Downtown Idea Exchange

• Free bus rides reduce parking shortage
• City uses marketing, business grants to keep downtown active
• Vacant to Vibrant initiative brings new life to vacant lots
• Vacant to Vibrant projects pop up nationally
• Downtown revamp to include back-in parking
• New approach to ambassadors creates welcoming vibe
• The transformative power of public spaces
• District gives visitors reasons to linger
• Shared commercial kitchens support start-ups, fill vacant space
• Downtowns should regulate big SUVs and pickups, expert says
• Temperatures drop, funding heats up
• Small town pulls together to create event space
• The role of the arts in reopening downtown
• Ice bars provide frosty entertainment
• Build Grants for downtowns
• Downtown gift card offers benefits to all

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Does downtown Memphis, TN, have too much parking, or too little? The complicated answer: Yes to both queries. “It really depends on when, where, and how far away you want to park,” says Brett Roler, vice president of planning and development at the Downtown Memphis Commission. Visitors can struggle to find spots at peak hours.…To read more — login/subscribe

 

In May, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms responded to the coronavirus pandemic with a number of emergency initiatives, including an end to parking enforcement in the city. The move, while well-intentioned, came with a downside, says David Wardell, vice president of operations and public safety at Central Atlanta Progress. “All the residents have tied up…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Downtown leaders in Grand Forks, ND (est. pop. 56,556), had a question: Could serving a free hot meal to hundreds of people, and encouraging them to talk to their neighbors, improve community pride and engagement? That is the premise behind Grand Forks’ Longest Table events. The experiment kicked off in 2018, when organizers assembled a…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the retail landscape was changing dramatically. The COVID-19 recession has accelerated merchants’ move back to Main Street, says Robert Gibbs, director of Gibbs Planning Group Inc. Some 75 percent of suburban shopping malls and 60 percent of large outdoor shopping malls, or power centers, will close by 2025, Gibbs predicts.…To read more — login/subscribe

 

As your downtown grows more sophisticated, and as retailers increasingly look to invest in main street locations, developing credible and comprehensive recruitment data is ever more important.  Emily Brett, senior manager of economic development at the Downtown Denver Partnership, offers these tips for developing recruitment data, and producing meaningful reports, without breaking your budget: •…To read more — login/subscribe

 

In Chicago and Reno, NV, downtown leaders are trying a new approach to homelessness. Instead of viewing homelessness as a criminal problem, these cities aim to guide troubled people toward solutions for their deep-seated issues. Both downtowns have hired social workers to work on the front lines. This new breed of downtown ambassadors is charged…To read more — login/subscribe

 

When protests in downtown Dallas turned violent in late May, protesters broke windows worth $5 million. Downtown Dallas Inc. turned lemons into lemonade — it used the boards as a canvas for a public art project. “We’re working with them to make sure it’s a pleasant and artistic experience, as opposed to just boards on…To read more — login/subscribe

 

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many downtowns to rethink their outdoor spaces. By summer, downtown leaders had adapted — vacant lots, sidewalks, and even streets gave way to al fresco dining. Now, though, the changing of the seasons will present a new challenge: Are downtown visitors willing to sit outside when the weather turns cold? “Everybody…To read more — login/subscribe

 

In normal times, Las Vegas’ casinos, conventions, and concerts bring a steady stream of visitors. During the coronavirus pandemic, however, Sin City has seen its famed Strip go unusually empty. To give local merchants a boost, the Downtown Vegas Alliance launched a “Playcation” promotion aimed at residents who are already in Vegas. “Downtown small business…To read more — login/subscribe