A pilot program providing free bus passes to select downtown employees has been successful enough to inspire a broader, four-year program offering free public transit to all city center workers in Columbus, OH. In 2015, the Capital Crossroads & Discovery Special Improvement Districts won a grant from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission to provide four…Continue reading
A new parking program has debuted in downtown Salisbury, NC (est. pop. 33,961), one that lets downtown residents and workers lease spaces for $35 a month or $420 a year. The city’s Downtown Development Department set aside 30 downtown spaces for motorists who want to pay for parking. “We wanted to start with something manageable…To read more — login/subscribe
The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership hit on an intriguing way to promote downtown residential properties, market local microbrewers, and generate a little revenue and publicity to boot. The downtown organization hosted Views & Brews: Downtown Living Tour in October. The Thursday evening event included tours of 10 downtown apartment buildings and in-home samples from four local…To read more — login/subscribe
In the summer months, downtowns everywhere expanded outdoor dining. But an obvious question loomed: What would replace outdoor dining when the mercury dropped? One downtown in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula answered that question by creating an outdoor ice-skating facility. The inspiration for the skate “ribbon” came by chance. Just before Christmas, the Portage Canal flowing between…To read more — login/subscribe
In Lakewood, CO, a four-mile long art trail is winning kudos for bringing new energy to a long-neglected neighborhood. The 40 West ArtLine includes 70 works of art, among them interactive sculptures, murals along the walking and biking path, and installations on fences that border the ArtLine. Modeled in part on the Boston Freedom Trail,…Continue reading
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…To read more — login/subscribe
Many downtowns have experimented with gift card programs. But the initiative in Middletown, CT (est. pop. 47,164), is going strong after 18 years. The Middletown Downtown Business District launched its gift card program in 2005. After some fits and starts, downtown leaders overhauled it in 2010 with a new technology provider, says Sandra Russo-Driska, the…To read more — login/subscribe
In Champaign, IL (est. pop. 89,245), reducing minimum parking requirements (MPRs) has spurred development and boosted the density of both downtown Champaign and the urban district anchored by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. That’s according to a paper by University of Illinois researchers Bumsoo Lee and Srirang Sohoni. Their findings were published in the…To read more — login/subscribe
The Site Seeker program in Dayton, OH, allows the Downtown Dayton Partnership to provide a valuable service to members while also attracting new businesses to the city center. Tenants interested in moving downtown fill out an online form which asks how much square footage the business seeks, whether the owner wants to lease or buy…Continue reading
The January issue of Downtown Idea Exchange looks ahead to some of the challenges and opportunities that face downtown leaders in 2015. One of many important trends is an influx of millennials and baby boomers seeking urban living. This group is creating the most demand for downtown housing, as well as specific types of amenities,…Continue reading
