Press Releases

The Year Ahead: Growing opportunities and threats to downtown

(Boonton, NJ, December 19, 2005) — Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter recently invited the industry leaders who contribute to its monthly Perspectives Column to ponder the trends that they see presenting either growing opportunities or threats to downtowns in the New Year.

Taken as a whole, their predictions are neither wholly optimistic nor pessimistic. “Similarly,” notes editor Paul Felt, “game plans for downtown development and sustainable prosperity need both a strong offense and a strong defense.”

Key themes covered in the article include:

• Continued erosion in the retail markets of many downtowns as lifestyle centers, big boxes, and e-tailing proliferate.
• New development and revitalization opportunities as the demand for downtown housing continues.
• Increased downtown crime as the number of young men in their most “trouble-prone” years increases. And,
• Downtowns continuing to make news as they become deeply involved in headline issues such as the use of eminent domain.

The full text of the article, “How can downtowns put themselves on better footing in 2006 and beyond,” is available online at the Downtown Idea Exchange website at http://www.DowntownDevelopment.com/dixsample.php or by phoning the publisher at 1-800-232-4317.

About Downtown Idea Exchange

Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter reports on downtown problems and solutions in an effort to provide a focus for revitalizing our cities.

Website: http://www.DowntownDevelopment.com