Main Street Innovations
Small City Innovation Advantages. Small cities and towns have a tremendous advantage over larger communities when it comes to innovation in the design and operation of municipal systems to create an interesting, pleasant and prosperous community. Size and character are the keys. A small city can be comprehended, it can be observed in its totality […]
Main Street Special Districts: Self-Sustaining System.
MAKE “SPECIAL DISTRICTS” SPECIAL. A downtown district, as a legal and geographically specific entity has the opportunity to control its own destiny. While never being truly independent from the host government and never likely to achieve the power of Robert Moses, a special district can construct self-sufficient systems. Special districts can establish a financial basis […]
Main Street: The Ultimate Community “Third Place”
THIRD PLACES IN THE 20TH CENTURY. Ray Oldenburg effectively describes gathering spots that serve as third places, especially in small cities and towns. His idea also extends to the “Cheers” bar in bigger cities. Members-only clubs do not qualify. Entry needs to be freely accessible to customers, visitors and a regular clientele, preferably by walking […]
Streets frame the town; the “main drag” establishes its character
Vision. Cities are defined in part by their roadways. Most small cities and towns have a framework of four to six important streets that support mobility throughout the community. The quality and functionality of this road network will define the city for the next century. While the network with its aesthetics, reach and functionality is […]
Starting a Village Center in a Greenfield Town
THE VISION is a mixed-use village center in a greenfield community. The idea is to envision a built-out village center with shops, restaurants, cafes, parks, churches and schools along a two-block long main street. Main street connects to a bigger, exterior road and has an intersection with four corners of buildings and open space a […]
Leverage Everything: Strategy for a Successful Main Street
LEVERAGE PUBLIC BUILDINGS. City Hall must be on or near main street to get the full impact of its influence. Locating the city library, the local history museum, the post office and the community theater on or near main street is important to attract people and private investment downtown. Employees, patrons and visitors to public […]
Nine Character Main Streets in Central Florida: Design and Content
Overview of the Towns. Population. Central Florida’s character towns are of a size and age that befits their condition. Their populations range from 20,000 to 75,000 in 2021, a far cry larger than their populations upon founding. Age. Each is a “centennial” town, being over a century old. Most were built in the era of […]
The 15 Most Beautiful Main Streets Across America.
Between the major cities on the coasts of the United States are hundreds of small towns where a good portion of the American population lives today. Established over the last two centuries as the country expanded west, the majority of these municipalities have one thing in common: a charming main street. Lined with shops, restaurants, […]
Contents – June 2024
THE MAIN STREET EDITION Character towns, small and large, depend on having a vibrant downtown focused on “main street”. Main street has shops and restaurants, offices, civic activities, institutional buildings and residential dwellings. Downtown is the place where business meets government, residents meet their daily needs and visitors meet local culture and entertainment. […]
The Affordable Housing Dilemma
THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME-EXPENSE SQUEEZE. The affordability of housing in America at the start of the 21st century is an issue for many households. The remedy is complicated since not only are housing costs out-of-whack, but other household expenses are also growing faster than household incomes can absorb. A growing number of American families are struggling […]