The City of Santa Monica, CA, acted quickly to make it easier for new and existing businesses to open as the city recovers from the pandemic. “We’re creating opportunities and eliminating barriers for existing and new businesses alike, while retaining the thoughtful process that protects our community values,” says Mayor Kevin McKeown. The changes will…To read more — login/subscribe
As part of the re-opening plans in Peterborough, England, the city council is providing advice for shoppers. The cathedral city joined the nation in re-opening doors to non-essential shops in mid-June. All Peterborough shops and public areas have been asked to complete the government’s Covid-19 risk assessment and to display it in their windows. The…To read more — login/subscribe
Signage is an important part of reopening in Fort Lee, NJ. The Fort Lee Downtown Business Alliance is placing signage in public areas throughout the district to promote safe distancing and to remind customers to wear face coverings. The alliance is also helping local business spread the safe-reopening message within their shops and restaurants with…To read more — login/subscribe
Restaurants and bars will spill out into downtown Stillwater, MN’s, Lowell Park this spring and summer. Located along the St. Croix River, the park features a river walk, open air amphitheater, riverfront fishing, large lawns, and a pedestrian plaza with tables and chairs. The city will add picnic tables and garbage and recycling cans to…To read more — login/subscribe
The recovery from the coronavirus crisis threatens to be arduous and slow-moving. But architects Alan Pullman and Shannon Heffernan say there are steps cities and their downtowns can take now to speed the revival. Pullman and Heffernan, of urban design firm Studio One Eleven in Long Beach, CA, urge cities to use “parklets” and “flex…To read more — login/subscribe
A play on the word “parklet,” a pedlet allows for outdoor dining on the sidewalk while the adjacent parking space is converted to a pedestrian way. This arrangement allows for unobstructed travel by both pedestrians and restaurant staff. Great Falls, MT, was an early adapter of the concept, launching its first pedlet in 2017. Last…To read more — login/subscribe
One downtown has dealt with a crush of Uber and Lyft drivers by directing the vehicles into designated rideshare hubs. Before the coronavirus shutdowns silenced downtown Orlando, FL (est. pop. 285,705), city officials say designating locations for drivers to pick up downtown patrons improved traffic flow during the late-night rush hour when bars closed and…To read more — login/subscribe
A reopening of the U.S. economy doesn’t mean activity levels in downtowns will immediately return to normal. As the coronavirus pandemic has dragged on, it has become clear that consumers and merchants will take time to resume old behavior patterns, says Matt Wagner, vice president of revitalization programs at Main Street America. That means downtown…To read more — login/subscribe
The coronavirus has shut down countless events, but Jennifer Rubenstein of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance in Louisville, KY, didn’t want to cancel the city’s annual Buy Local Fair entirely. So she moved the event online. For two days in May, Louisville hosted a virtual Buy Local Fair. For every $25 a shopper spent, they…To read more — login/subscribe
