Walkable streetscapes and new mobility options are in demand, but there’s a dark side to U.S. traffic statistics. Nationwide pedestrian deaths rose in 2019 to their highest level in three decades, even as the nation’s roadway crash fatalities overall have been falling, according to a new report. Some 6,590 pedestrians died after being struck by…To read more — login/subscribe
With their disruptions to traffic flow and parking, construction projects are the bane of downtown leaders. In a rare bright side to the coronavirus pandemic, some downtowns are using the economic pause to accelerate infrastructure improvements. In Pensacola, FL (est. pop. 52,562), Gulf Power has accelerated work on an $83 million project to improve the…To read more — login/subscribe
Twenty start-ups are headquartered at the Innovation Hub in Haverhill, MA, the newest business incubator established by the University of Massachusetts. Start-ups receive access to shared co-working space, conference rooms, and the university’s secure, high-speed wireless network. In addition, the incubator is home to the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce and the Service Corps of…To read more — login/subscribe
Global City Norwich is taking a multi-year approach to downtown revitalization and filling vacant commercial space. It all starts with welcoming the many diverse communities in this Connecticut city. Global City is a unique revitalization model, says Robert Mills, president of the Norwich Community Development Corporation. “Instead of starting off by just addressing empty storefronts…To read more — login/subscribe
Bennington, VT, has won a grant to support the design and fabrication of a downtown kiosk that will display information about historic sites, cultural attractions, and other amenities in the Bennington area. The kiosk will feature QR codes that link to online maps and walking tours. Printed walking tour brochures will also be available. The…To read more — login/subscribe
The Toledo City Plan Commission is considering using empty space on the sides of buildings for advertisements. The local ABC affiliate reports that the goal is decorative as well as financial. “The idea is to change the code and allow advertisers to put up large-scale poster or LED advertisements on the side of buildings downtown.…To read more — login/subscribe
A surface parking lot in the West End Historic District of downtown Dallas will soon be replaced with a modern new green space. Called West End Square, the park will include a number of features to encourage gathering for active and passive recreation as well as for work. The design includes a steel trellis and…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtowns are positioned to rebound strongly from the coronavirus pandemic. When that rebound might occur, however, is uncertain. That’s according to downtown leaders interviewed by Downtown Idea Exchange as the global pandemic spread. “Will we come back? Absolutely,” says Dewitt Peart, president of the Downtown Austin Alliance in Austin, TX (est. pop. 964,243). However, Peart…To read more — login/subscribe
When the coronavirus closed downtown Wilmington, NC (est. pop. 122,610), for business, Ed Wolverton thought back to the city’s hurricane of 2018. In the aftermath of that disaster, he telegraphed the message that downtown was open for business. In this latest shock, he delivered the same news, but with a twist. Wolverton, president and chief…To read more — login/subscribe
