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
Lauren Potter uses social media to promote downtown Phoenix, and she goes well beyond posting a quick photo and a few hastily crafted words. She once devoted three hours to creating an Instagram Story about a downtown project that used shipping containers in creative ways. “It does take time,” Potter says. “People understate how long…To read more — login/subscribe
REV Birmingham provides guidance and a small stipend to encourage local residents and business owners to host Porch Parties and spur entrepreneurial growth. It’s easy says the organization: • Choose a 2nd Tuesday between April and October. • Invite your Woodlawn neighbors, family, and friends. • Host a small gathering in your front yard, back…To read more — login/subscribe
San Diego’s Little Italy is a bustling neighborhood that’s home to thousands of new housing units and dozens of thriving businesses. There’s a food hall and many independent businesses, along with a Shake Shack, an art supply store, and several galleries. Amid the hive of activity, Marco Li Mandri, head of the Little Italy Business…To read more — login/subscribe
The Soundwalk app gives city dwellers more reasons to get outside and explore. During the height of the pandemic in New York City, composer Ellen Reid created original music to accompany a stroll through the city’s iconic Central Park. Reid utilized the Soundwalk app. The mobile app allows artists to compose audio and map it…To read more — login/subscribe
Over the past 12 months, Downtown Digest has highlighted dozens of examples of downtown leaders responding to the pandemic. But, that's not all. We've also covered parking management, attracting downtown residents, streetscape improvements, grant funding, and much more. If you’ve missed any posts during this hectic year, they are online now. You’ll even find our…Continue reading
As downtown merchants recover from the pandemic, they need to rethink how they lure customers. That’s according to Nicole Leinbach Reyhle, founder of Retail Minded. She says retailers and downtown leaders will need to find ways to bring customers back to physical storefronts. “Whether we like it or not, consumers have gotten way too comfortable…To read more — login/subscribe
To complement Downtown New Jersey’s state-specific news and advocacy, members also receive a 25% discount on Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter. It will be your source for nationwide news, information, and examples of how downtowns of all sizes are reopening, repositioning, and moving forward. Learn more about Downtown Idea Exchange and how it will deepen your resources and complement your…To read more — login/sign up
The coronavirus pandemic gave downtown leaders an opportunity to rethink how streets are used. In many downtowns, streets were closed or narrowed to make way for sidewalk dining and pedestrian traffic. Those are the sorts of changes that urban planners Danial Iacofano and Mukul Malhotra have long championed. In their book Streets Reconsidered, they lay…To read more — login/subscribe
The summer kicked off with triple-digit temperatures in the Pacific Northwest. It was a record heat wave in an area not accustomed to high mercury readings. John Pattison, a content manager with Strong Towns saw the intense heat as a reminder of an unfortunate reality: There’s just not enough shade in many cities, and certainly…To read more — login/subscribe
