For many downtown leaders, the pandemic playbook included such moves as encouraging outdoor dining, creating pick-up zones, loosening rules around public consumption of alcohol, and otherwise supporting merchants through a tough time. In South Florida, the Miami Downtown Development Authority struck a more aggressive tone. In October 2020, the DDA launched its Follow the Sun…To read more — login/subscribe
Public restrooms pose a conundrum in downtowns everywhere. If you want to welcome visitors, you need clean commodes. But many a public washroom has been commandeered for uses that may make visitors uncomfortable. Athens, GA (est. pop. 126,718), is addressing the dilemma by adding a pricey potty known as the Portland Loo to its downtown.…To read more — login/subscribe
In mid-October, the Downtown Development Authority in West Palm Beach, FL (est. pop. 111,952), launched a three-month pilot project to sponsor the downtown’s on-demand electric shuttle. The service, provided by an operator known as Circuit, offers rides throughout downtown and the town of Palm Beach. “We’re constantly looking for opportunities to reduce congestion and…To read more — login/subscribe
Duluth, MN (est. pop. 85,617), will invest $300,000 in social services outreach to address its downtown homeless population. The City Council in September approved directing the money to the city’s Greater Downtown Council. The $300,000 comes from American Rescue Plan money and will cover three years of services. The Greater Downtown Council will contract with…To read more — login/subscribe
As the COVID-19 pandemic created a mental health crisis, urban planners Jenny Roe and Layla McCay formulated a new way of thinking about the role of urban design in fostering healthy environments. Their new book, Restorative Cities: Urban Design for Mental Health and Wellbeing, outlines seven concepts that are fundamental to this emerging topic of…To read more — login/subscribe
Billboard welcomes workers downtown When Promedica, a nonprofit healthcare system, moved its corporate office to downtown Toledo, OH, in 2017 the management team wanted to be sure that everyone felt welcome in the new location. One part of the welcome campaign came in the form of a strategically placed digital billboard. The words, “Promedica Welcomes…To read more — login/subscribe
Back in the 2000s, there was little reason to visit downtown Sisters, OR (est. pop. 2,643). The main thoroughfare was a high-speed freight route, and there were few reasons for traffic to slow, or for visitors to stop. The sidewalks were narrow and poorly maintained. And the mix of businesses was uninviting. But Sisters has…To read more — login/subscribe
In an effort to breathe new life into downtown districts nationwide, two U.S. Senators and three Representatives introduced the Revitalizing Downtowns Act. The bill — which is supported by the International Downtown Association and by three dozen smaller downtown organizations — was sponsored by Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D—MI) and Gary Peters (D—MI) and Reps. Jimmy…To read more — login/subscribe
Most cities that built pedestrian malls in the 1960s and 1970s quickly abandoned the experiments. Galveston, TX, Ashtabula, OH, and Fayetteville, NC, removed their failing pedestrian malls soon after installing them. However, in some cities decades-old pedestrian malls continue to thrive. Downtowns in Boulder, CO, Charlottesville, VA, and New Orleans boast bustling pedestrian malls. With…To read more — login/subscribe
