For a quarter-century, the Downtown Improvement District (DID) in Reading, PA (est. pop. 88,373), managed the city’s declining urban core. The DID’s ambassadors picked up trash, and the organization hosted summer concerts, a holiday parade, and other events. However, Reading never experienced a true downtown renaissance, and questions about the DID’s effectiveness festered. Those doubts…To read more — login/subscribe
This year, Fayetteville, AR (est. pop. 87,585), became the first U.S. locale to win the Bike City designation from the Union Cycliste Internationale, the sport’s Swiss-based world governing body. Thanks to years of effort, biking is big business in Fayetteville. The investment includes an expansive trail network, on-street cycling infrastructure, and ambitious biking initiatives. The…To read more — login/subscribe
With diversity and racial equity hot topics in many communities, downtown leaders have struggled with a notable challenge: How do you get the public to give input at public hearings? And if you’re a transit agency running public bus routes, how do you make sure to hear from a constituency not known for vocal civic…To read more — login/subscribe
Ambitious operators are embracing the growing concept of ghost kitchens. In one example, REEF Technology of Miami, FL, has amassed 5,000 urban locations nationally. In another, the former CEO of Uber launched CloudKitchens and has invested more than $100 million on sites in two dozen cities. These kitchens are essentially restaurants without the dining space.…To read more — login/subscribe
Topeka, KS (est. pop. 125,318), is betting on biotechnology. The city will invest in a new innovation campus downtown. The city’s Joint Economic Development Organization voted in May to approve up to $5.87 million toward developing the district. The money would be allocated over the next nine years. “Mark this day in your calendar, and…To read more — login/subscribe
An apartment developer hopes to prove that Americans are ready to embrace car-free living. Culdesac Tempe is a new 636-unit rental community in Tempe, AZ. When the project opens for occupancy this year, residents won’t be allowed to bring vehicles with them. “The vision of Culdesac is to build the first car-free city in the…To read more — login/subscribe
In downtowns large and small, curbsides are getting congested. Everyone, it seems, craves a parking spot along Main Street. Delivery drivers, bikeshare stations, and Uber operators compete with local residents for that increasingly scarce metered spot by the curb. “In our rapidly changing world, the humble curb is seeing a convergence of competing uses,” write…To read more — login/subscribe
It’s a decades-old story: After a suburban mall opened, downtown lost many of its merchants. But with the retail landscape changing, one downtown is reversing the script. The Downtown Development Authority in Alpena, MI (est. pop. 10,034), sees opportunity in the repurposing of an old mall. With the Alpena Mall changing ownership and some tenants…To read more — login/subscribe
When St. Petersburg, FL (est. pop. 265,358), installed a gay pride streetscape in 2020, it started something of a trend in the Sunshine State. City officials in Delray Beach (est. pop. 69,449) liked the concept so much that they copied it. So did Boynton Beach (est. pop. 78,690). Inspired by St. Petersburg’s streetscape — a…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtown re-opening event Local Palooza was created to welcome the community back to outdoor, in-person gatherings while supporting downtown Lafayette, LA’s arts and small business community. The free event featured continuous live entertainment in and around downtown’s Parc Sans Souci as well as local vendors from the Louisiana Crafts Guild, and food and beverages for…To read more — login/subscribe
