In the 1990s, downtown Macon, GA (est. pop. 156,197), was beset by vacancy and decay. Today, the city is in the midst of a dramatic turnaround that garnered it one of three 2024 Great American Main Street Awards. The honors went to NewTown Macon, the city’s downtown organization. Its results have been impressive — downtown…To read more — login/subscribe
The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership hit on an intriguing way to promote downtown residential properties, market local microbrewers, and generate a little revenue and publicity to boot. The downtown organization hosted Views & Brews: Downtown Living Tour in October. The Thursday evening event included tours of 10 downtown apartment buildings and in-home samples from four local…To read more — login/subscribe
With his downtown struggling to make a full comeback from the pandemic, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston this year announced a Clean and Safe Downtown program designed to address some of the city’s most obvious issues. “Downtown Denver is the economic and cultural center of our city,” Johnston said when announcing the initiative. “It is the…To read more — login/subscribe
Placemaking grants drive activity Little Alley Shows brought live music to a long-forgotten space behind the Wolf & Cub boutique in downtown Jacksonville, FL. Little Alley Shows were just one of the many downtown activations funded through grants from downtown Jacksonville in 2023. The PlacemakingJax program brings together individuals and groups to “engage in the…To read more — login/subscribe
In Raleigh, NC (est. pop. 477,804), the city council recently extended the contract for a security firm whose armed officers patrol near a downtown transit hub. In Los Angeles (est. pop. 3,822,224), the city council authorized private security for two long-abandoned buildings downtown. In Long Beach, CA (est. pop. 451,319), the Long Beach Downtown Alliance…To read more — login/subscribe
In Millburn-Short Hills, NJ (est. pop. 21,699), Restaurant Week has turned into a springtime traffic driver. The event debuted in March 2023, then returned in March 2024. Restaurant Week is organized by Explore Millburn-Short Hills, a special improvement district, and involves some 40 restaurants and boutiques offering 60 specials. The offerings ranged from appetizers to…To read more — login/subscribe
Embracing a newly popular strategy to improve traffic safety, San Francisco is moving forward with a ban on right turns during red lights downtown. While cities from Washington, DC, to Honolulu have cracked down on right turns on red, the concept isn’t popular everywhere. In Indianapolis, the issue has taken on a partisan bent —…To read more — login/subscribe
The Hollywood Partnership is about to open the famed neighborhood’s first public restroom. The facility, going into an empty space in a building owned by the city Department of Transportation, is being funded with $1.5 million from the Los Angeles mayor’s office. The concept got some pushback from neighbors. “Property owners sometimes have the belief…To read more — login/subscribe
In Tulsa, OK (est pop. 411,938), the Tulsa Remote program says its strategy of paying young workers to move to town is paying off. The initiative launched in 2018 as a way to reverse some of the brain drain from the heartland to the coasts. Tulsa Remote aimed to spark an influx of talent by…To read more — login/subscribe
