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February 1, 2013 When the Pasadena Playhouse District Association decided to embrace public art, the resulting utility box covers and crosswalk paintings were created with an eye toward aesthetics and practicality. It’s an approach that can work in any community. The utility box covers are done with vinyl wraps so that, “if graffiti or something…Continue reading
January 3, 2013 Creating events that will appeal to women, and hosting them at times when women are most likely to attend, is a great way to highlight downtown’s assets to a demographic that might otherwise never explore the city center. In San Jose, CA, a new “HER city” after-work social series launched in August…Continue reading
December 4, 2012 The Office of Arts, Culture and Tourism in New Haven, CT, is using art to fill downtown vacancies and revitalize neighborhoods while also transforming would-be entrepreneurs from hobbyists to small business owners. The department looked at models of how art addresses the issues of vacancy and revitalization in other cities, and found…Continue reading
November 15, 2012 A lack, or even perceived lack, of public restrooms downtown can lead to visitor dissatisfaction, as well as the more unsightly problem of public urination. Communities are finding that the expense of adding public restrooms is worthwhile because it keeps downtown cleaner, and provides visitors with a more comfortable experience, which in…Continue reading
Communities continue to seek public restroom solutions — Downtowns need people, and people need restrooms. However, the details of cost, maintenance, safety, and location continue to challenge downtown leaders trying to address this basic public need. Read an archive article on integrating public restrooms into downtown areas. ...
Welcome visitors with appropriate gateways — The Georgetown BID in Washington D.C. has requested design proposals for gateways to the historic district. Read their full RFP. ...
Downtown shows off its tech community — For the second annual A2 Tech Trek in downtown Ann Arbor, MI, local technology companies opened their doors to the general public with the goal of inspiring students to become future entrepreneurs, job seekers to find new opportunities, and for local residents to support and learn more about the entrepreneur community. Watch a video about the event below. A2 Tech Trek in downtown Ann Arbor, MI ...
Building successful Shop Local campaigns — When executed properly, campaigns to inform the public about the benefits of doing business locally can build a lasting culture of support for small businesses. • See the AIBA report Building "Buy Local" Campaigns that Shift Culture and Spending. • Read an archive article about the 10% Shift campaign which asks people to spend a bit more with independent local businesses. ...
Light hearted promotion spreads word, generates buzz — To promote the upcoming 375th birthday of Montreal, QC, Canada, Tourism Montreal is apologizing to their Toronto and New York neighbors for all the racket, and inviting them to take part in the festivities. Watch the video below showing Montrealers knocking on doors in Toronto. ...
Creative development model revives downtown neighborhood — Neighborhoods adjacent to downtown have significant impacts on the city center. Investments in these areas can yield a huge return on investment for the downtown, and provide successful models, as well. Read the Urban Land Institute’s Reaching for the Future: Creative Finance for Smaller Communities. ...
Lighting projects enhance downtown economic development, revitalization, and tourism — Case studies show significant social and economic impacts of light installations. See the report Ambient Light Empowers Places. ...
Walk audit engages and informs — AARP provides a downloadable Walk Audit Tool Kit and Leaders Guide that can be used by professionals or local citizen groups. ...
Big ideas, small ideas, fun ideas — The team at real estate blog Curbed has assembled 101 DIY ways that citizens and community leaders can improve their cities. ...
New facility provides parking and community space — An Automated Vehicle Storage and Retrieval System (AVSR) is helping the city of West Hollywood, CA, meet parking needs and provide desirable amenities in a much smaller footprint than a conventional parking structure with a similar capacity. Watch a video of the AVSR system in operation. AVSR system in operation ...
Drones are new stars of light shows — See a videos below of Intel drones setting a Guinness World Record and the Starbright Holidays Drone Show at Disney Springs. Intel drones setting a Guinness World Record Starbright Holidays Drone Show at Disney Springs ...
Achieving facade renovations on entire blocks — In Fontana, CA, the city’s redevelopment agency offered to fund facade upgrades with no match required from owners. Read more about their facade improvement program. ...
Creative corridor spurs economic development — The downtown turnaround in the state capital of Little Rock, AR, is attracting investment to the long-neglected heart of the city. Click here to learn about the Little Rock Creative Corridor Plan. ...
Public financing tools and development incentives — The Urban Land Institute report Reaching for the Future presents six case studies that illustrate how communities have used partnerships and combined different sources of financing to bring about dramatic change in their communities. ...
Encouraging greening and public art — The annual Greening and Public Realm awards in Minneapolis, MN, aim to both recognize and encourage placemaking activities in the city center. See a brief video featuring several winners below. The Greening and Public Realm awards in Minneapolis, MN ...
Keeping downtown streets safe — During October, improv actors dressed as the Grim Reaper frequented sidewalks around particularly busy intersections in Pittsburgh, PA, and engaged pedestrians in playful banter. Watch a video of the Grim Reaper in action below. Web Extras December 2016 ...
Holiday light displays attract crowds — An attractive holiday light display can be activated in mid-November and add to the festive atmosphere and drawing power of downtown every evening through January. Watch Baltimore, MD’s Power Plant Holiday Light Spectacular video below. Power Plant Holiday Light Spectacular video ...
Regional business incubator locates downtown — A new business incubator in downtown Roanoke, VA, will provide work space, mentoring, and connections to investors. View the full strategic work plan. ...
