Downtown Digest News • Web Extras
Since 2021, the former home of Joe’s Pizza in downtown Santa Cruz, CA, has been empty. A block away is another building that has stood vacant even longer, since 2018. In response, the city implemented a Downtown Vibrancy Ordinance, which requires owners of storefronts along the main street that have sat vacant for longer than…Continue reading
La Grande, OR, has undergone a business transformation in recent years. The downtown is now home to a winery with tasting room, a sticker manufacturer, a glassblowing studio, and a fabricator of custom bike wheels. Notice a trend? La Grande’s renaissance is being driven by small manufacturers. Timothy Bishop, La Grande’s economic development director, says…Continue reading
After decades providing free on-street parking, a small Michigan city, planned to install parking meters this summer. Then, in a dance familiar to many downtown leaders who have tried to raise parking rates, a public outcry ensued. Eventually, the city abandoned the plan. Many downtown leaders fear losing shoppers and other visitors if they implement…Continue reading
In recent years, a whole laundry list of merchants have closed their doors at the iconic Lincoln Road Mall in Miami Beach, FL. The departures range from independent restaurants and bars to national chains. Looking to stem the outflow, and to fill some of the empty storefronts, the Lincoln Road Business Improvement District and the…Continue reading
Becoming a Certified Local Government (CLG) qualifies city centers for funding and technical assistance not available to other communities. Administered jointly by the National Park Service and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in each state, the program requires a community to commit to historic preservation in order to be certified. Some of the many…Continue reading
In Janesville, WI, the Business Improvement District has installed more than 30 security cameras to monitor the downtown riverfront district. The BID has also asked downtown visitors and business owners to use the P3Tips app to report public safety concerns to the Janesville Police Department and Janesville Area Crime Stoppers. No crime wave spurred the…Continue reading
In an effort to remove parking as a barrier for downtown visitors, the village of Coconut Grove, FL, offers valet parking. While some residents complain about the loss of on-street parking, others view the service as an important amenity for the upscale downtown. The May issue of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter provides the mechanics of the system:…Continue reading
Downtown cemeteries and graveyards are finding new life as urban parks and entertainment venues. Despite the challenges involved in converting these spaces to more active use, there are many examples of downtown leaders making the most of every square inch of green space in the city center. Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter recently reported on two examples.…Continue reading
Buda City, TX, is using grants to encourage local business owners and event producers to market their activities to a geographically broad audience. The Downtown Co-Marketing Reimbursement Grant will pay up to 50 percent of event marketing costs up to $3,000. To qualify, events must be hosted within the Buda Main Street Program boundaries and…Continue reading
A small entertainment zone — just one block long — is changing attitudes and drawing crowds to San Francisco’s Front Street. In 2024, the Front Street District became one of the first locations in California to allow outdoor consumption of alcohol on public streets. The early results have been entirely positive, says Robbie Silver, president…Continue reading
Each fall, the City of Grand Rapids, MI, hosts ArtPrize. Over 16 days, art is exhibited in galleries, storefronts, parks, museums, and other venues. Through public and juried voting, cash prizes are awarded. With almost 800,000 people visiting downtown to view and vote on artwork, the city decided to ask them what they would like…Continue reading
Many downtown leaders have developed a love-hate relationship with dogs and their owners. On the downside, pet waste can pose a smelly nuisance and a source of constant complaints. But on the upside, dog owners help activate public spaces. After all, dogs need to be walked multiple times per day, so dog owners are out…Continue reading
