Downtown uses podcast to spread message and useful information
November 1, 2024
During the pandemic, Seattle’s downtown leaders fretted that media coverage about the district often focused on closed businesses, empty streets, and other reflections of a lagging recovery. The Downtown Seattle Association decided to push back by taking matters into its own hands: Downtown leaders created their own podcast. The twice-monthly Seattle City Makers Podcast presents…To read more — login/subscribe
e-bikes, scooters, and more share bike lanes. Bike lanes aren’t just for bikes any more, a reality that’s creating congestion for now — but the conflict could spur a reshaping of downtown streetscapes. “The bike lane is set to become a very crowded place,” Dan Piatkowski wrote in a recent column for US News and…
Boston’s Spite House Downtowns have experienced a dramatic renaissance in recent years. But many still struggle with unused and underused spaces, ranging from abandoned manufacturing facilities to obsolete warehouses to vacant lots. Filling in the gaps isn’t easy. In fact, downtown leaders often need to figure out ways to encourage developers to invest in infill…
A proposed federal law would encourage development on vacant properties in the nation’s downtowns. While the measure has bipartisan sponsorship and industry support, it hasn’t been fast-tracked by a deeply divided Congress in a presidential election year. The Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act would: • Create a 20 percent tax credit for expenses incurred…
Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza. A pedestrian plaza in Jersey City, NJ (est. pop. 286,661), has been racking up awards for placemaking. Jersey City’s Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza won Downtown New Jersey’s award for Built Project Excellence for a Transformational Initiative. The $7 million initiative also won Municipal Project of the Year from the New Jersey…
Downtowns from Seattle to Paris, TX, have been experimenting with back-in parking as a way to improve safety. In Fort Collins, CO (est. pop. 169,248), the city has been encouraging the practice in parts of downtown since 2020. When Fort Collins debuted back-in angle parking, it touted the benefits over traditional parallel parking and front-in…
Map shows all 16 contestants in the Chicken Sandwich Snackdown. Restaurants and culinary experiences can be valuable assets to a downtown. They serve downtown workers and residents as well as attracting visitors to the city center — Serving both an economic and a social role in the community. From the smallest city to the largest…
Butterfly bench in downtown Lebanon, IN. The National Association of Realtors Placemaking Grants fund state and local realtor association-led projects. The goal of the program is to enable realtors to strengthen ties with their community, to develop relationships with public officials, and to spur economic growth and development. The association offers up to $7,500 for…
Vinyl banners suggest potential uses for vacant space. What could this store become? Vacant storefronts are getting a makeover with the Downtown Tucson [AZ] Partnership’s Storefront Vinyl Program. The program features professionally designed vinyl banners displaying everything from eye-catching artwork, to information on available commercial space, to a vision for future uses. Since launching in…