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…
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…
When it comes to business signage, many commercial areas are a free-for-all of ads of all shapes, sizes, and colors. If your downtown could be described as an "ugly, cluttered, sign-overloaded district," it’s time to clean up, says Ed McMahon, chairman emeritus of Main Street America and a senior fellow at the Urban Land Institute.…