The city of Auburn, ME (est. pop. 23,790), wants to support small local grocery stores — and it’s using $150,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to make that goal a reality. In the 1950s and 1960s, Auburn banned new neighborhood markets, although existing shops were allowed to stay open. But shifting retail trends meant the…To read more — login/subscribe
A popular business incubation program is expanding for the winter holidays. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s Calling All Dreamers program is now in its 10th year. The program mentors entrepreneurs as they compete for a chance to open a downtown storefront and earn a business start-up package valued at $100,000. To date a total of 15…Continue reading
Deservedly or not, San Francisco has been portrayed in recent years as a hellscape of homelessness, drug use, and crime. Looking to polish the city’s tarnished image, a group of San Francisco business leaders is using a $4 million ad campaign to offer a more flattering version of the state of the city. The “It…To read more — login/subscribe
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
Springfield, MO (est. pop. 167,376), is working to attract millennials to live and work in the city center. Its secret weapon? A Millennial SWAT team. Read the Millennial SWAT team’s full report. The city organized millennial residents into small teams and sent them into a variety of downtowns that boast features that Springfield might want…To read more — login/subscribe
The City of Santa Monica, CA, acted quickly to make it easier for new and existing businesses to open as the city recovers from the pandemic. “We’re creating opportunities and eliminating barriers for existing and new businesses alike, while retaining the thoughtful process that protects our community values,” says Mayor Kevin McKeown. The changes will…To read more — login/subscribe
When downtown boosters in tiny Tionesta, PA (est. pop. 326), suggested activating a long-vacant lot by using garden sheds as outdoor kiosks, the reaction was mixed. Some wondered if downtown Tionesta would simply be home to a flea market. One wag derided the concept as “sheds on sleds.” Seven years later, the Tionesta Market Village…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
The little town of North Bend, WA (est. pop. 6,983), enacted a form-based code for its downtown in June, making it the latest municipality to embrace this type of zoning. Earlier this year, Fort Smith, AR (est. pop. 87,895), approved a form-based code for its downtown. That city’s zoning changes, which aim to make downtown…To read more — login/subscribe
Bike patrols increase In April the Philadelphia Center City District (CCD) announced that it would expand its downtown bike patrol program. Bike patrols have been operating in the city center since late 2020 as part of a larger citywide initiative focused on public safety. The patrols operate from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven day…To read more — login/subscribe
