In Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, several organizations and the city have come together to position the downtown for reopening. “Over the years, we’ve had different groups working on the revitalization and development of downtown,” says Andrew Malcolm, City of Lethbridge, urban revitalization manager. “We felt that we could be more successful in promoting the amazing things…To read more — login/subscribe
While the pandemic has made it difficult for people to travel and vacation, staycations at local hotels enable them to get away without exposure to planes, trains, and crowds. Several cities are promoting staycations as their regions begin to reopen. The City of Indianapolis and Visit Indy have teamed up to launch a new campaign…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtown Walla Walla, WA (est. pop. 32,731), has reopened after the coronavirus shutdown, but with a number of new twists. A block near Main Street is closed to traffic and is now a plaza for outdoor dining. Main Street itself will close one night a week. Sidewalk liquor consumption is now allowed, within limits. And…To read more — login/subscribe
From a pop-up drive-in movie theater to a downtown-backed delivery service, communities across the United States are coming up with creative ways to come back from the coronavirus crisis. In May, Main Street America announced that eight downtowns had won grants of $10,000 each for innovative proposals. The grants — to six small towns, one…To read more — login/subscribe
Hendersonville, NC (est. pop. 13,840), is preparing to reopen and welcome customers back downtown. Prior to the pandemic, the city was a bustling place with a narrow Main Street, planters blooming with flowers, and strolling pedestrians. But it wasn’t always that way. Back in the 1970s, Hendersonville’s historic Main Street was so empty and so…To read more — login/subscribe
From Maine to California, downtowns are limiting vehicle traffic on streets. As cities look for ways to lure visitors back downtown, and ensure space for social distancing, roadways are being repurposed as outdoor dining spaces. In Rockland, ME (est. pop. 7,190), the city closed Main Street for two weekends in June and turned over the…To read more — login/subscribe
The coronavirus pandemic has hit many downtown organizations squarely in the pocketbook. By emptying business districts for two months, the health crisis has deprived organizations of revenues from special events and parking, as well as throwing property assessments and government contributions into question. The harsh financial reality is forcing downtown leaders to take a hard…To read more — login/subscribe
The Downtown Main Street Business Improvement District in Hendersonville, NC, faces a tight budget next year. Sales tax revenues for the 2019-2020 fiscal year are likely to be off about 20 percent, falling from $250,000 to $200,000 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, says Downtown Economic Development Director Lew Holloway. That means the Business…To read more — login/subscribe
As the coronavirus shut down its city center, Memphis, TN (est. pop. 650,632), faced a mass extinction of small merchants. The Downtown Memphis Commission responded quickly, handing out short-term loans totaling $260,000 to 46 businesses. The program was designed to provide emergency funding for small businesses that might not have been able to receive larger…To read more — login/subscribe
