Downtown Digest News

Downtown Digest provides brief summaries of essential information from Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.

For email delivery of Downtown Digest, SIGN UP NOW. It’s free.

For in-depth, expanded coverage, subscribe to Downtown Idea Exchange.


Getting Everyone On-Board with Pop-Up Retail

January 30, 2020
By all measures, the pop-up retail program in downtown Memphis, TN, is a success. However, Brett Roler, vice president of planning and development for the Downtown Memphis Commission, cautions that downtown leaders who expect instant success are likely to be disappointed. Roler says his first hurdle was persuading landlords to take a chance on pop-up…Continue reading

 

Closing Downtown Street Brings New Life

January 16, 2020
Pratt Street is a brick thoroughfare in the heart of downtown Hartford, CT. For all its promise, Pratt Street long has been bereft of pedestrian traffic. When the mayor proposed closing the street to cars, downtown leaders countered that further reducing activity on the street was the wrong approach. Instead, the Hartford Business Improvement District…Continue reading

 

Distilleries Drive Tourism and Renovation in Unlikely Downtown Locations

February 15, 2018
Tasting rooms and events featuring local wineries and craft breweries have proved popular downtown. Now cities are finding distilleries are equally suited to the city center. The February issue of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter highlights three distilleries that are contributing to historic preservation and attracting visitors and locals alike. In one example, the St. Augustine (FL) Distillery…Continue reading