Field Notes

We've heard many good things about Akron through the years. Upon a recent visit it was inspiring to see how much has been done to make their downtown a beautiful well-designed space. Some of the placemaking ideas we observed are detailed below. Custom Designed Cast-Concrete Planters These one-of-a-kind planters are...

Highland Park, located in Middlesex County, is a community with a design forward feeling - especially when it comes to public spaces. This playful public art project fills an otherwise blank wall. The colorful figures bring a sense of excitement and energy to the downtown. No detail is too small...

This plat map reads more like a polished marketing piece: We have the choicest home sites in Haddon Heights. All of our property consists of high rolling ground, beautifully situated. Note central location of our tract, close proximity to Railroad Station & Trolley line, also nearness to schools, churches, stores,...

Glassboro owes much of its explosive growth due to close proximity to Rowan University. A major Nexus Properties multi-family development has greatly enhanced the residential population in and around downtown. This in turn has driven market dynamics supportive of businesses locating here. The center focal point of the development is...

We only had a short time to take in the Power & Light District while visiting Kansas City for the Main Street Now conference. We were struck by these Art Nouveau lights as we grabbed a quick lunch inside a grocery store. This Art Deco skyscraper with setbacks had a...

In 1758, John Burr sold to James, Philo, and Vincent Leeds. The bounds contained the site of the village of Vincentown. Other names used in the early period include Brimstone NEck and later Quakertown. Finally, it adopted the name of its most prominent citizen and was called Vincent's Town. This...

Broadway Food Trucks Immediately we were struck by the concentration of food trucks along Broadway. While formal sit down restaurants were fairly sparse, the food trucks were plentiful. This was a creative adaptation to serve the many people utilizing the surrounding office buildings. As we observed these food trucks, we...

We were grateful for a chance to visit the East End Market in Orlando. The market is located in the Audubon Park Garden District that was named a Great American Main Street by the National Main Street Center in 2016 — and factored prominently in that success. Inside a diverse selection of food-based...

Tupelo Honey Cafe was our destination to meet a colleague for lunch. Before lunch I took a quick tour of the downtown and saw some fairly inexpensive but well-designed social seating at one of the restaurants. We admired the gateway signage and landscaping for "The Blue Plum Village." Later we...

Harrisonburg is the home of James Madison University. Due to that fact there is a nice mix of businesses, many of which appeal to the students, faculty, staff, and visitors. In 2015 I had an opportunity to get a tour from the outgoing Executive Director of the downtown organization. Near...