Downtown Idea Exchange

• Festivals use cross-promotion to broaden reach
• HUD 108 loans offer attractive financing for downtown development
• Mass shooting spurs added attempts to make downtown safe
• Farmers markets benefit downtowns of all sizes
• Scooter proponent shares lessons learned 
• City develops process, guidelines for building tree canopy
• After years of disuse, office building is converted to hotel 
• Downtown aims to attract visitors to Kentucky Bourbon Trail
• Idea Exchange: Quick Tips and News from Around the Country

To read more — login/sign up

The city center in Kansas City, MO (est. pop. 491,158), has experienced “vast improvements” over the past two decades, says Bill Dietrich, president and chief executive officer of the Downtown Council of Kansas City. In an attempt to build on that momentum, Dietrich spearheaded a sweeping proposal that calls for even more changes in the…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Downtowns nationwide have embraced outdoor consumption of alcohol. In Ohio, for example, dozens of municipalities have legalized public drinking at designated places and during certain times. In North Carolina, downtowns likewise have begun to accept the concept. But in Wisconsin, the idea of designated outdoor refreshment areas, or DORAs, has met local resistance. In late…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Historic buildings enhance the charm of any downtown. They create an undeniable sense of place. But maintaining, restoring, and reusing historic structures can be an expensive and complicated undertaking. To help with the challenges of historic preservation, there’s an array of funding sources, partnerships, and tax credits available to property owners and downtown leaders. The…To read more — login/subscribe

 

By ushering in a new age of public meetings on Zoom, some predicted, the coronavirus pandemic was poised to intensify public engagement in downtown planning. Instead, researchers report, the opposite happened: If anything, public discourse grew more passive. That’s the conclusion of three academics who interviewed municipal planners about how the pandemic has affected discourse…To read more — login/subscribe

 

The Craft Beer Festival in Hattiesburg, MS (est. pop. 46,010), is a big deal for downtown. The event attracts some 2,000 people and serves as an important annual fundraiser. When the 2021 event was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, downtown leaders got creative. They organized a “little sister event” to the larger festival. “It…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Albuquerque, NM (est. pop. 560,447), aims to reduce crime downtown by stepping up police patrols. The initiative is called Downtown TEAM, for Targeted Enforcement and Active Monitoring. The city is putting more officers on the streets at night, when criminal activity peaks. Mayor Tim Keller calls TEAM the most significant part of a multi-pronged approach…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Montreal is widely known as the most bike-friendly city in North America. The city boasts more than 550 miles of bike lanes, many of them physically divided from vehicular traffic. Some of them are even plowed during Montreal’s snowy winters. What’s more, Montreal runs a city-owned bikeshare program. The Bixi fleet includes 7,270 regular bikes…To read more — login/subscribe

 

The proliferation of properties being marketed on Airbnb, VRBO, and other platforms has created concern in many municipalities. Critics say the short-term rentals disrupt neighborhood cohesiveness with constant turnover and occasional loud parties. Others point to rentals as contributing to rising real estate prices and a shortage of affordable housing. Traverse City, MI (est. pop.…To read more — login/subscribe