Marketing plan calls for rebranding shopping district and aggressive promotion — The Sunrise MarketPlace BID in Citrus Heights, CA, is somewhat unique, in that its membership is primarily retail. Because of this, the BID dedicates a substantial percentage of its budget to marketing. Listen to their seasonal, holiday, and year-round radio promotions below. • Summer Spot • Fall Spot • Holiday Spot • Winter Spot • Spring Spot ...
Grant program makes businesses more accessible — The city of Durango, CO, has formed an Accessible Communities Team which offers grants for business owners to conduct accessibility assessments and make improvements. View the Accessible Communities Team program flier. ...
Data, outreach, and subsidies draw more retailers downtown — During the first 18 months of operation, a retail recruitment campaign in downtown Windsor, ON, Canada, attracted seven new businesses and has been credited with a 25-percent decrease in vacancy rates. See the Downtown Windsor Retail Recruitment Campaign project description. ...
Walkability drives development, requires place management — WalkUP Wake-UP Call reports have been generated for cities nationwide. See reports for the three cities below: • Washington, D.C. • Atlanta, GA • New York City ...
Grappling with short-term rentals — The Neighborhood Planning Committee in St. Paul, MN, is working to balance the benefits of participating in the sharing economy with some of the negative impacts of short-term rentals via Airbnb and others. Read the full study memo. ...
Experts weigh in on event trends — Downtown organizations constantly strive to keep events fresh and annual meetings engaging. Increasingly it is new technologies and the changing desires of attendees that are reshaping those events, say the authors of the special report, 12 Global Trends Shaping Events in 2017. (Registration is required.) ...
Fire hydrants transformed — Everything from utility boxes, to dumpsters, to manhole covers, and outdated fire call boxes have been artfully decorated to beautify and engage the public realm. View the interactive map of artistic fire hydrants in Geneva, IL....
Grant funds create a more attractive outdoor dining scene — The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership in Pittsburgh, PA, has created the Paris to Pittsburgh Sidewalk Activation and Facade Improvement Matching Grant Program to encourage restaurateurs to bring new vitality to city streets. Read an archive article about the Paris to Pittsburgh program. ...
Attracting infill development — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a report, Attracting Infill Development in Distressed Communities: 30 Strategies, which points the way for infill development. Read the report. ...
Inaccurate perceptions, and a lack of education and enforcement mask plentiful parking — A recent parking study in Turlock, CA, reveals that even though 50 percent of the 3,872 available parking spaces are underutilized, 72 percent of residents believe there is a parking shortage downtown. View the full parking study. ...
Gap funding drives new-home construction in historic city center — A new Downtown Residential Development Program approved in June in Henderson, NV, aims to create more density in the historic city center while also adding diversity to the types of homes available. See the Henderson Downtown Residential Development Program Guidelines and Application. ...
Non-traditional drivers of economic development — The report, Creating 21st Century Communities: Making the Economic Case for Place, demonstrates the relationship between eight community "assets" and economic prosperity. ...
Crowdfunding helps keep music festival free — The Lowell Folk Festival is one of the largest free folk festivals in the nation. The event draws about 150,000 attendees annually, yet, in recent years, raising the $1 million festival budget (about $500,000 in-kind and the rest in cash) has become more challenging. Read the Lowell Folk Festival crowdfunding pitch and watch a fundraising video below. Web Extras September 2016 ...
Light festivals drawing crowds — Baltimore, MD’s, inaugural Light City Baltimore, a festival of “light, music, and innovation,” took place around the city’s Inner Harbor this spring. The free, week-long event featured the BGE Light Art Walk, with more than 50 attractions. Watch a time lapse video of Light City Baltimore below. Light City Baltimore ...
Want more overnight visitors? Try a grant program — Since 2013, Tourism Nanaimo has offered grants to encourage community groups and businesses to attract overnight visitors to Nanaimo, BC, Canada, and the region. Read a report on the Nanaimo Tourism Development Fund here. ...
Build experiences into events to draw larger crowds — The weeklong Tulip Time Festival in Holland, MI, has been going strong for 87 years. Attendees are drawn to the city to see the 4.5 million tulips in bloom, as well as 55 Dutch dance performances, cute Kinder Dutch Dancers, and the Dutch Marktplaats. Click here to view the Tulip Time Festival Guide....
City centers explore more relaxed open container laws — Downtown leaders in communities nationwide are exploring the option of allowing consumption of alcoholic beverages in designated districts, or at specific events. Click the links below to learn about the open container law in Alpharetta, GA. • Alpharetta’s Municipal code • Archive article, Change of ordinance allows open containers downtown ...
Housing study defines residential development direction — A recent analysis of the residential market potential for downtown Kalamazoo, MI (est. pop. 74,262), and several surrounding neighborhoods has given the city vital information to encourage more, and the right kind of, residential development. Read Kalamazoo’s Analysis of Residential Market Potential here. ...
Making a plaza out of thin air — A feasibility study from the District Department of Transportation finds that a public plaza above a sunken stretch of Connecticut Avenue in Washington D.C. is feasible. ...
Downtown plan focuses on the small and achievable — The downtown plan for Gretna, LA, released earlier this year, focuses on small but effective ways to enhance the downtown area. ...
Slimmed down plan engages public — The redesigned and user-friendly 2016 Essex Town Plan has won the Vermont Planners Association Plan of the Year award. ...
New logo boosts city identity and locally made products — A new branding campaign is underway in New Haven, CT. The goal is to brand locally produced products with a distinctive logo and to promote them together under the Made in New Haven banner. Read the Made in New Haven Branding Guide here....
