Knowledge Center
Economic Development
A primary objective for place managers is fostering a healthy, sustainable, diverse and prosperous economy for the managed place. The place manager collaborates and works closely with various levels of local and regional economic development organizations, developers, real estate brokers, private firms, philanthropic foundations, destination management organizations, non-profits, and state and federal government agencies, while representing the specific and unique needs, challenges and trends of the managed place.
Additionally, the place manager will work to recruit and retain businesses, conduct market research, encourage a strong local workforce, maintain a diverse mix of commercial and residential development, and facilitate a built environment that is accessible for all users to live, work, play, visit and invest.
Curated Pathways
Curated pathways guide you through a focused set of resources on key topics that build on each other to help you understand a challenge, explore strategies and see them in practice.
Organizing Properties for Occupancy
Downtowns face a growing challenge â large vacant storefronts and anchor spaces that hold back recovery and reinvestment. This session explores how districts are working collectively with property owners and brokers to overcome fragmented interests, align leasing strategies and ownership and attract the right tenant mix. Learn from three examples of how organizing properties for occupancy is showing up in the economic development strategies of UPMOs.
Weâd love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Securing Downtownâs Creative Future
Creativity drives downtown vitality, but rising real estate costs are pushing artists and makers out. This session introduces Creative Land Trusts as a tool to preserve affordable cultural spaces, stabilize creative communities and anchor long-term economic growth. Panelists will highlight breakthrough models, lessons learned and actionable approaches cities can replicate to safeguard their creative future.
Weâd love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Advancing Places: The Power of University Partnerships
Universities are emerging as powerful catalysts for downtowns. This webinar explores innovative strategies for leveraging university assets to drive economic development, foster community engagement and create vibrant urban spaces. Discover how collaborations between universities, businesses and local governments can energize downtowns, attracting talent, stimulating innovation and building resilient communities. Learn practical approaches to harness the unique potential of universities to
Read MoreTop Issues Council Brief: Beyond the Pop-Up
Persistent vacancies represent more than just empty storefrontsâthey signal disruption, uncertainty and lost potential. But they can also serve as invitations to adapt policies, reimagine space and realign tools with todayâs realities. This brief highlights a simple truth: no single strategy solves vacancyâbut intentional coordination can.
Read MoreThe Madison + Milwaukee Downtown Exchange
The Madison + Milwaukee Downtown Exchange is a virtual event series launched by Downtown Madison, Inc. (DMI) and Milwaukee Downtown, BID 21, designed to strengthen the economic and social ties between Wisconsinâs two largest cities. The initiative fosters cross-city collaboration through engaging panel discussions featuring experts, policymakers and business leaders.
Weâd love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Downtown Austin Space Activation Program
The DASA program revitalizes vacant and underutilized spaces by offering accessible opportunities for small businesses, entrepreneurs and artists to activate downtown storefronts. Its purpose is to establish downtown as a platform that fosters economic growth for all, functioning as a hub for cultural vibrancy and community engagement.
Weâd love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Co-Creating with Community
The mission of the Block Arts District centers on fostering collaboration among established and emerging arts organizations, as well as with businesses and government entities. Through the Co-Create program, the district has been instrumental in transforming Salt Lake into a premier arts and culture hub.
Weâd love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
301 Congress Avenue Porch
In 2021, HPI Management and the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation (DAA-Foundation) reimagined âThe Porchâ at 301 Congress, a previously underutilized pocket park in the heart of downtown. Community input guided the visioning of an interactive, accessible space, with other key goals for the space determined by community engagement.
Weâd love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Rebecca Rockey Master Talk
Rebecca Rockey is the Deputy Chief Economist and Global Head of Forecasting at Cushman & Wakefield. In her decade at the firm, her responsibilities have evolved significantly. Her focus spans economics, demographics, financial markets and commercial real estateâboth at the macro and micro levels. She manages the production of national and metro-level commercial real estate forecasts across the Americas, develops predictive econometric and statistical models to enhance the firmsâ
Weâd love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
Reversing the Doom Loop Rhetoric
The doom loop is coming for you! Or is it? While COVID and shifting demographics have disrupted how downtowns function, change is nothing new for urban centers. This session pushes back against the dominant doom-and-gloom narrative and draws on recent research to explore a more nuanced view of downtown recovery.
Weâd love for you to see this member-only resource to help make a difference in your district. Make sure you are logged in or join IDA to learn more about how members get sh*t done!
