Kiosks in Santa Cruz, CA (top), and Denver, CO (bottom). Downtowns big and small grapple with the challenge of building a roster of successful merchants. Many have taken a proactive approach by offering pop-up spaces and kiosks for start-ups seeking a place to do business without a prohibitive upfront investment. Executed properly, pop-ups and kiosks…To read more — login/subscribe
The downtown district in West Palm Beach, FL (est. pop. 117,253), is home to three state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. A fourth dispensary is also set to open in the urban core — but downtown leaders say that’s enough pot shops for now. However, state law might tie the city’s hands. In November, the West Palm…To read more — login/subscribe
It’s no secret that Downtown Pittsburgh has a poop problem. The mayor has publicly lamented the issue, and downtown visitors and workers would be hard-pressed to miss the reality. Pittsburgh’s public defecation and urination have grown so extreme that the Building Owners & Managers Association of Pittsburgh hired a local college, Point Park University, to…To read more — login/subscribe
A decade ago, the downtown in Lake City, SC (est. pop. 6,028), was desolate. The city’s cotton industry had long ago left town. And Lake City was no longer on the way to the beach. “It looked like a bomb went off in downtown,” says Randy Wilson, president of Community Design Solutions. The city wanted…To read more — login/subscribe
In recent years, Elizabeth Cook noticed that building owners in Charles Town, WV (est. pop. 6,373), stopped applying for the city’s façade improvement grants. The problem? Every building owner who needed a grant had already gotten one. So Cook, downtown coordinator at Charles Town Now, came up with a plan to transition the program to…To read more — login/subscribe
A new parking program has debuted in downtown Salisbury, NC (est. pop. 33,961), one that lets downtown residents and workers lease spaces for $35 a month or $420 a year. The city’s Downtown Development Department set aside 30 downtown spaces for motorists who want to pay for parking. “We wanted to start with something manageable…To read more — login/subscribe
Seen from the sidewalk, most American downtowns appear to be doing well. Maybe not every storefront is full, but there’s enough activity to create vibrancy and interest. But take a look up, and the story is different. Most upper-story space sits empty and unused. The Institute for Policy Research & Engagement at the University of…To read more — login/subscribe
After a two-year renovation that cost $33 million, the library in downtown Spokane, WA (est. pop. 229,065), reopened in a reimagined format. No longer a warehouse for books, the library features a number of new amenities, including study rooms, recording facilities, and art studios open to the community. There’s also a business incubator and a…To read more — login/subscribe
Eye-catching murals draw attention to garage A public art project is bringing new life to the Midtown Parking Deck in downtown Lynchburg, VA. Each of the four floors boasts a unique design ranging from geometric to floral patterns. The lively new look was created to beautify and to dispel some misconceptions about downtown parking. Susan…To read more — login/subscribe
