Knowledge Center

Planning, Design and Infrastructure

The urban place manager emphasizes efforts on the built environment because of the significant impacts they have on the quality of life and one’s authentic experience of a place. Every place is different; therefore, place management strategies should respond to a myriad of place-based identifiers including, the place’s specific scale, status, culture, climate, community vision, goals, and mission, keeping at the forefront considerations of sustainability and resilience.

Through numerous approaches, such as land and real estate development, zoning and land-use, streetscape improvements, transit-oriented development, multi-modal connections, sustainable infrastructure, attainable housing initiatives and historic preservation among others, place managers enhance the quality of life for all stakeholders of a place.

Downtown San Francisco Public Realm Action Plan

September 22, 2023 Best Practice

The Downtown San Francisco Public Realm Action Plan was commissioned by DSFP, the community benefit district serving the city’s Financial District and Jackson Square. The plan emphasizes place-based, pedestrian-oriented strategies focusing on creating a resilient and inclusive downtown to counter fallen pedestrian traffic from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We’d 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: Parking & Mobility Strategies

May 23, 2023 Webinar

Get a better understanding of the findings of the IDA Parking & Mobility Top Issues Council report. We will take the findings from this report, dive a little deeper and share two case studies from Pittsburgh and Memphis. Representatives from both cities will discuss different applications of mobility and parking-demand management strategies on the ground, covering what’s worked, what they would do differently with hindsight, and how the work is evolving. 

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Public Safety Initiatives

May 22, 2023 Publication

Clean and Safe has long played a central role in place management, but public safety has taken on increasing importance amidst the protracted return to work, increases in homelessness, and efforts to square law enforcement practices with demands for social justice.

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Top Issues Council Brief: Parking & Mobility

December 19, 2022 Publication

This report brief provides updated guidance on, best practices for and resources in mobility and parking including curbside management, mobility hubs, land use and transportation policies, managed and paid parking impacts on businesses, and parking management tools.

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Advancing Places: Equity in Action

December 09, 2022 Webinar

Learn how NewTown Macon, Inc. has taken the community-driven planning process a step further and empowered the public to implement their next comprehensive plan by leveraging resources from the local philanthropic community. 

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Outdoor Dining – Where Do We Go from Here?

October 07, 2022 Presentation

Dining moved onto our sidewalks and streets during the pandemic, but will it become a permanent part of our cities? Experienced practitioners will discuss the costs, benefits and considerations of making “streeteries” permanent to help attendees successfully guide local discussions on whether to keep, modify or close outdoor dining establishments.  

We’d 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!

Housing – The Next Engine of Downtown Opportunity

September 23, 2022 Presentation

For the past two decades, North America has faced the most urban housing market since WWII – offering unparalleled opportunity to transform housing into a powerful tool to enliven downtown streets, attract talent, create innovation districts, expand fiscal benefits, and yield similarly rich dividends for downtowns, cities and regions they lead. 

We’d 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!

Authentic Experiences in the Age of the Metaverse

September 23, 2022 Presentation

How do we make places relevant in the age of going virtual? This presentation discusses separate technological folly from authentic experience design to help business districts prepare for the true placemaking success in the age of meta.

We’d 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!

Embracing New Mobility Solutions for your Business District 

September 23, 2022 Presentation

The recent growth in e-mobility during the pandemic is revolutionizing movement in and around our cities, creating both opportunities and conflicts. Find out how you can harness alternative transportation to help your business district succeed.

We’d 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!

Lights, Cameras, Parking! How New Tech & New Thinking are Revolutionizing Micromobility

September 23, 2022 Presentation

Join Bird for a discussion of how UPMOs can pilot, manage, and promote successful scooter programs, followed by a live demonstration of the industry’s newest technologies. Learn how districts can use scooter share to help achieve mobility and economic development goals while maintaining beautified streets and prioritizing pedestrian safety. 

We’d 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!