Cities across the nation are vying to attract and retain professionals aged 25-34 through social media and advertising campaigns, as well as with incentives which include internships, housing subsidies, student loan reimbursement, and more. For example, in an effort to retain students attending colleges and universities in the metro area, Philadelphia, PA, launched Campus Philly.…Continue reading
The city of St. Charles, IL, has put together a trio of incentives aimed at improving the downtown building stock while also encouraging new and expanding businesses to locate in ground floor spaces. Because so many downtown buildings are historic, business owners who want to change building uses or expand often face issues around fire…Continue reading
To entice more festival and event producers to the city center, the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ in Winnipeg, MB, Canada, launched the Host it Downtown campaign this spring. The organization seeks to, "solidify downtown Winnipeg as the premier destination for high-quality and outdoor events year-round by providing individuals or organizations with the opportunity for seed funding…Continue reading
Innovative funding and the efforts of the Downtown Development Authority are transforming several bumpouts in Traverse City, MI. Last year, bumpouts at either end of one city center crosswalk were repurposed, with another set due to see improvements this summer. Spaces that formerly held trash receptacles and bike racks now offer public seating and a…Continue reading
Offering customers extended shopping hours, discounts and specials, plus the chance to contribute to local nonprofit organizations proved a winning combination in Franklin, TN. For the first Open Your Heart event, more than 20 downtown merchants remained open past their normal business hours, and donated 15 percent of sales from 4 to 9 p.m. to…Continue reading
Innovative public out-reach has piqued curiosity and boosted public input for downtown plan updates in Laguna Beach, CA. Building on successful Plan Van workshops in other cities while also highlighting Laguna’s downtown trolley service, the city offered Plan Trolley workshops. The trolley, loaded with information about the Downtown Specific Plan including, display easels, and public-input…Continue reading
That’s the theory behind the Eagle River Valley Cultural & Economic Corridor, now in its third year. The Corridor comprises the neighboring towns of Hancock (est. pop. 1,031), Deposit (est. pop. 1,663), and Windsor (est. pop. 916), New York and focuses on attracting tourists, businesses and residents, specifically retirees. This is an attractive demographic for…Continue reading
Bridal shows have long appeared on downtown event calendars. Increasingly, however, downtown organizations are moving guests from place to place rather than bringing them together under one roof. Wedding walks and tours highlight city centers as wedding destinations while showcasing a wide variety of downtown businesses, including hotels, event venues, florists, photographers, printers, caterers and…Continue reading
The paths to walkability are as diverse as the cities that implement them, and include upgrades to alleyways that provide additional pedestrian connectivity, pedestrian-friendly sidewalk design, centering development around public transit, and more. One community that has made great strides in enhancing walkability is Bethesda, MD. The work extended to downtown alleyways, some of which…Continue reading
Just as downtown businesses are realizing that advertising the downtown as a whole benefits individual businesses, whole communities are reaping the benefits of a more regional approach to marketing. "We know that people travel from place to place and town to town and don’t necessarily travel by county or state lines,” says Lisa Challenger, director…Continue reading
