Downtown leaders often think of parking garages as a necessary evil. The National Landing Business Improvement District flips that script: Every February, the BID transforms a multilevel parking structure into a racetrack that draws cyclists fromaround the country. National Landing is a commercial district along the Potomac River in Arlington, VA (est. pop. 239,807). The…To read more — login/subscribe
Atlanta was once encircled by 22 miles of abandoned railways. The pathways were overgrown and unused. But a sweeping effort to re-purpose and activate the spaces has turned the Atlanta Beltline into a destination. A concrete trail includes lights every 90 feet, public murals, and connections to adjacent parks and neighborhoods. After two decades of…To read more — login/subscribe
In Durham, NC (est. pop. 301,877), Downtown Durham Inc. has developed a 10-year strategic plan aimed at addressing the challenges facing the city’s urban core, including rising housing costs, changing work-place patterns, transportation barriers, and concerns about public safety. Known as Blueprint 2035, the wide-ranging, 162-page plan was unveiled and adopted by the city council…To read more — login/subscribe
Grants for downtown programs are typically highly competitive, time-consuming to write, and don’t provide ongoing dependable support. But they can be a valuable source of funding, particularly forspecial projects, capital improvements, and downtown events. When used strategically, grants can help launch programs, attract additional funds, and demonstrate the value of investment downtown. The key is…To read more — login/subscribe
Food halls come to smaller communities A micro food hall and retail center is preparing to open in downtown Livermore, CA. The food hall will occupy the 6,600 sq. ft. site of a former craft brewing company. It will feature indoor and outdoor vendors, pop-up retailers, shared seating areas with family-friendly locations, and space for…To read more — login/subscribe
In Great Barrington, MA (est. pop. 2,331), a six-year-old busker event has gained enough momentum that the host organization has created its own nonprofit and wants to replicate the model elsewhere. Lewiston, ME (est. pop. 38,324), kicked off a busking festival in 2025 that proved successful. And in Lawrence, KS (est. pop. 97,265), and Burlington,…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtowns everywhere are dealing with rising temperatures and intensifying urban heat islands. Nowhere is the issue more acute than Phoenix, the hottest major metropolis in the United States. With the mercury above 100 throughout the summer months, Phoenix officials are taking steps to turn down the heat. The city launched the Office of Heat Response…To read more — login/subscribe
During the pandemic, slow-growing cities in overlooked regions seized on a new way to foster population growth: Paying remote workers to move to town. Topeka, KS (est. pop. 125,475), and Tulsa, OK (est. pop. 413,652), are trying it. So are Newton, IA (est. pop. 15,700), and Neodesha, KS (est. pop. 2,500). The rationale makes sense:…To read more — login/subscribe
In Traverse City, MI (est. pop. 15,593), downtown trash bins were overflowing early in the summer --- so much so that visitors took to Facebook to post photos and wonder what downtown leaders were thinking. That embarrassment led the Downtown Development Authority, the City of Traverse City, and trash collection company GFL to tackle the…To read more — login/subscribe
