Isaac D. Kremer, MSARP

This article focused on immediate responses by businesses to challenges posed by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Then some predictions were made for the long-term impact on downtowns.

The Metuchen Downtown Alliance created a cool, family-friendly public gathering space in “the worst looking spot in town” with the help of just $2,500 in Edward Jones Placemaking on Main Challenge matching grant funds–and lots of ingenuity and elbow grease. Here’s their story and valuable lessons learned.

This is the story of how a National Endowment for the Arts gathering in DC inspired the leaders of a small town in Appalachia to connect with those in Milwaukee to transform a neglected park.

As Main Street practitioners have known for some time, in adversity and challenge is opportunity. Government at all levels has no money? No problem. Developers can’t get financing for that next big project downtown? No worries. A do-it-yourself movement has emerged to make changes to places on a shoestring budget. Known as “tactical urbanism,” this incremental approach calls for low cost short-term interventions that transform places for the better within a very short timeframe, while planting… Show more

As Main Street practitioners have known for some time, in adversity and challenge is opportunity. Government at all levels has no money? No problem. Developers can’t get financing for that next big project downtown? No worries. A do-it-yourself movement has emerged to make changes to places on a shoestring budget. Known as “tactical urbanism,” this incremental approach calls for low cost short-term interventions that transform places for the better within a very short timeframe, while planting the seeds for long-term change. Learn how your Main Street can utilize this unique approach in this week’s feature article by Guest Contributor, Isaac Kremer, Executive Director of Downtown Middlesboro. Show less

Why This Work Matters introduces you to the voices of 11 people who are doing the hard work of making communities better. They work in local and state and federal organizations, in governments and nonprofits, in planning, economic development, city management, downtown revitalization and more.

In their own words, as clearly and honestly as they can put in writing, you’ll hear how they manage the frustrations of this work — how they deal with political realities, with shortcomings, with… Show more

Why This Work Matters introduces you to the voices of 11 people who are doing the hard work of making communities better. They work in local and state and federal organizations, in governments and nonprofits, in planning, economic development, city management, downtown revitalization and more.

In their own words, as clearly and honestly as they can put in writing, you’ll hear how they manage the frustrations of this work — how they deal with political realities, with shortcomings, with bureaucracy and discouragement. And, maybe more importantly, you’ll hear what they draw on to summon the courage and the bravery to keep at it.

Hopefully, Why This Work Matters will help you find the courage to keep doing your Work That Matters, too. Show less

The idea is simple. Get a bunch of volunteers to carry out low-cost interventions that plant the seeds for long-term change. What better response to shrinking budgets, tight capital markets, and declining civic participation? Get citizens involved in the act revitalizing their town.

Through an innovative planning initiative called the 48x48x48 Project, Oyster Bay on Long Island, New York, incorporated "pop-up concepts and public participation to show people the difference two days can make in the downtown. Short-term actions immediately changed the way people viewed one of the most neglected areas in the downtown. After 48 hours of change, Oyster Bay saw the beginning of new building improvements and new businesses. Plans for the next 48 weeks and 48 years have been put… Show more

Through an innovative planning initiative called the 48x48x48 Project, Oyster Bay on Long Island, New York, incorporated "pop-up concepts and public participation to show people the difference two days can make in the downtown. Short-term actions immediately changed the way people viewed one of the most neglected areas in the downtown. After 48 hours of change, Oyster Bay saw the beginning of new building improvements and new businesses. Plans for the next 48 weeks and 48 years have been put forward so the change will keep on going. Show less

Case study on historic preservation efforts in the Ransom Place neighborhood located in Indianapolis, Indiana. This neighborhood and case study is utilized as a theory-building exercise to draw some conclusions on how to infuse community development activities with a historic preservation consciousness, and to use an awareness of local history and culture (or what I call a preservation consciousness) as a tool for renewal – especially in severely distressed areas and in conditions of… Show more

Case study on historic preservation efforts in the Ransom Place neighborhood located in Indianapolis, Indiana. This neighborhood and case study is utilized as a theory-building exercise to draw some conclusions on how to infuse community development activities with a historic preservation consciousness, and to use an awareness of local history and culture (or what I call a preservation consciousness) as a tool for renewal – especially in severely distressed areas and in conditions of concentrated poverty. Show less