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
Hundreds of downtown events helped turnaround a public plaza long plagued by drugs and violence. After years of trying to enforce its way to a safer UN Plaza, the City of San Francisco tried a different approach. The focus is now on attraction and activation. A centerpiece of the park’s revival is a 13,000-square-foot skating…Continue reading
In San Francisco’s Yerba Buena district, the organization once budgeted a significant sum to host splashy events. Now, the organization invests in modest events such as an art and makers market, walking tours, and bracelet-making sessions. In San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter Association once hosted a Mardi Gras festival that was the largest such event…Continue reading
The Downtown Spokane Partnership encourages members to improve downtown safety and security with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. CPTED is a crime prevention strategy that uses the design of the physical environment to minimize opportunities for crime. Some cities write CPTED guidelines into their design standards, others provide CPTED reviews for downtown business owners, and…Continue reading
Starting in May, owners of full-sized pickup trucks and extended vans will face fines for parking in the angled spots in a three-block stretch of downtown Sioux Falls, SD. In other words, Ford F-150s, Dodge Rams, and other trucks with ambitious proportions could get tickets if their tailgates or hitches block traffic in a prime…Continue reading
When the city of Midland, CA, installed safety bollards along the main street, it discovered a problem: The bollards were not visible enough to drivers. Downtown Midland BIA Board Chair Nicole French explains, "We’ve heard from business owners and visitors alike that the original metal parking bollards installed during the main street rejuvenation project are…Continue reading
Since 2017 AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) has distributed millions of dollars through its AARP Community Challenge grant program. As noted in the February issue of Downtown Idea Exchange, many familiar downtown projects are eligible for funding. In 2024 grantees included an alley transformation project in Vallejo, CA, accessibility improvements to a crosswalk…Continue reading
After years of running annual workforce recruitment campaigns, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, in Sioux Falls, SD, is trying something new. In late 2023, the foundation launched the Wish You Were Here campaign, which aims to attract Sioux Falls natives who have moved to other parts of the country. The February issue of Downtown Idea Exchange,…Continue reading
Following a New Year’s Day vehicle attack in New Orleans, Mobile, AL, is bolstering safety measures in advance of its annual Mardi Gras celebration in March. The attack in New Orleans, focused new attention on bollards as a routine part of traffic control for downtown events. However, in a cautionary tale for downtowns everywhere, New…Continue reading
Cities everywhere are encouraging the development of housing and hotels downtown. One noisy problem: City centers often lie adjacent to railroad tracks. And while the noise is tolerable in a 9-to-5 city where office workers go home at night, it can be disruptive in a 24-hour downtown. One solution is a quiet zone. Federal regulators…Continue reading
