Downtown Idea Exchange — Web Extras
October 1, 2021
City’s big bet on roundabouts pays off in the form of fewer accidents — Hoping to reduce severe accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists, many downtowns have tested traffic roundabouts as an alternative to intersections with traffic signals. Read the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study on Carmel’s roundabouts.
...Vaccination appreciation promotions — As the pandemic continued to spread this spring and summer, inducements to encourage vaccination were everywhere. Watch the Somerville vaccine discount video below. https://vimeo.com/524629927/fab95a9dc9 ...
In California’s Stanislaus County, the Relief Across Downtown (RAD) gift card program is working to put more money in consumers’ hands and help local businesses get back on their feet. The RAD Card is a digital gift card which may be used at participating downtown businesses. And it offers a real incentive to spend money…
As part of a redevelopment of their downtowns, two mid-sized cities are making an unusual move: They’re giving up the traditional model of a city-owned parcel housing City Hall. Instead, the cities are spurring downtown redevelopment projects by partnering with private developers. In the process, they’re moving city administrative offices into mixed-use developments. The cities…
The federal government is directing hundreds of billions of dollars to states and cities, a windfall that has downtown leaders nationwide positioning themselves to get much needed funds. In March, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) into law. The initiative calls for $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus, including an infusion of $350…
New Orleans’ French Quarter was once the rare entertainment district that allowed revelers to drink while they strolled public streets. However, many small cities not known as party towns are getting in on the act. City officials and downtown leaders see the new wave of public consumption districts as a way to draw visitors back…
The owner of 15 South Avenue in downtown New Canaan, CT, is seeking permission to convert second floor commercial space to residential. For years, both floors in the small building have been retail. Because of the low demand for retail space in the city center, the owner would like develop a one bedroom apartment. Many…
For a quarter-century, the Downtown Improvement District (DID) in Reading, PA, managed the city’s declining urban core. The DID’s ambassadors picked up trash, and the organization hosted summer concerts, a holiday parade, and other events. However, Reading never experienced a true downtown renaissance, and questions about the DID’s effectiveness festered. Those doubts came to a…
Following the lead of similar successful projects, Kuna, ID, will launch its own retail market village in June. The village will consist of 12 small shops in re-purposed garden sheds. The sheds will surround a central green space with room for food trucks and small gatherings. Lisa Holland, the city’s economic development director, says that…
