Flowers, exercise mats, off-duty police: How downtowns are luring workers back
June 1, 2023
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
Downtown leaders have long debated the pros and cons of parallel parking vs. diagonal parking. Hollister, CA (est. pop. 37,835), is trying a different approach: It’s one of a handful of cities using back-in angled parking. In 2018, the city introduced back-in parking at San Benito High School. Now, it’s adding the angled spots downtown.…
For decades after it opened in 1930, the Soo Theatre was the place to see a movie in Sault Ste. Marie, MI (est. pop. 13,591). But when a multiplex came to town, the one-screen cinema struggled and finally closed its doors in 1998. A local nonprofit formed to buy the building in 2003. And while…
Does downtown Memphis, TN, have too much parking, or too little? The complicated answer: Yes to both queries. “It really depends on when, where, and how far away you want to park,” says Brett Roler, vice president of planning and development at the Downtown Memphis Commission. Visitors can struggle to find spots at peak hours.…
Sandusky, OH (est. pop. 24,651), is coping with challenges familiar to downtown leaders in many Rust Belt cities. For half a century, the city has lost factory jobs, and its population has steadily declined. But Sandusky isn’t giving up. The small city is leveraging its easy access to Lake Erie, its historic architecture, and a…
Seen from the sidewalk, most American downtowns appear to be doing well. Maybe not every storefront is full, but there’s enough activity to create vibrancy and interest. But take a look up, and the story is different. Most upper-story space sits empty and unused. The Institute for Policy Research & Engagement at the University of…
TIF remains popular, but beware the pitfalls — Tax-increment financing (TIF) is a common tool for cities to fund economic development. City leaders assume that TIF will spur new development, increase property values, and create new tax revenue that would not have existed otherwise. Read more from David Merriman on Tax Increment Financing.
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