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Streetscape Upgrade Clears the Clutter, Reinforces Downtown Brand

September 21, 2017
The streetscape project currently underway in Rosslyn, VA, aims to strengthen the city’s brand, decrease visual clutter, and improve the pedestrian experience. A formal inventory of everything on the streets revealed that the BID had "quite a mish-mash of elements, just hundreds of various pieces that didn’t match, and that adds to visual clutter," says…Continue reading

 

Marketing Campaign Attracts New Residents from Neighboring Cities

August 10, 2017
An integrated marketing campaign in Berwyn, IL, is attracting new residents and businesses, and changing public perceptions of what a small suburb close to one of the country’s largest cities can provide in terms of amenities and lifestyle opportunities. Berwyn’s success comes in part from promoting its inclusiveness. The city sets itself apart "because we…Continue reading

 

Smoking Bans Sought to Reduce Nuisance Behavior, Better Reflect Downtown Brand

July 27, 2017
Cities nationwide are considering bans on smoking in select areas downtown, and in Fort Collins, CO, the existing smoking restrictions have been expanded. Smoking is prohibited in Old Town Square, all city-owned or operated facilities, grounds, parks, trails, and natural areas, and most city-approved events and festivals. Eugene, OR, is also looking to expand current…Continue reading

 

March Madness Inspires Downtown Dining Campaign

July 14, 2017
Downtown Madness in Pueblo, CO, is highlighting the city center dining scene and helping restaurants attract new customers. Structured much like basketball’s March Madness, this popular campaign pits 16 restaurants against each other in a good-natured elimination-style competition that narrows the brackets down to eight, then four, and finally two, before the "Chompian" is selected.…Continue reading

 

Crosswalk Art a Safety and Funding Concern

June 29, 2017
In light of Federal Highway Administration concerns about safety, some cities are prohibiting artistically painted crosswalks. That’s the case in St. Louis, MO, where the city has prohibited future crosswalk art projects. Doug Hecox, a spokesman for the Federal Highway Administration explains the safety concerns to Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter, "the road surface needs to look consistent…Continue reading

 

Fashion Trucks Enliven City Centers

June 16, 2017
First it was food trucks adding vitality to city centers, and now fashion trucks are making their way downtown. From Fashion Truck Fridays hosted by the Rosslyn BID in Arlington, VA, to the weekly rotating fashion trucks in Houston, TX, these small, mobile shops are drawing the curious, as well as serious shoppers. In Denver,…Continue reading

 

New Technology Offers Public Amenity Along with Data-Gathering Capabilities

June 1, 2017
Several cities nationwide are testing solar-powered products that provide free Wi-Fi and smartphone charging stations while simultaneously gathering pedestrian activity and traffic pattern data. In Oak Park, IL, the first Soofa Core unit was installed in a city park last August, closely followed by units in three other urban parks. The device, located adjacent to…Continue reading