In Albany, NY (est. pop. 96,860), an Interstate 787 off-ramp has been turned into a pedestrian park known as the Albany Skyway. The Skyway is also planned as a venue for entertainment, public art, food trucks, and pop-up shops. The Skyway, which connects the city’s downtown with a burgeoning Warehouse District, is the latest example…To read more — login/subscribe
In response to an increasing number of traffic fatalities involving pedestrians and cyclists, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) is pumping billions of dollars into street design. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2022 established the Safe Streets and Roads for All program, including $1 billion a year for five years to fund local enhancements…To read more — login/subscribe
Most of downtown Dayton, OH (est. pop. 137,581), has become an outdoor drinking district, a move downtown leaders say creates cultural vibrancy and economic vitality. The Dayton City Commission approved legislation in May that replaced the original Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) in the city’s entertainment hub, known as the Oregon District, with a new…To read more — login/subscribe
In Salt Lake City, UT (est. pop. 200,475), an economic boom and an influx of new residents has driven activity downtown. In Fresno, CA (est. pop. 544,500), the reworking of a long-struggling pedestrian mall changed the game downtown. In Bakersfield, CA (est. pop. 407,581), a margarita contest is among the many events attracting visitors. All…To read more — login/subscribe
Kiosks in Santa Cruz, CA (top), and Denver, CO (bottom). Downtowns big and small grapple with the challenge of building a roster of successful merchants. Many have taken a proactive approach by offering pop-up spaces and kiosks for start-ups seeking a place to do business without a prohibitive upfront investment. Executed properly, pop-ups and kiosks…To read more — login/subscribe
As the coronavirus pandemic closed downtowns across North America, downtown Detroit’s biggest landlord tried something different. Bedrock, a major property owner in the struggling city’s commercial core, told tenants it wouldn’t collect their rent. The most generous rent forgiveness terms go to small businesses, while bigger companies can get smaller breaks. “It is going to…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtown rewards commuters who don’t drive — Durham, NC, has been testing two low-cost methods to discourage commuters from single-occupancy trips downtown. Watch a video about the program below.
https://youtu.be/OPNhby7JpUI
...Parking management plan frees up hundreds of unused spaces — While downtown Quincy, MA, has seen an influx of tenants and traffic in recent years, two aging parking garages became structurally unsound and were forced to close.To ease the squeeze, Quincy has implemented a variety of strategies. Read a report on Quincy's parking plan. ...
Weary of waiting for median construction, business district paints a mock-up on the street — Frustrated at the slow pace of streetscape changes in the Douglas Design District in Wichita, KS, the board decided to paint a mock-up of the median and crosswalks so business owners, residents, and shoppers could get a feel for the changes. See a video of the street painting from the Wichita Eagle. ...
Underpass upgrade beautifies entrance to business district — In St. Petersburg, FL, the downtown business district known as the Deuces has been in a long decline, in part because Interstate 275 cuts through the neighborhood. In an effort to make the area more aesthetically pleasing, the nonprofit Deuces Live pushed to spruce up the I-275 underpass with murals, lighting, and landscaping. See the project video below. https://youtu.be/lGNGKDwaQII ...
“Agrihoods” take root — Real estate developers are marketing “agrihoods,” developments that include community farms. Read ULI’s report on agrihoods. ...
For a year and a half, visitors to downtown Sarasota, FL (est. pop. 55,103), could travel the district via black-and-teal electric cars. But the third-party operator of the microtransit service pulled the plug so quickly that its sleek little vehicles are still stored in a downtown garage. The microtransit service's departure underscored the reality that…To read more — login/subscribe
Global City Norwich is taking a multi-year approach to downtown revitalization and filling vacant commercial space. It all starts with welcoming the many diverse communities in this Connecticut city. Global City is a unique revitalization model, says Robert Mills, president of the Norwich Community Development Corporation. “Instead of starting off by just addressing empty storefronts…To read more — login/subscribe
While many restaurants nationwide rely on third party services like Grubhub and Uber Eats to get meals delivered quickly, they bemoan the high commission rates. To help restaurants in downtown Jackson, MS, Visit Jackson and Downtown Jackson Partners teamed up with a local delivery service. The goal was to expand delivery options for local restaurants…To read more — login/subscribe
