Downtown Digest News • Web Extras
Offering men the opportunity to attend a fun event while getting some help with holiday shopping and wrapping is a good way to encourage more male customers to venture into downtown shops. Many individual retailers offer men-only holiday shopping events, and downtown organizations are beginning to see value in this approach, as well. For example,…Continue reading
An effective, accurate survey can help demonstrate the economic boost brought to city centers during downtown festivals and events. Having those numbers in hand can help event producers defend budgets, attain funding, and quell objections from those who think downtown events are too disruptive. This month in Downtown Promotion Reporter newsletter, Patrick Tierney, chair of…Continue reading
Through an intensive data gathering process, the University City District in Philadelphia, PA, has converted a barren stretch of sidewalk into a successful public plaza. The space was originally devoted to 33 parallel parking spaces, but was converted to a 55-foot by 500-foot sidewalk area during a DOT project. The District, “quickly humanized the space”…Continue reading
While there are many rewards to be gained from downtown branding, misunderstandings about what branding is, and is not, can make these efforts less effective. Branding is not simply a matter of a new tag line, logo, or ad campaign; it is about accurately identifying and communicating a promise about the most valuable aspects of…Continue reading
In an effort to encourage owners of parking garages to activate their spaces during down times, the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative created a pop-up rooftop performance venue at a downtown parking garage. “We were hoping owners would see that garages could be put to really good use during the evening hours when it’s not as…Continue reading
One of the quickest ways to get the word out about community assets is to attract travel writers. The August issue of Downtown Promotion Reporter looked at two small communities’ successful media programs and provided tips on how to garner press coverage. For example, every state has one or more writers associations that can be…Continue reading
Bringing more retail downtown may require an unconventional path. In St. Louis, MO, that path saw the downtown organization develop a retail collective. When a developer purchased a significant amount of property downtown, the Partnership for Downtown St. Louis stepped up to advocate for a larger retail presence. “We were concerned we would miss an…Continue reading
When the city of Sebring, FL, completed its marketing plan in 2010, better outreach to locals and people visiting the area was identified as a key component in business retention and attraction. The strategies include: Developing a theme/brand that promotes downtown as a unique and sociable city, in order to enhance, strengthen, and establish new…Continue reading
Building consensus from day one can push a plan or project through the local and state approval processes more quickly. The public outreach done during the creation of the Town Center Plan in Dana Point, CA, has been called a “model of how to do it right.” The outreach process included formation of a 15-member…Continue reading
Having a multitude of great dining venues downtown only benefits the city center if people know about them, and visit them. To spotlight the vibrant downtown dining scene in Elgin, IL, the Downtown Neighborhood Association launched an annual Downtown Madness campaign. Much like the National Collegiate Athletic Association's March Madness basketball tournament, Downtown Madness is…Continue reading
When downtown residents are asked what they most want to see added to the business mix, a grocery store often tops the list. Post-recession economics may reduce the likelihood of chain grocers opening in downtown locations, but have instead spurred a new crop of grocery store co-ops. The June issue of Downtown Idea Exchange looks…Continue reading
Guerilla placemaking initiatives are often low-cost, yet create a high-impact and unexpected vibrancy downtown with minimal municipal input. One example featured in the May issue of Downtown Promotion Reporter newsletter is the Eye Love You project, which, “connects people with people, and people with places.” The movement began in New Zealand, but has gone global.…Continue reading
