Greensboro, NC, will launch a downtown social district in March. Within its boundaries, visitors will be able to stroll while carrying alcoholic beverages in specially labeled plastic cups. Greensboro is one of a number of North Carolina cities that have enacted, or are considering, downtown social districts after Gov. Roy Cooper signed a law in…Continue reading
Downtown proponent breathes life into one small town, hopes to repeat feat — Downtown Bellefontaine, OH, was nearly knocked out by the arrival of national retailers on the outskirts of town in the 1990s and by the Great recession in the first decade of the 2000s. But the town is fighting back. See a case study about downtown Bellefontaine’s revival.
...Downtown enacts three-pronged response to pandemic downturn — The pandemic dealt a number of blows to the once-thriving downtown in Sacramento, CA. The Sacramento Downtown Partnership's recovery plan includes $200,000 for event activation assistance. Read more on event assistance programs. ...
Old cinema is revived as downtown cultural hub — For decades after it opened in 1930, the Soo Theatre was the place to see a movie in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. But when a multiplex came to town, the one-screen cinema struggled, finally closing its doors in 1998. Read the League of Historic American Theaters’ manual on theater rescue, restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse. ...
Flexibility needed to fill vacant storefronts — In an effort to fill vacant downtown storefronts, the City of Seattle temporarily relaxed limits on storefront uses. The legislation applies to specific areas including the city’s retail core. See ordinance 126421. ...
Crokicurl: A new downtown activity — Memorial Square in Prince Albert, Sask., Canada, is drawing visitors downtown on even the coldest days. They are there to play crokicurl and maybe to linger for a warm drink and a little shopping. Check out Public City Architecture Inc’s instructions for setting up and playing crokicurl. ...
As downtowns tried to survive the pandemic, many cities rushed to allow restaurants to set up temporary outdoor dining areas in parking spaces, sidewalks, and parking lots. Outdoor dining proved popular with patrons, restaurant operators, and urban planners, but not everyone was happy with the new parklets. As Salem, OR, allowed restaurants to take over…Continue reading
In response to a spate of property crimes aimed at merchants, San Francisco city officials have launched a new grant program that aims to help small businesses recover from damage done to their storefronts by thieves and vandals. The Storefront Vandalism Relief Grant program provides $1,000 to $2,000 to businesses that must absorb the costs…To read more — login/subscribe
In response to a spate of property crimes aimed at merchants, San Francisco city officials have launched a new grant program that aims to help small businesses recover from damage done to their storefronts by thieves and vandals. The Storefront Vandalism Relief Grant provides $1,000 to $2,000 to businesses that face the costs of break-ins…Continue reading
In Montclair, NJ (est. pop. 38,634), a downtown stretch of South Park Street catered to cars rather than pedestrians. The streetscape featured wide traffic lanes, angled parking, and narrow sidewalks. Montclair decided to reshape the street in a way that was more enticing to visitors and better suited to hosting festivals and events. “The town…To read more — login/subscribe
The downtown district in West Palm Beach, FL, is home to three state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. A fourth dispensary is also set to open in the urban core — but downtown leaders say that’s enough pot shops for now. However, state law might tie the city’s hands. In November, the West Palm Beach Downtown Development…Continue reading
The city of Auburn, ME, wants to support small local grocery stores — and it’s using $150,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to make that goal a reality. The Auburn Neighborhood Corner Store program aims to give $35,000 apiece to each of four local grocers. To be eligible, stores must generate at least half their…Continue reading
The summer kicked off with record-breaking heat across much of the U.S. In the Southwest and South-east, the "feels-like" temperatures soared well above 100 degrees in July. For downtown leaders, the oppressive temperatures complicated plans for outdoor events — and they served as a reminder that cities need to start planning for intense heat. While…Continue reading
