Allegheny Conference on Community Development’s Post

Big news to share! Congratulations are headed to Downtown Lansing Inc. - they were announced as one of Main Street America's Great American Main Street Award Semifinalists! A national jury of industry professionals and local leaders in the fields of economic development and historic preservation evaluated 17 applications from Main Street programs working across the country in communities of all sizes. After thoughtful consideration and deliberation, eight organizations are being recognized as semifinalists for the prestigious Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) for excellence in fostering preservation-based revitalization efforts in their historic downtowns and commercial corridor districts through the Main Street Approach™. “The Great American Main Street Award is the highest honor that we grant to organizations within our network,” said Matthew Wagner, Ph.D., Chief Program Officer at Main Street America. “We are elated to recognize these eight Main Street organizations as 2024 GAMSA Semifinalists for their incredible accomplishments in transforming their downtowns through innovative programs strategically designed to preserve their unique heritage, foster economic vitality, and create a welcoming atmosphere.” Regarding Downtown Lansing: In the heart of Michigan’s capital city, Downtown Lansing Inc., has used walkability, sustainability, and accessibility to create a Main Street that welcomes everyone. This program has a long list of successes including streetscape improvements, public art installations, state-wide business recruitment, and DEIA planning. Before COVID, the downtown area was primarily known as a space for office workers and lunchtime eateries. The pandemic radically altered the business landscape and forced Downtown Lansing Inc., to re-evaluate its revitalization strategy and the district’s identity. They worked with businesses to expand weeknight and weekend hours, developers to bring more than 900 new housing units to the district, and new partners to expand the area’s arts and cultural offerings. These changes have ushered in a new era for downtown Lansing as a vibrant destination with a real sense of place. Follow the link to learn more about the GAMSA Semifinaliststps://https://lnkd.in/gpHuDkPP

Downtown Coldwater is taking big steps to revitalize its historic downtown and create a place for families and residents of all ages. The Downtown Coldwater Main Street program is working to support a dynamic environment that consistently demonstrates collective energy and synergy. They strive to foster entrepreneurial investment and growth and encourage a vibrant, multi-cultural, family-oriented downtown that is enjoyed by its community. Learn more about what the Coldwater Main Street program is doing to support their community in the 2024 edition of their Impact Report at https://lnkd.in/gZG5b-Qp. Here are a few key highlights: 💵 Downtown Coldwater Main Street saw nearly $1.5 million worth of private investment in the district between 2022-2023, totaling $2,023644 since the program's inception in 2021. 🏛 Downtown Coldwater celebrated 7 new businesses between 2022-2023, and 6 renovations to facades & building upgrades took place just in 2022-2023, bringing the grand total 11 new businesses and 10 facade & building rehabs since the program's launch. 🙋♀️ Downtown Coldwater Main Street welcomed 23,000 folks into the community for events and gatherings, bolstered by 318 volunteer hours at the value of $9,588 for the year. Their programmatic goals are to provide family-friendly experiences with a focus on arts and culture; to revitalize buildings and public spaces to enhance an authentic sense of community that is attractive to all ages; and to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports existing and new, experience-based, and multicultural businesses. Each year, Michigan Main Street supports local communities in compiling its annual Impact Report to demonstrate the power of Main Street programming. From transformations of commercial districts to community revitalizations across the state, Michigan Main Street’s dedicated economic efforts over the decades have been leading economic growth in downtowns across the state. Read the compilation of their efforts for the past 20 years in the report recently published, detailing Michigan Main Street’s economic, fiscal and community impact: https://lnkd.in/gespseip

Interesting downtown development plan from Louisville Metro Government, with a lot of detail than confirms work already being done in Northern Kentucky's river cities, especially the City of Covington, Kentucky. "The report focuses on three main strategies to make downtown thrive: “activating” downtown through increased attractions; growing the number of people who live downtown; and enhancing the “public realm” via more pedestrian friendly streets, more inviting public spaces and better connectivity within downtown and to the areas surrounding it... Housing, too, is a big focus of the strategy. The report ties the overall economic health of downtown, in large part, to significantly boosting the number of people living there, saying the residential population remains well below a critical mass." https://lnkd.in/gT9iuHpt

