Downtown Idea Exchange

Each month downtown leaders turn to Downtown Idea Exchange for practical news reports, how-to information, and hundreds of real-world examples of how downtowns are growing and prospering.

 


Street design and recovery

November 1, 2020
The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) has released a new guide, Streets for Pandemic Response and Recovery. The online guide provides cities with strategies they can use to redesign and adapt streets for new uses during the pandemic and recovery.  The report compiles successful practices from cities worldwide such as converting curbside lanes…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Comeback Cuisine

November 1, 2020
As staff began returning to work at their offices, the Milwaukee Downtown BID #21 launched a program aimed at garnering support for downtown restaurants. The Comeback Cuisine initiative encourages companies to purchase boxed lunches for their employees as a “welcome back” or “thank you” for their continued service. The BID’s goal is to generate the…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Classic sidewalk sales breathe new life into city center

November 1, 2020
A sidewalk sale in downtown Dayton, OH, brought out shoppers and hungry residents on a cool October day. The open-air event featured: • Outdoor merchandise displays • Downtown eateries with take-away food and drink specials, and outdoor patios • Roving entertainers including musicians and magicians • Local artisans selling their goods • Free, fall-themed coloring…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Design playbook showcases pandemic solutions

November 1, 2020
The Canadian Urban Institute and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada have released the Main Street Design Challenge Playbook, a collection of design solutions that can be implemented during and after the pandemic. View the playbook in its entirety. The challenge sought to demonstrate the role of design in the revitalization of main streets, including…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Downtown Idea Exchange, November 2020

November 1, 2020
To read more — login/sign up

 

Seven strategies for salvaging the holiday shopping season

October 1, 2020
During the coronavirus recession, American consumers turned away from brick-and-mortar retail and toward online shopping. It’s a trend that doesn’t bode well for downtown retail activity heading into November and December. To salvage the holiday shopping season, downtown leaders must be realistic about the conflicting trends that are roiling consumer behavior, says Matthew Wagner, vice…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Narrower roads, not wider ones, are the answer to traffic congestion, urbanists say

October 1, 2020
In downtown Little Rock, AR (est. pop. 197,868), the Interstate 30 bridge across the Arkansas River grows congested at every rush hour. The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department responded with a predictable solution: It has embarked on a massive widening of the roadway from six lanes to 12 lanes. The bridge connects downtown Little Rock…To read more — login/subscribe