Parking requirements designed for suburban shopping areas are sapping the life from downtown business districts, argues Charles L. Marohn Jr. “We don’t need the miles and miles of asphalt dictated by local governments’ minimum parking mandates,” says Marohn, president of the nonprofit organization Strong Towns and author of the 2019 book Strong Towns. “Communities have…To read more — login/subscribe
As Hurricane Florence loomed in September 2018, downtown leaders in Wilmington, NC (est. pop. 122,610), had plenty of time to prepare. Downtown Wilmington Inc. canceled a commercial property showcase and collected cell phone numbers from downtown merchants. Workers took down street banners, removed hanging flower baskets, and scoured the downtown district for trash can lids,…To read more — login/subscribe
Lauren Potter uses social media to promote downtown Phoenix, and she goes well beyond posting a quick photo and a few hastily crafted words. She once devoted three hours to creating an Instagram Story about a downtown project that used shipping containers in creative ways. “It does take time,” Potter says. “People understate how long…To read more — login/subscribe
For decades, downtown leaders have lamented highway-building projects that cut awkward paths through urban cores. The infrastructure boom of the 1950s and 1960s claimed many a victim, recreating traffic patterns in ways that trampled on pedestrianism and made clear that the needs of suburban residents trumped the quality of life of those living in the…To read more — login/subscribe
In little Bucksport, ME (est. pop. 2,682), the closing of a paper mill in 2014 led to a round of soul searching. “That mill had really defined our community and defined our downtown for 80 years,” says Brook Minner, head of Main Street Bucksport. Bucksport has just one stoplight on its main street, and the…To read more — login/subscribe
Wondering what downtown retail will look like in 2020 and beyond? The team at Stores, the magazine of the National Retail Federation has published its annual consumer trends predictions for the year ahead. Two trends likely to impact downtowns are: Read the full article • Consumers’ appetite for resale and recommerce continues to grow. Figures…To read more — login/subscribe
The new Downtown Master Plan for Missoula, MT, reflects feedback and input from over 4,000 people. Now, as the city looks to redesign and expand the possible uses of its downtown parks, it is turning to a special group for input: Children. With templates of the parks as guides, children were asked paste pictures of…To read more — login/subscribe
The downtown associations in two historic city centers have joined forces to support each other and grow the region. View a brief interview with Ingram and Knepper on the benefits of co-marketing The cities of Sault Ste. Marie Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, are separated by just six miles and the International Bridge.…To read more — login/subscribe
As part of its ongoing downtown revitalization effort, the City of Stoughton, MA, has launched a storefront and sign improvement program. The work will be funded by an almost $600,000 grant from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Massachusetts CDBG Program. The grant will provide funding for four full sign and façade…To read more — login/subscribe
Novice or professional, individual or group, adult or youth, gingerbread house contests and displays appeal to virtually everyone. And viewing and voting can engage visitors of all ages as well. An exciting take on this classic downtown event, has teams of architects competing against each other while onlookers observe their techniques. In Houston, the Gingerbread…To read more — login/subscribe
