Valerie Marmone once ran a clothing boutique in Sacramento, so she knows firsthand how hard it is to operate a retail business in an era of tight margins and online shopping. In her post-entrepreneurial career, Marmone works as vice president of business development at the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. In that role, she runs the annual…Continue reading
Chicago’s downtown district and its North Side are thriving, but its South and West sides continue to struggle. In response, Mayor Lori Lightfoot kicked off Invest South/West, a three-year plan that seeks to invest $750 million in dormant and struggling retail areas in 10 neighborhoods, including Austin, Auburn Gresham, New City, and Bronzeville. The city’s…To read more — login/subscribe
…unique development problems of downtowns in small urban communities. From the case studies, they draw a set of key principles that underscore successful downtown development efforts in small cities Major sections of the book cover: Principles of downtown development in small cities, Urban design and infrastructure redevelopment,… Continue reading
Dogs bring new life to underused park This summer, the City of Jackson, MI, opened its first dog park. The downtown has seen a housing boom in recent years, with hundreds of new apartment units added. The park, which is located a short walk from downtown, will give local dogs a place to roam off-leash…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtown leaders in Milwaukee, WI (est. pop. 569,326), plan a dog park as part of an ongoing overhaul of the languishing area along — and under — Interstate 794. The interstate was part of a nationwide development of highways that divided many downtowns during the 20th century. In the case of I-794, the 3.75-mile roadway…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
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
Like many cities, Durham, NC, wants commuters to take the bus, ride their bikes, and generally find ways to get downtown other than the standard solo drive. Unlike most cities, Durham is tapping into the discipline of behavioral economics to change drivers’ behavior. The first strategy, a planning tool algorithm, creates a personalized route that…Continue reading
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