Planning is a good thing, right? We'd like to think so. Planning for the future is critical when progressing towards goals, and relatively speaking, essential for the District's comeback. Lately, everyone's been thinking and talking about the return of D.C.'s downtown core in a post-pandemic world. Residents, workers, and visitors alike all want to see change towards a better D.C., and understandably so. This takes planning and today — after a year of promoting surveys, hearing from various stakeholder groups, meeting, and strategizing — #MayorMurielBowser and other city leaders convened at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company to unveil the details of two transformational plans that work towards creating that future for our city and specifically our downtown. The #DowntownActionPlan is a once-in-a-century project lead by the #DowntownDC BID, Golden Triangle Business Improvement District, and Federal City Council. Launched in May of 2023, the goal of the Action Plan is to ensure downtown's recovery and reimagination into a vibrant, economically sustainable, diverse, and equitable area. This plan will impact key nodes across both BIDs with a recommended five-year investment of $401M — including $39M in FY25 — in various initiatives including #publicsafety, #transportation, and residential conversion. A critical part of revitalizing downtown is evaluating its #publicspaces. In July of 2023, the DC Office of Planning launched its #DowntownPublicRealmPlan to complement the Downtown Action Plan and as a part of the Mayor's comeback strategy. The Downtown Public Realm Plan works to create one-of-a-kind public spaces in downtown D.C. by providing recommendations that will transform valuable outdoors spaces into attractive, safe, and active areas. This plan envisions four dynamic locations that will take advantage of the economic strategies outlined in the Downtown Action Plan: Gallery Place Festival Plaza, Connecticut Capital Promenade, I Street Greenway, and the Vermont Avenue Connector. Last but certainly not least is the #DCComebackPlan, which was the impetus for the Downtown Action and Public Realm Plans. Launched in January of 2023 by Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, this tool is the framework for the city's #economicdevelopment strategy for the next five years. Downtown is a critical component of D.C.'s comeback and requires filling and changing the space, and also bringing the people. Both plans aim to achieve that. Now let's get to work! The implementation of these plans requires the interest of us all. If you'd like to learn more about any of these respective projects, visit the links below for more information. 🏙️ Downtown Action Plan: https://lnkd.in/eDY7ez7r 🛣️ Downtown Public Realm Plan: https://lnkd.in/eGpFtfmG 📊 DC's Comeback Plan: https://lnkd.in/egxzV8nz #wedobidthings #bedowntown #washingtondc #dcstrong

Communities That Play Together Grow Together: My View of Greenville, South Carolina 🌟 My wife’s family lives in South Carolina, and as I have been to many cities around the world, I am always captivated by Greenville and how it relates to where I live. With a population of only about 70,000 people, I feel that the heart of Greenville’s success story is its unwavering commitment to providing residents and visitors alike with an abundance of opportunities for leisure, recreation, and cultural enrichment. Greenville offers something for everyone, regardless of age or background, from its extensive network of parks and green spaces to its bustling downtown district filled with shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.  It seems that no matter what day of the week it is or what time of the year, Greenville is always busy with thousands of people walking, eating and simply enjoying everything the city has to offer. Public spaces like Falls Park and the Swamp Rabbit Trail foster social connection, echoing Waterloo Region's landscape synergy. The city's arts scene thrives, with galleries, theatres, and events like Artisphere drawing thousands yearly, boosting both culture and commerce. But it's Greenville's collaborative spirit that truly shines. Residents, businesses, and government unite to shape the city's future, driving initiatives like the Greenville Forward Vision Plan. In my opinion, Greenville, South Carolina, stands as a shining example of the transformative power of community engagement, recreation, and cultural enrichment. By prioritizing public spaces, fostering a vibrant arts scene, and promoting collaboration among stakeholders, Greenville has created a dynamic and inclusive community where residents thrive, businesses flourish, and visitors are welcomed with open arms. As other cities seek to emulate Greenville’s success, they would do well to heed the timeless wisdom that communities that play together truly do grow together. 🌟 #CommunityEngagement #Growth #GreenvilleSC #CommunityDevelopment #Recreation #CulturalEnrichment #PublicSpaces #ArtsScene #Collaboration #InclusiveCommunity #CommunityBuilding #CityPlanning #UrbanDevelopment #DestinationCity

Witnessing the realization of your projects is always a gratifying experience.

