Campus Martius Park in Downtown Detroit
Can a privately managed urban park in the center of downtown Detroit help spur the city’s recovery?
Downtowns & Town Centers
Many cities and towns are seeking to revitalize or create a hub for their community. These articles and postings focus on the planning issues facing downtown & town center development.
Continue to older articles & posts — or return to newer ones — where you see the green buttons at the bottom of the page.
Density Without High-Rises?
High-rise buildings are not necessarily the best answer to promoting denser, more walkable communities, argues Urban Land Institute Senior Resident Fellow & PCJ contributing writer Ed McMahon.
Hudson’s Star Attraction
How the public library has become the community hub for the town of Hudson, Ohio — and the key to a strong downtown and main street..
Punching Through the Walls
How Luzerne County and the City of Wilkes-Barre are integrating the riverfront with downtown, through the creation of a new riverfront park, with giant flood control portals cutting the embankment.
Downtown Housing -Minus Parking +Plus Commercial
The residents and business owners of Saratoga Springs, New York, treasure their downtown. Two planning priorities: increase the amount of housing downtown and ensure retail on the ground floor of buildings.
“A Harbor You Can Sail Into”
Those are the words that Stephen Coronella used to describe the role of the Putney, Vermont, public library. Like a harbor. It provides a place where people can dock themselves for a while, socialize with others, and feel some comfort and security.
Main Street Mill: “The Perfect Trifecta”
I returned to the small town of Richford, Vermont, as the starting point of my travel plans for this Spring. I had visited Richford last Summer to first learn about the Main Street Mill redevelopment.
Recycling Main Street
Besides benefiting residents and drawing in visitors, our downtown main streets can also be good for the environment. Main Street consultant Kennedy Smith explains.
Wanted: Downtown Grocery Stores
As Americans’ taste for downtown living grows, so does their appetite for downtown grocery stores. So, why is it still rare to see a grocery store downtown? Economic development consultant Kennedy Smith provides some answers.
What Makes A Town Center A Town Center
PCJ columnist Kennedy Smith highlights the importance of building character and individuality into new town centers.
Creating the Missing Hub: How Today’s Suburbs Build Town Centers
A growing number of suburban cities and towns are seeking to create a hub for their community. Journalist Philip Langdon takes a look at some of the challenges.
The Supreme Court’s Kelo Decision: Good News or Bad News for Downtowns?
Can local government take private property away from its citizens and develop it for something that will generate more tax revenue? On June 23, 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court said “yes.”
Downtown Hurdles
It should be no harder to develop downtown than elsewhere. Yet, as PCJ columnist Kennedy Smith argues, too many regulatory hurdles often face downtown development.
