonprofit organizations, giving downtown groups opportunities to raise…Continue reading

 

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Leadership Programs Attract and Retain Young Professionals

August 27, 2015
Offering a downtown leadership program provides an opportunity to engage active, energetic young people in downtown revitalization efforts and to gain their input in creating a more desirable downtown for their demographic. The Downtown Akron Partnership in Akron, OH, established its Emerging Leaders program in 2010. The group, which aims to increase the number of…Continue reading

 

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Attracting Millennials to Live and Work Downtown

August 13, 2015
Cities across the nation are vying to attract and retain professionals aged 25-34 through social media and advertising campaigns, as well as with incentives which include internships, housing subsidies, student loan reimbursement, and more. For example, in an effort to retain students attending colleges and universities in the metro area, Philadelphia, PA, launched Campus Philly.…Continue reading

 

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Financial support fills downtown event calendar

July 16, 2015
To entice more festival and event producers to the city center, the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ in Winnipeg, MB, Canada, launched the Host it Downtown campaign this spring. The organization seeks to, "solidify downtown Winnipeg as the premier destination for high-quality and outdoor events year-round by providing individuals or organizations with the opportunity for seed funding…Continue reading

 

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Making Better Use of Bumpouts

July 1, 2015
Innovative funding and the efforts of the Downtown Development Authority are transforming several bumpouts in Traverse City, MI. Last year, bumpouts at either end of one city center crosswalk were repurposed, with another set due to see improvements this summer. Spaces that formerly held trash receptacles and bike racks now offer public seating and a…Continue reading

 

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Mobile Workshops Bring Planning to the People

June 5, 2015
Innovative public out-reach has piqued curiosity and boosted public input for downtown plan updates in Laguna Beach, CA. Building on successful Plan Van workshops in other cities while also highlighting Laguna’s downtown trolley service, the city offered Plan Trolley workshops. The trolley, loaded with information about the Downtown Specific Plan including, display easels, and public-input…Continue reading

 

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Downtowns Band Together for Greater Impact

May 21, 2015
That’s the theory behind the Eagle River Valley Cultural & Economic Corridor, now in its third year. The Corridor comprises the neighboring towns of Hancock (est. pop. 1,031), Deposit (est. pop. 1,663), and Windsor (est. pop. 916), New York and focuses on attracting tourists, businesses and residents, specifically retirees. This is an attractive demographic for…Continue reading

 

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