Downtown Idea Exchange

Amid another sweltering summer, downtown leaders are wondering how they can create some relief for downtown visitors. One solution is to look to the past when colorful awnings shaded both storefronts and pedestrians.  The National Park Service says that owners of historic buildings are rediscovering awnings. “Local main street preservation programs encouraging — and in…To read more — login/subscribe

 

In Chicago, a group known as The Divvy Fishers Society has been retrieving discarded bike-share cycles from the chilly waters of Lake Michigan. The teams of volunteers use ropes and carabiners to drag Divvy bikes from the lake, reports BlockClubChicago. Bike sharing has emerged as a popular micromobility option in downtowns worldwide. But a number…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Start planning for cookie season Downtowns across the nation will welcome cookie sellers to their streets in February. Since 1917 Girl Scouts have been selling the seasonal treats in January through April. Cookie booths are typically set up on sidewalks, in building lobbies, and in retail locations. For example, Sommerville, NJ, hosts scouts at Starbucks,…To read more — login/subscribe

 

• As curbs grow chaotic, downtowns look for solutions
• Downtown busker festivals continue to draw crowds
• 10 rules for making downtown safer and more walkable
• Supreme Court allows cities to enforce bans on people sleeping outdoors
• Five fundamentals for an inviting downtown
• Federal government offers grants for EV charging stations
• Looking to cast some shade on your downtown sidewalks? Canopies can do the job
• Submerged bikes pollute Chicago lakefront
• Idea Exchange

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For decades, urban planners have criticized one-way streets. The traffic flow is unsafe for pedestrians and unhelpful to merchants, they say. The critique is beginning to resonate — a growing number of cities are rethinking their traffic patterns. Atlanta, GA, Louisville, KY, and Cincinnati, OH, are among the cities converting one-way streets to two-way travel.…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Every downtown is trying to attract visitors and showcase the shops, restaurants, museums, and other public places that make them unique. While paper maps and wayfinding signs are tried-and-true ways to guide visitors, residents, and workers, many downtowns have embraced a new tool — interactive maps that let downtown leaders tell their story via mobile…To read more — login/subscribe

 

When it comes to bike lanes, U.S. cities are known to be well behind their peers in Europe and Canada. But that’s changing, according to the advocacy group People for Bikes. More protected bike lanes and safety-minded bike networks are being built than ever before, the group says. In hopes of inspiring other downtowns to…To read more — login/subscribe

 

In an effort to revive a stagnant urban core, Chicago is being especially generous in providing public subsidies to convert obsolete office space into apartments and hotels. In one major initiative, Mayor Brandon Johnson is supporting a plan to convert vacant office space in the financial district to 1,000 apartments, partly using city subsidies. The…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Downtown West Palm Beach, FL (est. pop. 117,000), has attracted a number of medical marijuana businesses. But as the city’s commercial and residential development booms, the Downtown Development Authority began to push back. In 2022, Raphael Clemente, head of the Downtown Development Authority, asked city officials to stop approving dispensaries. In 2023, the city commission…To read more — login/subscribe

 

Downtown Lawrence, KS (est. pop. 95,784), just hosted the 25th annual version of an event titled Art Tougeau (pronounced “Art To Go”). It’s essentially a moving display of art, in the form of a downtown parade. Vehicles include bikes, scooters, skateboards, cars, and wheelchairs, all creatively decorated. Prizes and bragging rights are awarded by the…To read more — login/subscribe