In Portland, ME, a local couple envisioned a three-story, mixed-use building in the city’s Deering Center neighborhood. However, they faced a number of challenges. Such a building hadn’t gone up for years. And the developers — architects Kiya and Denis Lachman — were rookies. But they pursued the plan anyway, ultimately completing a structure that’s…To read more — login/subscribe
When Evan Kaufman became executive director of the Hopewell Downtown Partnership a decade ago, the small city’s core was struggling. The neglected downtown of Hopewell, VA (est. pop. 22,456), was filled with rundown buildings. Food options were sparse, and locals didn’t think downtown was safe. “In Hopewell, it was beyond downhill,” Kaufman recalls. “It had…To read more — login/subscribe
In January, Philadelphia’s Center City District passed the halfway point in its efforts to plant 200 new street trees. The overall goal of Plant Center City is to bring the total number of street trees in the district to 2,500. In making the announcement, the District notes the benefits of urban street trees: “Research on…To read more — login/subscribe
While many restaurants nationwide rely on third party services like Grubhub and Uber Eats to get meals delivered quickly, they bemoan the high commission rates. To help restaurants in downtown Jackson, MS, Visit Jackson and Downtown Jackson Partners teamed up with a local delivery service. The goal was to expand delivery options for local restaurants…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtown Beaverton, OR, is working to create a distinct district identity with one of a kind business signs. The Beaverton Downtown Association partnered with CoSign, a program of the American Sign Museum, as well as local artists, business owners, and sign fabricators to develop unique blade signs that project from the sides of building exteriors. …To read more — login/subscribe
Round three of the Downtown BC Placemakers Challenge is underway in Battle Creek, MI. The competition seeks to develop new leadership by funding downtown events and infrastructure projects. The events category seeks to fund “awesome projects that get people back together, engage them in their community, bring them downtown. These projects may be singular one-time…To read more — login/subscribe
A newly planted flower bed, a downtown dining brochure, sparkling lights illuminating the tops of downtown buildings, these are all ideas developed as part of the Hillsboro Downtown Partnership idea sharing project. The project received the 2020 Oregon Main Street award for best organizational tool. The project was born out of necessity. People came to…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtown leaders in Macon, GA (est. pop. 153,159), had an idea that seemed far-fetched. They hoped to spur interest in local merchants by printing their own currency, and then setting up a unique scavenger hunt based on the custom scrip. When local residents expanded the game to Facebook, and small businesses began hosting events based…To read more — login/subscribe
The Knight Foundation, which provided funding for Macon Money, says the program provided three valuable lessons: • Macon Money encouraged exploration. Games free people to try new things against a backdrop that’s playful and safe. In Macon Money, residents took advantage of their free currency to experiment with new spending habits: 46 percent of players…To read more — login/subscribe
