The coronavirus pandemic has hurt traditional retail and caused a spike in vacancies. Downtown leaders in Houston have come up with a way to keep vacant storefronts from looking desolate: Empty spaces along Main Street are now home to art installations. The Downtown District and UP Art Studio have installed 18 works by Texas artists,…To read more — login/subscribe
A concept born from desperation offers inspiration for downtown leaders grappling with the pandemic. In tiny Tionesta, PA, a long-vacant lot was transformed into an outdoor shopping experience and business incubator using garden sheds. The project started during a 2012 meeting of the Forest County Industrial Development Corp. and the Forest County Industrial & Commercial…Continue reading
Does downtown Memphis, TN, have too much parking, or too little? The complicated answer is "Yes" to both queries. "It really depends on when, where, and how far away you want to park," says Brett Roler, vice president of planning and development at the Downtown Memphis Commission. Visitors can struggle to find spots at peak…Continue reading
Watch a video produced by the county tourism department Hospitality venues in Lake George, NY, know a lot about how to entertain outdoors in frosty winter weather. When the temperatures dip, they open their ice bars. The venues team-up with master artisans who use saws and chisels to create bars made entirely of ice. Some…To read more — login/subscribe
As cities and their downtowns look to reopen and move forward, Jay Dick of Americans for the Arts, reminds local leaders to make the arts, culture, and entertainment part of the plan for restarting the local economy. Writing in the ICMA blog, he says, “Getting people out of their houses and spending money again will…To read more — login/subscribe
Gregory Allen has the unwieldy job title of “site-specific ranger,” but he describes his role simply. He greets every visitor to his stretch of the Memphis riverfront, offers help when it’s needed, and attempts to defuse problem situations. “Our job is to create a welcoming and friendly environment,” says Allen, a U.S. Navy veteran who…To read more — login/subscribe
The City of Grand Junction, CO, and the Downtown Development Authority are moving forward with the conversion of a section of a surface parking lot to a public plaza. The plaza will provide an informal gathering space as well as a central location for concerts and events. Importantly, it will allow main street to remain…To read more — login/subscribe
Lancaster City, PA, is home to a thriving downtown arts community, centered on the city’s Gallery Row. Throughout the year, a half dozen events ensure that streets, restaurants, and galleries are filled with browsers, shoppers, and diners. Events include an en plein air painting day with artists working on the sidewalks in front of galleries.…To read more — login/subscribe
In Monticello, IL (est. pop. 5,695), the city is encouraging downtown property owners to improve their historic buildings through a more generous grant program aimed at beautifying the small city’s historic district. Monticello Main Street and the city operated a Façade Improvement Grant program that distributed more than $1 million over 19 years. But in…To read more — login/subscribe
The Fifth Street bridge in Augusta, GA, was built in 1932. By 2020, it was showing its age. A treacherous bump in the roadway forced motorists to slow down and the railing on the sidewalk was too low to be considered safe by modern standards. So in 2020, the city and the Georgia Department of…To read more — login/subscribe
