Memphis, TN, is a majority Black city whose developers are mostly white. The Downtown Memphis Commission has been taking strides to change that picture by making the ranks of property investors and merchants more diverse. The Downtown Memphis Commission’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work was honored this year by the International Downtown Association. The…To read more — login/subscribe
Teslas and other electric vehicles are a common sight on American roadways. While EV stations are showing up in public spaces in some downtowns, the charging infrastructure has mostly been hidden away in privately owned garages or on privately owned parking lots of shopping centers and hotels. With a wave of new EVs expected in…To read more — login/subscribe
A wide range of downtown projects have been funded through the National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grants. The creative placemaking grants support projects that “integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes.” These projects require a partnership between a local government entity…To read more — login/subscribe
The community visioning session is a basic building block of community planning and downtown leadership. An effective visioning session can yield insights and build consensus. But organizing and conducting a successful visioning session isn’t easy. This is an ambitious, time-consuming undertaking. To do it right, you’ll need to spend several months preparing. The visioning session…To read more — login/subscribe
Lights Out downtown Rapid City, SD, turned off the lights downtown — But just for seven days. The city was recognizing Dark Sky Week (April 5 - 12), an annual event which aims to educate people about light pollution and encourage them to enjoy the night sky. The Rapid City Sustainability Committee and the local…To read more — login/subscribe
In Wilkes-Barre, PA (est. pop. 40,805), federal stimulus money paid for a program to market downtown businesses to new customers. The money also allowed the city to add a downtown ice-skating rink. In downtown Albuquerque, NM (est. pop. 560,447), stimulus funds brought more than a dozen small businesses into a district that had been hollowed…To read more — login/subscribe
When Jason Mathis moved to St. Petersburg, FL (est. pop. 258,308), to take over the city’s downtown organization, he immediately noticed two things. The first was that St. Petersburg boasts a surprisingly thriving arts scene anchored by the Salvador Dali Museum. That venue alone, devoted to works of the Spanish surrealist famous for his images…To read more — login/subscribe
In response to an increasing number of traffic fatalities involving pedestrians and cyclists, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) is pumping billions of dollars into street design. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2022 established the Safe Streets and Roads for All program, including $1 billion a year for five years to fund local enhancements…To read more — login/subscribe
The coronavirus pandemic proved devastating for many downtowns. But now that the world has resumed traveling, dining out, and — to a lesser extent — working from offices, downtowns are experiencing a revival. This latest shift in consumer behavior presents both a challenge and an opportunity, says Steve Chandler, a brand strategist and owner of…To read more — login/subscribe
