Kaid Benfield, senior counsel at PlaceMakers and author of People Habitat, has spent a career thinking about what makes downtowns thrive. On his blog, Benfield lays out these key elements for a main street that attracts bustling foot traffic and boasts a healthy tenant mix: A superior pedestrian experience. “Main Streets are for walking, browsing,…To read more — login/subscribe
For many downtowns, post-pandemic summertime schedules are filling up with outdoor busker festivals. The events feature a variety of performers — musicians, magicians, jugglers, fire-eaters, stilt-walkers, acrobats, and specialty cyclists among others. They hold strong appeal for audiences — there’s no cover charge, the entertainment options are broad, and tipping is optional. The August issue…Continue reading
Bike libraries — a concept that lets people check out bicycles like books or DVDs — are popping up across the country. Some programs offer access to e-bikes, but most focus on traditional pedal-powered bikes. Some initiatives are associated with universities, others with public libraries. But all put bike share programs within reach of more…Continue reading
The town square of Athens, AL (est. pop. 25,176), boasts a century-old courthouse, bustling restaurants, and a church. Successful events such as a farmers market and a concert series are staged in the historic downtown. Incongruously, downtown Athens was also long home to expansive thoroughfares seemingly designed for high-speed suburban traffic, not for a quaint…To read more — login/subscribe
…on national averages or information from neighboring communities. Instead, Willson shows how readers can confidently develop their own requirements based on local parking data, an understanding of future trends affecting parking use, and clear policy choices. Case studies are used to illustrate what works, what doesn’t, and how to… Continue reading
In Wilkes-Barre, PA (est. pop. 40,805), federal stimulus money paid for a program to market downtown businesses to new customers. The money also allowed the city to add a downtown ice-skating rink. In downtown Albuquerque, NM (est. pop. 560,447), stimulus funds brought more than a dozen small businesses into a district that had been hollowed…To read more — login/subscribe
For delivery driver Matt McCullough, finding a place to park in downtown Aspen, CO (est. pop. 7,431), was often a challenge. But a new curb-management system has made his workday much easier. Aspen is one of four cities of varying sizes testing software from Coord, a New York City-based company focused on parking programs for…To read more — login/subscribe
In the 1990s, downtown Macon, GA, was beset by vacancy and decay. Today, the city is in the midst of a dramatic turnaround that garnered it one of three 2024 Great American Main Street Awards. The honors went to NewTown Macon, the city’s downtown organization. Its results have been impressive — downtown Macon has renovated…Continue reading
In Chicago, landlords and cannabis entrepreneurs are gearing up for a new business opportunity presented by Illinois’ legalization of recreational marijuana. Mayor Lori Lightfoot has a different idea. Chicago’s top elected official proposed banning pot shops downtown. Lightfoot’s rationale: If dispensaries are allowed on Michigan Avenue and other high-value addresses, Chicago’s less prosperous neighborhoods won’t…To read more — login/subscribe
