Chicago’s downtown district and its North Side are thriving, but its South and West sides continue to struggle. In response, Mayor Lori Lightfoot kicked off Invest South/West, a three-year plan that seeks to invest $750 million in dormant and struggling retail areas in 10 neighborhoods, including Austin, Auburn Gresham, New City, and Bronzeville. The city’s…To read more — login/subscribe
While there are many rewards to be gained from downtown branding, misunderstandings about what branding is, and is not, can make these efforts less effective. Branding is not simply a matter of a new tag line, logo, or ad campaign; it is about accurately identifying and communicating a promise about the most valuable aspects of…Continue reading
…of the book cover: Principles of downtown development in small cities, Urban design and infrastructure redevelopment, Waterfront and brownfields redevelopment, Retail and commercial redevelopment. The book clearly shows that downtown revitalization works in small as well as in large cities, and that common principles apply…. Continue reading
Downtowns everywhere are trying to tap into the magic of creative placemaking. The goal is to foster a community where arts, culture, and entertainment (ACE) attract a cross-section of visitors. When the concept works, visitors have a great experience. Maybe it’s the downtown museum that keeps them coming back, or the live music scene, or…To read more — login/subscribe
Rock Springs, WY, is a small city in a conservative state, and its gay community has long maintained a low profile. That began to change about two years ago, when a downtown bookstore hosted a gathering for the LGBTQ community. “Wyoming gets this bad rap for not being very gay-friendly,” says Chad Banks, manager of…Continue reading
Millburn, NJ, adopted a Complete Streets program in 2014, outlining a series of goals and objectives to make the streets safer for pedestrians, improve traffic flow, address intersection congestion, and slow traffic where appropriate. A three-phase implementation plan was developed with a robust series of traffic calming and other improvements that include road-diets, curb bump-outs,…Continue reading
At first glance, Windham, CT (est. pop. 116,782), is a classic New England town. It boasts a quaint downtown, historic charm, and a wealth of Victorian buildings. On closer inspection, Windham is saddled with a reputation problem. Two once-grand hotels on historic Main Street fell into disrepair over the decades, and Windham, a once-thriving town,…To read more — login/subscribe
Post-pandemic travel has come roaring back, and that means downtowns again have an opportunity to pitch themselves as a destination to visitors. Roger Brooks, head of the Destination Development Association, offers a simple way to market your downtown: Rely on local knowledge to create itineraries that will appeal to out-of-towners. Brooks suggests polling residents to…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtown Louisville, KY, is struggling with a familiar problem — work-from-home trends mean fewer workers are commuting to offices. To fight back, the city has unveiled a new incentive program to entice large office users to relocate or expand in the district. The Downtown Tenant Improvement Program aims to bring in office users by dangling…Continue reading
Spring saw the launch of the Newton Summer Farmers’ Market in northern New Jersey. The market aims to bring consumers and farmers together and includes only foods grown, produced, or raised within 25 miles of the market. The market also supports local shopping. Unlike many markets which operate in a downtown park, plaza, or lot,…Continue reading
