The downtown district in West Palm Beach, FL (est. pop. 117,253), is home to three state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. A fourth dispensary is also set to open in the urban core — but downtown leaders say that’s enough pot shops for now. However, state law might tie the city’s hands. In November, the West Palm…To read more — login/subscribe
Toronto’s Open Streets program has drawn hundreds of thousands of people in recent years. In the final Open Streets event of 2019, the city closed two main thoroughfares to vehicles. In place of cars, drag queens offered face painting and organizers set up a skate park and a scooter park. Toronto isn’t alone in occasionally…To read more — login/subscribe
Even before the pandemic, downtown Baltimore, MD (est. pop. 576,498), was struggling with economic challenges. Then came the lockdowns of 2020, and many small merchants were decimated. Now that the public health crisis is all but over, the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore is moving aggressively to bring independent retailers back. To lure entrepreneurs, the partnership…To read more — login/subscribe
For a quarter-century, the Downtown Improvement District (DID) in Reading, PA, 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 came to a…Continue reading
Every other week we share a summary article from Downtown Idea Exchange. Over the course of the year we’ve covered everything from business recruitment, to streetscape improvements, to placemaking, and more. To wrap up the year, we're highlighting five of our favorite posts. Creative, informative, and adaptable, they showcase some of the best work in…Continue reading
Cities embrace land banks as blight-fighting tool — A land bank’s main goal is forcing ownership changes of buildings that have sat vacant for years or even decades, especially those held by owners who have died or disappeared. Read Frank Alexander’s report on land banks.
...Chalking tires of parked cars? You might be violating motorists’ rights — The age-old parking practice of using chalk to mark the tires of parked cars faces legal scrutiny — and it just might be unconstitutional. See a federal appeals court’s ruling against tire chalking. ...
Business plan competition offers support, spurs growth — The Downtown Sacramento Partnership runs an annual contest that solicits business plans from would-be retailers. The contest, Calling All Dreamers, gives one promising retailer a grand prize of $10,000 in cash plus more than $100,000 in services. Watch finalist videos from the contest below and click this link to see program guidelines. https://youtu.be/CffofZHDLH4 https://youtu.be/O28tGNJZiqE https://youtu.be/e5SJY4H2onA https://youtu.be/6PfzCGoggNM https://youtu.be/PNdkrMe9kkY ...
Fire suppression incentives — To encourage property owners to install sprinklers, the City of Frederick, MD, offers a Fire Suppression Incentive Program. See the details and application. ...
Public art encourages citizen involvement — The Lafayette sign in Lafayette, LA, was erected in 2017 as an interactive public art installation. Local nonprofit groups are encouraged to paint its letters to promote community events and awareness. Read the art guidelines. ...
Parking rate structure encourages turnover — The City of Spokane Downtown Parking Study presents a comprehensive package of recommendations designed to “facilitate growth and activity downtown, while making parking more convenient and user-friendly for residents, businesses, employees, and visitors.” ...
Billions of dollars have flowed into funds focusing on opportunity zones, a new type of tax designation that waives capital gains taxes on investments in blighted areas nationwide. In April, the U.S. Treasury Department clarified some of the guidelines around opportunity zone investments, and the new regulations sparked optimism from tax experts. “These rules could…To read more — login/subscribe
Cities across the U.S. have been investing in streetcars. But in Omaha, NE (est. pop. 487,299), the city’s most famous resident says the city’s downtown streetcar project is a boondoggle. “Residents can be far better served by extended or more intensive service by the bus system,” billionaire Warren Buffett wrote in a letter to the editor…To read more — login/subscribe
Rock Springs, WY (est. pop. 23,319), is a small city in a conservative state, and its gay community long maintained a low profile. That began to change about two years ago, when a downtown bookstore hosted a gathering for the LGBTQ community. Before the first such event at Sidekicks Wine & Book Bar, Chad Banks,…To read more — login/subscribe
Strong, effective leadership is essential to bringing ideas and people together for community and economic development. In The Community Leadership Handbook, author James F. Krile provides the tools every community leader needs, no matter what their formal title or training. Based on the Blandin Foundation’s 20-years of… Continue reading
