Historic downtown uses social media to boost profile
November 1, 2019
Little Haddonfield, NJ (est. pop. 11,428), was founded in the 18th century, and the downtown’s vibe harkens back to the early 20th century. “It’s like a Norman Rockwell painting,” says Susan Adelizzi-Schmidt of Suasion Communications Group, downtown Haddonfield’s public relations firm. But historic Haddonfield has turned to a decidedly postmodern way to market its downtown:…To read more — login/subscribe
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…
San Francisco is one of the world’s most iconic cities, but downtown leaders freely acknowledge that the urban core is not rebounding from the Covid pandemic as quickly as hoped. The city’s office vacancy rate was 25 percent at the end of 2022, not a great number for an international hub of tech, finance, and…
In January, the city council of Portland, OR (est. pop. 635,296), adopted an emergency ordinance that lets food trucks operate in the Central City Plan District. The two-year pilot program waives city rules barring food trucks from the district. The new program expands the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Healthy Business Program, which let downtown property…
June 25, 2020 — Before the coronavirus shutdowns silenced downtown Orlando, FL, city officials say designating locations for drivers to pick up downtown patrons improved traffic flow during the late-night rush hour when bars closed and thousands of people tried to leave a small area at once. The hubs were open from midnight to 3…
As electric scooters proliferate in downtowns throughout the nation, proponents see the vehicles as an important ingredient in any solution to gridlock and pollution. When paired with trains, buses, and trolleys, shared scooters offer a quick, convenient, eco-friendly way for commuters to travel the “last mile” to their destinations. “These are transportation devices,” says Dominick…
A common critique of public sector programs for low-income residents is that program designers don’t understand the reality of being poor. So when officials in Austin, TX, crafted a plan for a mobility hub last year, the city took pains to solicit feedback from less-affluent members of the community. Local leaders wanted to help residents…
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.…