Downtown Idea Exchange

• Downtowns use grant program to host free concerts
• Downtown leaders attempt to quell increase in violence
• How a city transformed a car-dominated street into a pedestrian-friendly one
• On iconic street, activists want to go car-free — merchants push back
• How downtowns are incorporating heat mitigation into their designs
• Large apartment project pushes parking envelope
• Pedestrian park replaces interstate ramp
• How one city maintains order in its scooter program
• Grant program funds projects in small towns
• Idea Exchange: Quick Tips and News from Around the Country

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Toccoa, GA (est. pop. 8,328), boasts a thriving downtown and a bustling historic theater. It has even carved out a niche as a setting for filmmakers looking for an iconic courtroom and Main Street. The turnaround came only after the rural town decided to tear up a downtown pedestrian mall, and to remove the ugly…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Downtown Denison, TX (est. pop. 24,851), hosts nearly 700 events a year, a brisk pace that generates a steady stream of activity. The hectic schedule has also forced downtown leaders to be mindful about how to pace the events so that they help rather than hinder downtown merchants. “We’ve got to consider that our businesses…To read more — login/subscribe

 

In San Diego, CA (est. pop. 1,414,515), a decades-long experiment to revitalize a long-neglected community has made notable progress. In one unusual turnaround strategy, the family foundation that has invested heavily in the region sold shares of a now-bustling retail center to local residents. After decades of effort, the area is showing signs of improvement.…To read more — login/subscribe

 

During the depths of the pandemic, outdoor dining provided a lifeline for downtowns. Office buildings went empty, concerts and festivals were canceled, and indoor dining was called off — but at least sidewalk service allowed downtown restaurants to keep the lights on. In Los Angeles, for instance, a survey of restaurant owners found that 81…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Perhaps no city illustrates the challenge of downtown leadership as vividly as San Jose, CA. On the one hand, the city is the center of Silicon Valley, an affluent region where the typical home sells for $1.4 million and median family income is nearly $170,000. On the other, downtown has a problem with homelessness, and…To read more — login/subscribe

 

In response to a spate of property crimes aimed at merchants, San Francisco city officials have launched a new grant program that aims to help small businesses recover from damage done to their storefronts by thieves and vandals. The Storefront Vandalism Relief Grant program provides $1,000 to $2,000 to businesses that must absorb the costs…To read more — login/subscribe

 

When the pandemic began, office landlord Larry Feldman acknowledged he was “curled up in a fetal position.” Feldman, chief executive officer of Feldman Equities, owns downtown office buildings in Florida, and he worried that leasing activity was going into a long hibernation. After all, an exodus from dense downtowns was the theme of the day.…To read more — login/subscribe

 

• Small downtown uses multi-pronged approach to drive turnaround
• City’s active schedule of events activates downtown
• Four lessons from a marginal neighborhood’s turnaround
• Cities struggle to set outdoor dining fees
• Downtown park illustrates challenges, promise of urban green space
• Amid crime wave, city offers new support to businesses
• In some downtowns, office markets recover from pandemic blow
• Idea Exchange: Quick Tips and News from Around the Country

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Bike patrols increase In April the Philadelphia Center City District (CCD) announced that it would expand its downtown bike patrol program. Bike patrols have been operating in the city center since late 2020 as part of a larger citywide initiative focused on public safety. The patrols operate from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven day…To read more — login/subscribe