In downtown Little Rock, AR (est. pop. 197,868), the Interstate 30 bridge across the Arkansas River grows congested at every rush hour. The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department responded with a predictable solution: It has embarked on a massive widening of the roadway from six lanes to 12 lanes. The bridge connects downtown Little Rock…To read more — login/subscribe
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…To read more — login/subscribe
In Peoria, IL (est. pop. 110,915), the city is about to install 72 new wayfinding signs downtown. The total price tag will be $833,000, amounting to nearly $12,000 a sign. The city council signed off on the investment in June — with assurances that the new generation of wayfinding signs is far more advanced than…To read more — login/subscribe
A good plan will help revitalize a struggling downtown and sustain a successful one. This comprehensive book looks at all facets of planning for the traditional downtown or Main Street community. While the term downtown plan often brings to mind physical planning issues, author Philip L. Walker presents… Continue reading
The retail industry has been roiled by e-commerce and the pandemic, but retail remains a critical function in many downtowns. To fill vacant storefronts, you should follow a methodical process, says Jenn Gregory of Retail Strategies, a firm specializing in business recruitment and community development. She offers this eight-step recipe for recruiting retailers: Form a…To read more — login/subscribe
Innovative public out-reach has piqued curiosity and boosted public input for downtown plan updates in Laguna Beach, CA. Building on successful Plan Van workshops in other cities while also highlighting Laguna’s downtown trolley service, the city offered Plan Trolley workshops. The trolley, loaded with information about the Downtown Specific Plan including, display easels, and public-input…Continue reading
In Rosslyn, VA (est. pop. 12,314), the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has taken the form of purple stickers, signs, and banners placed throughout the 17-block Business Improvement District. The city’s Rosslyn Ready program includes hundreds of signs, stickers, banners, and instructional materials distributed throughout the most-trafficked areas of downtown, including sidewalks near the Metro…To read more — login/subscribe
Champaign, IL (est. pop. 89,116), has a problem: Downtown has become a bustling destination on warm-weather weekends. But the city police department is so short-staffed that it can’t handle the inevitable calls for service that flow from the nighttime entertainment district. So the city of Champaign will spend nearly $330,000 to hire a private security…To read more — login/subscribe
n an effort to remove chronic troublemakers from its resurgent downtown entertainment district, the city of Las Vegas, NV, approved an "order-out corridor" in November. The City Council unanimously passed the measure, which allows Municipal Court judges to bar people convicted of crimes committed within the corridor for up to a year. Judges could allow…Continue reading
To the dismay of sports fans, the coronavirus pandemic canceled March Madness in 2020. For 2021, the show is on — and host city Indianapolis is setting up downtown to make the most of the marquee event. In most years, tournament games are played throughout the U.S. The championship city hosts just the finals and…To read more — login/subscribe
