When you think about winter in Canada, outdoor dining and shopping may not come to mind. Yet, CBC Canada reports that several Canadian cities are extending temporary patio programs into the fall and winter and taking other measures to support physical distancing at shops, restaurants, and bars. For example, the City of Ottawa has extended…To read more — login/subscribe
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
In August, the City of Rochester, NH, converted downtown’s one-way North Main Street from two lanes to one. The change provided space for restaurants and other businesses to offer on-street dining. The short-term measure has proven so successful that the city is now considering making the change permanent. Support has been strong from business owners…To read more — login/subscribe
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
When downtown boosters in tiny Tionesta, PA (est. pop. 326), suggested activating a long-vacant lot by using garden sheds as outdoor kiosks, the reaction was mixed. Some wondered if downtown Tionesta would simply be home to a flea market. One wag derided the concept as “sheds on sleds.” Seven years later, the Tionesta Market Village…To read more — login/subscribe
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
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
The coronavirus pandemic has spurred an increase in bicycle commuting, a trend welcomed by many downtown leaders. But when cyclists zip through crowded sidewalks, the situation can get downright dangerous. In Longmont, CO (est. pop. 95,986), city leaders were disturbed by regular sightings of cyclists riding on downtown sidewalks. City Councilwoman Polly Christensen called cyclists’…To read more — login/subscribe
A few years ago, Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis experienced something of a dress rehearsal for the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pedestrian street was disrupted by construction in 2018, pedestrian traffic dropped from 20,000 people a day to just 13,000. “It was kind of a ghost town during construction,” says Lisa Middag, director of Nicollet…To read more — login/subscribe
