For years, downtown leaders in Tybee Island, GA (est. pop. 3,124), mostly guessed at visitor information. The bridge coming into town from Savannah was outfitted with vehicle-counting sensors, so Tybee’s leaders had a general idea of how many people were coming to the beachfront town. But the era of big data has allowed Tybee Island…To read more — login/subscribe
Albuquerque, NM (est. pop. 562,591), is trying a novel approach to quelling crime in a problematic area downtown: It’s bringing in food trucks. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller has labeled two parking lots on Central Avenue “drivers of crime.” To address the issues there, the city plans a “food truck corral” that will operate on Friday…To read more — login/subscribe
Albuquerque, NM, is trying a novel approach to quelling crime in a problematic area downtown: It’s bringing in food trucks. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller has labeled two parking lots on Central Avenue as "drivers of crime." To address the issues there, the city plans a "food truck corral" that will operate on Friday and Saturday…Continue reading
In Philadelphia (est. pop. 1,576,251), downtown leaders are trying to coax workers out of their home offices and back into their formal workplaces. They’re setting up activities in building lobbies and assuring commuters that it’s safe to return. In Arlington, VA (est. pop. 232,965), a business improvement district is courting workers with water bottles, exercise…To read more — login/subscribe
This year, Small Business Saturday — a crucial event for downtowns vying with suburban retail destinations — is scheduled for November 25. The event provides an opportunity for downtown leaders to foster community engagement, and for independent businesses to shine. But moving foot traffic and dollars from big box stores and online retailers takes focused…To read more — login/subscribe
Somerset, KY, unveiled a new wayfinding system that features directional and informational signs throughout downtown streets. The signs carry the city’s brand and logo, and their role is both practical and less obvious revealing connections, highlighting diversity, and demonstrating community pride. The network was launched in Somerset’s downtown core with plans to expand to other…Continue reading
Teslas and other electric vehicles are a common sight on American roadways. While EV stations are showing up in public spaces in some downtowns, the charging infrastructure has mostly been hidden away in privately owned garages or on privately owned parking lots of shopping centers and hotels. With a wave of new EVs expected in…To read more — login/subscribe
In San Diego, CA (est. pop. 1,414,515), a decades-long experiment to revitalize a long-neglected community has made notable progress. In one unusual turnaround strategy, the family foundation that has invested heavily in the region sold shares of a now-bustling retail center to local residents. After decades of effort, the area is showing signs of improvement.…To read more — login/subscribe
Community Visioning for Place Making is a fascinating and actionable guide to engaging with communities to design better public spaces. It includes 10 steps to successfully completing a Community Visioning process for any location, be that a single block, neighborhood, or city center. In addition… Continue reading
In an effort to fill vacant downtown space, the Downtown Memphis Commission took the contrarian approach of eliminating some traditional incentives for new businesses.Leslie Gower, vice president of marketing and communications explains in the February issue of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter. "We worked with our broker community regarding trends, and what they are hearing in terms…Continue reading
