While a tree lighting, caroling, and holiday sales attract visitors, they happen only on certain days throughout the holiday season. However, an attractive holiday light display can be activated in mid-November and add to the festive atmosphere and drawing power of downtown every evening through January. One of the best-known examples of this type of…Continue reading
A dedicated downtown app for Apple and Android smartphones is helping consumers find new destinations and parking in Millburn, NJ, and allowing merchants to attract new customers. Users can browse by category, such as "Fine Dining," or search by keywords to find products, services, and special offers. The app has "beacon technology," says Gillian Moritz,…Continue reading
A trip to city hall in Boston, MA, might also include beer, ice cream, and mini golf at The Patios, a placemaking initiative launched this May at City Hall Plaza. The city has entered into a three-year contract with an event organizer to revitalize the drab and underused plaza with seasonal programming and amenities. The…Continue reading
A building boom has brought thousands of new residents to apartments in downtown Raleigh, NC. That trend toward greater density is colliding with another reality of urban life — downtown residents love their dogs, even if they don’t have backyards that give their pooches plenty of space to play. The obvious answer is to build…Continue reading
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
Cities across the country have invested hundreds of millions of dollars on streetcar services. Despite much fanfare, the results have been mixed. In one recent example, the Loop Trolley in St. Louis, MO (est. pop. 318,000), is struggling to attract riders. The Loop Trolley launched in late 2018 with support from the federal government and…To read more — login/subscribe
On March 24, restaurants and bars around the country banded together for The Great American Takeout. The one-day event was sponsored by a coalition of some of the nation’s largest restaurant brands with the goal of helping boost takeout sales for restaurants struggling under coronavirus restrictions. The national event produced dramatic results. In one example,…To read more — login/subscribe
Toronto’s Open Streets program has drawn hundreds of thousands of people in recent years. In the final Open Streets event of 2019, the city closed two main thoroughfares to vehicles. In place of cars, drag queens offered face painting and organizers set up a skate park and a scooter park. Toronto isn’t alone in occasionally…To read more — login/subscribe
