Downtown Idea Exchange – Web Extras
October 1, 2020
In one downtown, self-parking garage shows glimpse of future — In an initiative that promises to reduce the amount of downtown space devoted to parking, Ford, auto parts maker Bosch, and a prominent landlord in Detroit are developing a self-parking garage in that city’s downtown. See Ford’s video of its automated valet project below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok9ACzmGpUA
...Outdoor kiosks breathe new life into long-dormant space — In downtown Muskeegan, MI, an empty block was filled with small businesses in pop-up chalets. Read the full story in this archive article. ...
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…
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…
The little town of North Bend, WA (est. pop. 6,983), enacted a form-based code for its downtown in June, making it the latest municipality to embrace this type of zoning. Earlier this year, Fort Smith, AR (est. pop. 87,895), approved a form-based code for its downtown. That city’s zoning changes, which aim to make downtown…
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…