What an honor! Old Town Lewisville has been named one of six Great Places in Texas for 2023 by the American Planning Association - Texas Chapter, the top state award for development. Great Places in Texas recognizes the Lone Star State’s Great Places – neighborhoods, streets, and public spaces – and celebrates how planning has played a vital role where residents live, work, and play. The program promotes and recognizes great places while celebrating stories of exemplary planning that have resulted in stronger and healthier communities. Old Town Lewisville is the heart of the city. Old Town Lewisville exemplifies the qualities of a great neighborhood. Anchored with an authentic and historic Main Street commercial district, Old Town Lewisville also offers multiple housing options, walkable streets, inviting parks and open spaces, unique dining options, a variety of arts and entertainment venues, and specialty retail and services surrounding this special area. The mix of uses in Old Town Lewisville supports neighborhood residents through a variety of housing types, civic amenities, parks, retail, and service uses. Residents and visitors can easily get to and explore Old Town Lewisville, on bicycle, by foot, or using affordable public transit. Old Town Lewisville residents have great access to tranquil green spaces and multiple urban connections to nature. The district’s rich heritage and exciting culture are celebrated through more than 30 public art pieces installed since 2018. The redevelopment of Old Town Lewisville is so important to the City and residents, it is one of the nine “Big Moves” of the Lewisville 2025 vision plan. Several components of this redevelopment are consistent with all the other eight Big Moves of the plan. The plan can be viewed at https://lnkd.in/ganEGVNj.

As we think about revitalizing Downtown Denver, we should expedite the efforts for the #CivicCenterNext100, Skyline Park and the 5280 trail. We will reap the benefits in useable public space, but also the spillover effects to spur private investment in the land around these spaces and creating opportunities strong social connections. These sorts of investments will also create workforce opportunities and chance for entrepreneurs. What do you think Councilman Chris Hinds, Adeeb Khan, Kourtny Garrett, Andrew Iltis??

These are 3 things everyone should get to experience, and there’s one place that has it all! What are those three things? History, Community, and Lifestyle! The place? The Wilmore Neighborhood! Wilmore as we know it today, was established in 1914 when FC Abbott bought 335 acres of farmland owned by Mr. Wilson and Mr. Moore; the area was named after them as “Wil-More”.  Historic Character: It is one of Charlotte's oldest neighborhoods. Fun fact: Prior to the 19th Century, two of Charlotte’s gold mines were located in Wilmore. Location: Wilmore is situated just south west of Uptown Charlotte and even includes a portion of the SouthEnd making it a convenient and desirable neighborhood for those who work in the city center. Revitalization: Over the years, the neighborhood has seen significant revitalization efforts, with many homes being renovated and restored, contributing to the neighborhood's appeal. Walkability: Wilmore is a walkable neighborhood with tree-lined streets and sidewalks, making it easy for residents to explore the area on foot. Parks and Green Spaces: Wilmore is home to several parks and green spaces, including Revolution Park, Wilmore Park, and Abbott Park which offers ball fields, playground, picnic areas, and walking paths. Community Events: The neighborhood hosts various community events throughout the year, such as neighborhood cleanups, social gatherings, and holiday celebrations. Local Businesses: Wilmore has a mix of local businesses, including restaurants, cafes, and shops, giving the neighborhood a unique and vibrant character. Some of these great popular spots include Pasta Provisions, The Horseshoe, Yume, Craft Tasting Room, Seoul Food Meat Company...to name a few. Wilmore is a dynamic and evolving neighborhood that offers a combination of historical charm and modern amenities, making it an attractive place to live for many Charlotte residents. Are you or someone you know thinking of making the move to Charlotte, NC and want to learn all about the different neighborhoods and parts of town? Let me know and I'm happy to share the many resources we have to help educate on the area to help you find the best fit! #charlottenc #relocationspecialist #relocating #realestate