Innovative funding and the efforts of the Downtown Development Authority are transforming several bumpouts in Traverse City, MI. Last year, bumpouts at either end of one city center crosswalk were repurposed, with another set due to see improvements this summer. Spaces that formerly held trash receptacles and bike racks now offer public seating and a…Continue reading
During the warmer months, many communities offer outdoor movies in downtown parks and plazas. Downtown drive-ins are also gaining in popularity. In Columbus, OH, a downtown market collaborated with a local film center to offer movies shown on a 30-foot tall screen in the market’s parking lot each month. Guests could tune in to the…Continue reading
To combat high vacancy rates, Monticello, IL, launched an entrepreneurial boot camp to coach would-be business owners about setting up shop downtown. Instructors are volunteers, and each week focuses on a crucial part of operating a business. There’s an accounting course one week, a finance class the next. Courses also focus on legal issues and…Continue reading
Downtown leaders must find ways to help businesses through these tough times. Local governments and downtown organizations may be facing their own economic pressures, so increasing loan and grant money may not be an option. But reduced business fees, free peer counseling, help with advertising, and keeping business owners informed about funding sources can help.…Continue reading
Public libraries, a staple of many downtowns, have scrambled to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. While many of the nation’s 16,000-plus libraries had closed their doors to foot traffic by late March, they sought out other ways to keep serving their communities. For instance, the American Library Association (ALA) urged members to keep their wireless…To read more — login/subscribe
Vicksburg Main Street was prepared for a big night when a mini-disaster struck. Hours before hundreds of conference-goers were coming to an evening shopping event in Vicksburg, MS (est. pop. 22,961), a water pipe broke on Washington Street, the town’s main thoroughfare. “The street was dug up,” says Kim Hopkins, head of Vicksburg Main Street.…To read more — login/subscribe
The Mpls Downtown Improvement District has launched an ambitious program to improve access to public restrooms. Called the 100 Restrooms Project, the initiative is a partnership of the DID and the City of Minneapolis. The project grew from community input, a detailed assessment, and a pilot project called Little Free Lavatory. For more on increasing…To read more — login/subscribe
Despite streetcar construction in downtown Tempe, AZ, intrepid visitors donned hard hats and enjoyed all that the city center has to offer. Each week the Tempe Downtown Authority gave away 100 reusable yellow hard hats imprinted with the association logo. People wearing hard hats could claim an hour of free parking as well as specials…To read more — login/subscribe
As the coronavirus pandemic closed downtowns across North America, downtown Detroit’s biggest landlord tried something different. Bedrock, a major property owner in the struggling city’s commercial core, told tenants it wouldn’t collect their rent. The most generous rent forgiveness terms go to small businesses, while bigger companies can get smaller breaks. "It is going to…Continue reading
The coronavirus pandemic could permanently close millions of small businesses, including some that occupy storefronts in your downtown. With many downtowns all but closed for business, the restaurants, bars, and beauty salons that form the backbone of many commercial corridors face an existential threat. See the full report from the Main Street America survey. Of…To read more — login/subscribe
