Part 2 of Episode 7.

Holly has been in conference mode and learning from other Mainstreet organizations what works and what doesn't to apply it to the Casa Grande Downtown District. She lost a shirt in the process but gained knowledge and validation for the directions Casa Grande Mainstreet has been taking the district.

Conferences attended Downtown Matters in Flagstaff,

AZ Rural Policy Forum in Kingman,

AZ Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Tucson, AZ

Main take-aways: “Software upgrade requires a Hardware upgrade” – Jon Jon, aka The Happy Urbanist If we want people to spend more time Downtown, we need to change the landscape and atmosphere to cater to the desired outcome. The main ways this will happen is to deter vehicle traffic, increase walkability and bike-ability, and take steps towards enhancing our “sense of place”.

Consumers are craving experiences, and walking is an experience—especially in a Downtown that has an established sense of place! When it comes to creating a sense of place, the Strong Towns approach is amazing! However, Mainstreet cannot do this alone. There are small actions that Downtown businesses can take which will reinforce the Downtown atmosphere that invites and caters to foot-traffic and consumers (hello, outdoor music!). Afterall, the community IS the destination!