A new breed of business could lead a wave of downtown revitalization. Niche manufacturers — think craft jewelers, makers of small-batch lotions and cosmetics, and microbrewers — are a growing, but often overlooked, segment of the post-pandemic economy, says Ilana Preuss, founder of consulting firm Recast City. "There is this hidden economic engine in every…Continue reading
The federal government is directing hundreds of billions of dollars to states and cities, a windfall that has downtown leaders nationwide positioning themselves to get a piece of the pie. In March, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) into law. The initiative calls for $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus, including an infusion…To read more — login/subscribe
The summer kicked off with triple-digit temperatures in the Pacific Northwest. It was a record heat wave in an area not accustomed to high mercury readings. John Pattison, a content manager with Strong Towns saw the intense heat as a reminder of an unfortunate reality: There’s just not enough shade in many cities, and certainly…To read more — login/subscribe
As part of a redevelopment of their downtowns, two mid-sized cities are making an unusual move: They’re giving up the traditional model of a city-owned parcel housing City Hall. Instead, the cities are spurring downtown redevelopment projects by partnering with private developers. In the process, they’re moving city administrative offices into mixed-use developments. The cities…To read more — login/subscribe
Events spread out, take over streets Downtown event planners took a number of steps to ensure that summer and fall events were appropriately sized and not overly crowded. Among the strategies: Events are being scaled back and spread out across city streets and over multiple days. • The annual A Taste of Colorado food festival…To read more — login/subscribe
Back in 2016, New Haven, CT (est. pop. 130,257), launched a campaign to market locally produced goods by giving products a distinctive logo and promoting them under the Made in New Haven brand. As of mid-2021, the program is still going — although it has lost much of its momentum, one city official says. On…To read more — login/subscribe
Ben Shardlow, director of urban design at the Mpls Downtown Improvement District, acknowledges that he’s a bit jealous of other downtowns, at least when it comes to their lush tree canopies. "You go to some cities, and it seems like the trees just leap out of the ground," Shardlow says. That’s not the case in…Continue reading
In Denver’s Lower Downtown (LoDo) neighborhood, downtown leaders have activated streets and alleyways over the past five years, an initiative that has contributed to the neighborhood’s revitalization and strong sense of place. The effort links Dairy Block, Market Station, and McGregor Square, creating what LaDonna Baertlein, director of business development at design firm DigStudio, calls…To read more — login/subscribe
With several portable toilets on the verge of being removed from service, the City of Columbus, OH, came through with $51,000 in funding to maintain the toilets and keep them open. That temporary reprieve will be followed by a more permanent solution, as Columbus has earmarked funds to install several free-standing bathrooms downtown. Early in…To read more — login/subscribe
Greensboro, NC (est. pop. 296,725), will launch a downtown social district in March. Within its boundaries, visitors will be able to stroll while carrying alcoholic beverages in specially labeled plastic cups. Greensboro is one of a number of North Carolina cities that have enacted, or are considering, downtown social districts after Gov. Roy Cooper in…To read more — login/subscribe
