Doubling down on small-city downtowns

Downtown Revitalization Initiative Plans

New York State offered ten cities $10 million in downtown revitalization initiative grants. But the offer came with a catch: the cities had to use it to attract more money from other sources. We helped three cities develop plans—based on their assets and character—that did just that.

The cities all had intimate downtowns where small, but strategic, investments could have a big impact and attract new activities, businesses, and residents. For each site, we assessed retail, commercial, and residential markets to understand existing demand. Then we interviewed stakeholders, held public meetings, ran online forums, and collaborated with advisory panels to shape recommendations.

Each final plan included detailed profiles of priority projects—including several we felt could draw investment without the grant funding. Each profile explains how that project contributes to the overall vision, shows how its finances pencil out, and addressed how to build and manage it for the long haul. A significant number of our projects won final state funding. Thanks to our plans, the cities will see $125 million in additional public and private investment.