RESTART, RESET, RETOOL, REFILL: Considerations for downtowns, commercial corridors, and main streets
We are at the end of the beginning. There are going to be closures, vacancies, and job losses across communities. How long and how deep will be a function of how well the next three-to-six months are managed, how that impacts consumer confidence, and whether planners and development officials are ready to respond in meaningful ways. Moreover, the pandemic magnified and amplified glaring, pre-existing disparities in our civic and economic structure. How communities address vacancy, maintain a sense of vibrancy and ensure equitable action is at the heart of today’s challenges. As designers and economists who have worked in urban revitalization for the past 20 years, we propose a framework for downtowns and main streets to consider - RESTART, RESET, RETOOL, REFILL
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Design Downtown St. Louis Open House Goes Online
The public Open House for our Design Downtown STL plan is officially online. Restrictions on public gathering due to COVID-19 forced us to think differently about public engagement. In Downtown St. Louis, the online open house is full of information you’d find at an in-person event. Online activities invite users to help us prioritize ideas and comment on six different goals of the plan.
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Lunch Club: Where to eat in Callowhill and Chinatown
Who’s hungry? This #MappyMonday, we decided to have some fun and map our favorite places to grab lunch (and dessert) in the Callowhill / Chinatown neighborhoods near our office. After 13 years in the same spot, we’d like to think we’ve tried it all!
Read ArticleA New Plan for Chinatown
“Chinatown is a neighborhood that is constantly changing and adapting in order to survive,” said Sarah Yeung, director of planning for PCDC. “The key is to strike a balanced approach while at the same time not letting go of our values, which is to allow for community self-determination and to create an equitable community.”
Read ArticleKnight Cities Challenge Finalists
Congratulations to the Knight Cities Challenge finalists! We're proud to be among this passionate and innovative bunch of folks and hope we get the chance to roll up our sleeves and implement.
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Chinatown: more than just a tourist destination
Philadelphia’s Chinatown is a unique ecosystem that encompasses immigrants, small businesses and manufacturers, institutions, visitors, and a growing creative class. Known to outsiders mainly as a place for food and commerce, Chinatown is also a residential neighborhood and remains a vital hub of community and services for immigrants who have dispersed to other parts of the city – a home away from home.
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