| John L. Gann, Jr., "7 Mistakes to Avoid in Downtown Development Programs," Current Municipal Problems, Fall, 1982.
Empty stores overlooking fancy streetscapes offer evidence of the fruits of traditional revitalization. Ineffectual programs often derive from one of 7 factors to avoid. John L. Gann, Jr., "The Missing Element in Small City Commercial Revitalization," Illinois Municipal Review, September, 1982. Downtown revival failures often reflect a neglect of market analysis. Market studies can put hard numbers on a downtown's potential, be useful in winning over investors. "What Can Downtown Learn From Newly Emerging 'Lifestyle Centers'?" Downtown Idea Exchange, September 1, 2004, p. 1. While "lifestyle" centers copy their look, downtowns need to adopt strategies based on the superior management of shopping centers. John L. Gann, Jr., "Aspirins for Downtown," Downtown Idea Exchange, February 15, 2005, p. 2. Downtown programs have treated symptoms instead of causes. They must now focus on adding things to do instead of things to look at. |
Veronica Adkins, "A 'No-Nonsense' Manual for Downtown Revitalization," Budget & Tax News, April, 2016, p. 18.
A review of Successful Smaller Downtowns & Business Districts finds "actionable suggestions and tales of real-world experiences." John L. Gann, Jr., "What Your Downtown Can Learn From Farmers Markets," Cities & Villages, November-December, 2015, p. 23. Five reasons farmers markets are good models for downtown revival programs. John L. Gann, Jr., "Reviving Your Downtown: Eight Questions to Ask," Illinois Municipal Review, December, 2015, p. 26. Downtown programs fall short because they fail to ask eight fundamental questions. John L. Gann, Jr., "Historic Preservation Has It All Wrong," Syracuse (NY) Post-Standard, November 15, 2015, p. E1. Downtown revival programs should spend less on the appearance of historic buildings and more on the health of the businesses they house. For more on Market Street, click here. |