More than a century ago, merchants and downtown building owners used ads painted on the sides of brick buildings to drive business. From the mid-1800s until about 1950, retailers and consumer brands used these commercial messages to grab shoppers’ attention. The eye-catching signs featured bright colors and bold lettering. The sign-painting boom ended decades ago.…To read more — login/subscribe
“Confronting our most pressing challenges requires the hope and fortitude of an entire community,” said Oregon Governor Tina Kotek when announcing the recommendations of the Portland Central City Task Force in December. The recommendations focused on addressing crime, homelessness, trash, and tax issues that create barriers to doing business in Portland. The task force brings…To read more — login/subscribe
In late 2023, Austin, TX (est. pop. 975,335), became the largest U.S. city to end parking requirements for new developments. During a nationwide housing shortage, proponents of eliminating parking requirements say the strategy gives developers the financial flexibility to build more housing units. Austin now allows developers of any type of project to build without…To read more — login/subscribe
Visit a city that has embraced electric buses, and it’s easy to see — and smell and hear — the appeal. In Tallahassee, FL (est. pop. 201,728), the battery-powered buses that serve downtown and the Florida State University campus are clean and quiet. Unlike traditional diesel-powered buses, Tallahassee’s vehicles emit no clouds of black smoke…To read more — login/subscribe
Sweet treats draw customers during holiday season In Oak Park, IL, the annual cookie walk draws crowds into downtown stores. The cookie walk began as part of the annual Winterfest, and quickly became the signature event. Participants purchase a souvenir cookie tin and a map of over 30 participating businesses. At each stop participants receive…To read more — login/subscribe
For downtown leaders with extensive wish lists for funding, the federal governments in the U.S. and Canada provide money for everything from pop-up parks to major infrastructure projects. However, securing federal funding isn’t always easy. To boost your chances of landing federal grants, you need to know what money is available and how to ask…To read more — login/subscribe
In some ways, the economic trajectory of Clarksdale, MS (est. pop. 15,124), is similar to that of other small cities in the Deep South. Per capita income is less than $20,000, and the poverty rate is north of 40 percent, according to the Census Bureau. But Clarksdale has created a downtown success story based on…To read more — login/subscribe
Early in the history of Open on Main, a storefront activation initiative in Memphis, TN (est. pop. 628,127), Brett Roler, senior vice president of the Downtown Memphis Commission was careful to make pop-ups look and feel like permanent businesses. Roler required retailers to operate full business hours, and the signage gave no hint that the…To read more — login/subscribe
In an effort to remove chronic troublemakers from its resurgent downtown entertainment district, the city of Las Vegas, NV (est. pop. 646,790), approved an “order-out corridor” in November. The policy seeks to cut crime by banning offenders who commit misdemeanors downtown from returning to the area to wreak more havoc. The Las Vegas City Council…To read more — login/subscribe
