When the tobacco industry left Danville, VA, decades ago, it left the downtown with massive inventory of vacant space. There was no easy solution, Danville lacked the population and wealth to attract national retailers. The city also lacked a core of local merchants. "There was a lot of infrastructure, but really not a robust business…Continue reading
The Rosslyn Business Improvement District in Arlington, VA (est. pop. 234,000), launched the first parklet in the Washington, DC, metro area back in 2018. Before the COVID-19 pandemic made parklets an international craze, the Rosslyn BID simply wanted to do something creative, and spur a reevaluation of how people use public space. The parklet is…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
Many people who previously commuted to work are staying home. It’s a trend that will likely continue. Kate Lister, president of Global Workplace Analytics, predicts that 30 percent of people will continue this trend for the foreseeable future. “Once they’ve done it, they’re going to want to continue,” Lister says. “Lockdowns will end, but this…To read more — login/subscribe
Amid a nationwide housing shortage, many planners and downtown leaders have focused attention on eliminating parking requirements. Minimum parking counts discourage new development by raising the cost to build, the argument goes. The American Planning Association (APA) says parking costs as much as $5,000 per surface space and up to $50,000 per space in multilevel…To read more — login/subscribe
Early in the history of Open on Main, a storefront activation initiative in Memphis, TN (est. pop. 628,127), Brett Roler, senior vice president of the Downtown Memphis Commission was careful to make pop-ups look and feel like permanent businesses. Roler required retailers to operate full business hours, and the signage gave no hint that the…To read more — login/subscribe
For years, downtown leaders in El Paso, TX, steered clear of hosting events. Joe Gudenrath, executive director of El Paso’s Downtown Management District, figured there was no need, considering other organizations put on a full slate of festivals, fitness events and gallery tours. "Plenty of events already are happening," Gudenrath says. "We’re fortunate that we…Continue reading
In a bid to keep small retailers from being priced out of its resurgent downtown, St. Petersburg, FL, is experimenting with new rules regarding its merchant mix. The city’s "storefront conservation corridor" offers an unusual approach to regulating retailers in two busy business districts. Rather than limiting chains or banning them outright, St. Petersburg created…Continue reading
The coronavirus pandemic has hit many downtown organizations squarely in the pocketbook. By emptying business districts for two months, the health crisis has deprived organizations of revenues from special events and parking, as well as throwing property assessments and government contributions into question. The harsh financial reality is forcing downtown leaders to take a hard…To read more — login/subscribe
Since the coronavirus swept the United States in March, naysayers have been calling for the death of density. The script has played out that way, at least in part: Newspapers have been filled with tales of big city residents fleeing for the suburbs. But many urbanists say it’s far too soon to write the obituary…To read more — login/subscribe
