At first glance, Windham, CT (est. pop. 116,782), is a classic New England town. It boasts a quaint downtown, historic charm, and a wealth of Victorian buildings. On closer inspection, Windham is saddled with a reputation problem. Two once-grand hotels on historic Main Street fell into disrepair over the decades, and Windham, a once-thriving town,…To read more — login/subscribe
Northampton, MA (est. pop. 28,516), is working through an overhaul of zoning rules that would implement a form-based code in downtown and an adjacent neighborhood. It’s a step that’s gaining popularity nationwide as proponents of “missing middle” housing call for more flexibility in the types of property uses cities allow in and near downtowns —…To read more — login/subscribe
The pandemic dealt a number of blows to the once-thriving downtown in Sacramento, CA (est. pop. 513,620). Violent crime spiked and pedestrian traffic fell by more than 50 percent, according to the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. And a quarter of downtown businesses closed permanently during the first 18 months of the pandemic. In an effort to…To read more — login/subscribe
For decades after it opened in 1930, the Soo Theatre was the place to see a movie in Sault Ste. Marie, MI (est. pop. 13,591). But when a multiplex came to town, the one-screen cinema struggled and finally closed its doors in 1998. A local nonprofit formed to buy the building in 2003. And while…To read more — login/subscribe
In January, Smyrna, GA (est. pop. 56,628), approved the sale of nearly an acre of downtown land to brewery owners — but only after a long fight. The city council voted 5-2 to let the Downtown Development Authority sell 0.94 acres of undeveloped property to StillFire Brewing for $600,000. StillFire, which operates a brewery in…To read more — login/subscribe
In 2017 Buffalo, NY (est. pop. 255,300), became the first U.S. city to stop requiring developers to include a minimum amount of parking in new projects. Other cities followed, including Hartford, CT, and Santa Monica, CA. As the idea gains momentum, two researchers from the University of Buffalo wanted to know what happens when a…To read more — login/subscribe
More than a decade ago, Mankato, MN (est. pop. 42,093), kicked off a series of public art projects known as CityArt. A sculpture exhibit and walking tour are the centerpiece, but there are other public art initiatives, too. In 2021, the walking tour celebrated its 10th anniversary. The tour has stayed fresh for so long…To read more — login/subscribe
Crokicurl: A new downtown activity Memorial Square in Prince Albert, Sask., Canada, is drawing visitors downtown on even the coldest days. They are there to play crokicurl and maybe to linger for a warm drink and a little shopping. The Prince Albert BID explains this odd sounding activity: “Crokicurl is the brainchild of Public City…To read more — login/subscribe
Greensboro, NC (est. pop. 296,725), will launch a downtown social district in March. Within its boundaries, visitors will be able to stroll while carrying alcoholic beverages in specially labeled plastic cups. Greensboro is one of a number of North Carolina cities that have enacted, or are considering, downtown social districts after Gov. Roy Cooper in…To read more — login/subscribe
