Several new businesses planned to open in Somerset, OH (est. pop. 1,728), this year after getting a boost from a local entrepreneurial program. The village named the winner and three runners up for its second Pop-Up Business Competition.The winners include a vintage home decor store, an outdoor tour service, a health drink and retail store,…To read more — login/subscribe
For a quarter-century, the Downtown Improvement District (DID) in Reading, PA (est. pop. 88,373), managed the city’s declining urban core. The DID’s ambassadors picked up trash, and the organization hosted summer concerts, a holiday parade, and other events. However, Reading never experienced a true downtown renaissance, and questions about the DID’s effectiveness festered. Those doubts…To read more — login/subscribe
When Jason Duff was growing up in Bellefontaine, OH (est. pop. 13,574), his family owned a Hallmark card store downtown. The city center was thriving, and Duff recalls fond memories of working in his parents’ shop and learning to tie a necktie at the men’s clothing store downtown. But in the 1990s and the first…Continue reading
In downtowns large and small, curbsides are getting congested. Everyone, it seems, craves a parking spot along Main Street. Delivery drivers, bikeshare stations, and Uber operators compete with local residents for that increasingly scarce metered spot by the curb. “In our rapidly changing world, the humble curb is seeing a convergence of competing uses,” write…To read more — login/subscribe
The availability of paint that shows up only when it’s wet has inspired whimsical, low-cost "invisible art" projects on sidewalks nationwide. Each project takes a slightly different approach. Seattle’s invisible art is humorous, while Huntsville, AL, aims to bring literature to the public art scene. "We wanted it to be something unexpected that community members…Continue reading
Increases in new customers, rental incomes, and property values were seen in a recent study of the impact of facade improvement programs. To help downtown professionals better determine the ROI of these types of improvements, a team at the University of Wisconsin-Extension examined the impacts of storefront improvements over the past 15 years. “The intent…Continue reading
In Milwaukee, WI, an annual installation of sculptures from around the world attracts attention and visitors during the summer months. In Lakewood, CO, a four-mile long art trail is winning kudos for bringing new energy to a long-neglected neighborhood. The two projects offer differing strategies for using public art as a downtown development tool. In…To read more — login/subscribe
Streets make up more than 80 percent of public space in cities, but they often fail to provide the surrounding community with a space where people can safely walk, bicycle, drive, take transit, and socialize. The Urban Street Design Guide covers the principles and practices of the nation’s… Continue reading
