Nearly 90 pieces of art grace the parks, plazas, and other public spaces in downtown Des Moines, IA. But drawing people through the downtown to see them has been a challenge.Now, the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation is working to bring all of the art together by creating a 6.6-mile trail. Sidewalks along the…Continue reading
Downtown leaders nationwide are exploring the option of allowing consumption of alcoholic beverages in designated districts, or at specific events and the results are largely positive.Alpharetta, GA, passed an ordinance in 2011 allowing one drink per person in a plastic or paper cup of no more than 16 ounces, purchased from a restaurant, to be…Continue reading
Just over a year ago, Racine, WI, resident Dustan Balcom started the Facebook page, Ask me why I love Racine, for people to share what they love about the beleaguered city where they live and work. The next step in his campaign was to convert a downtown construction enclosure into a giant chalkboard where people…Continue reading
Uncovering and promoting a long-forgotten waterfall in the heart of downtown is paying a huge return on investment in Greenville, SC. Since Falls Park on the Reedy opened in 2004, development has sprung up all along the Reedy River in the historic West End area downtown."We are big believers in accentuating the things that make…Continue reading
A new mural trail being created in Stockton, CA, is strategically designed to encourage people to take selfies and share them on social media. The project will eventually feature 15 giant "postcards" at sites intended to draw pedestrians through the city center while also providing education about local history and culture. "People don’t really buy…Continue reading
Providing incubator space for start-up businesses is a trend that will grow stronger as those first start-ups attain independence and fill downtown vacancies, says Michael Burayidi, in an article in the May issue of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter. Burayidi, chair of the Ball State University Department of Urban Planning, notes that, "What will help in…Continue reading
The city of Hamilton, OH, has launched several efforts in recent years to attract developers downtown. "We needed to ensure that our progress was communicated to as many people as possible to change the perception Hamilton struggled with," says Jody Gunderson, the city’s director of economic development.The marketing program includes: A quarterly e-newsletter highlights new…Continue reading
Downtown professionals and city leaders discouraged with lackluster RFP responses or development agreements, which have fallen through can look to Palatka, FL, for inspiration. The city’s riverfront park and marina redevelopment plan was completed in 2004, but never adopted. Municipal officials hoped the downtown waterfront location of two blocks adjacent to a city park would…Continue reading
The #SeizeDesMoines Share Des Moines program allows the Greater Des Moines Partnership to recruit Social Ambassadors to help share the latest news in economic development, downtown events, and quality of life via social media.To sign up, new ambassadors simply visit www.seizedesmoines.com and click on Share Des Moines. The Partnership makes sharing easy by sending out email…Continue reading
Getting out of the office at lunch time and visiting downtown retail shops and restaurants isn’t always convenient when the weather is too hot or too cold, or the distance too great, or in less-than-comfortable office attire.To help downtown employees get out despite the midday heat in Tempe, AZ, the Downtown Tempe Authority launched a…Continue reading
