Economic Development Now

Even the busiest downtowns usually have a few vacant buildings or lots. Just one blighted building or trash-strewn lot can put a damper on an otherwise healthy block. A number of communities have pioneered creative solutions to permanently or temporarily reuse vacant places.

Ideally, vacant downtown properties can be filled by a local business. But in the meantime, why not use empty front windows as advertising space (Small Biz Survival)? It’s far more aesthetically pleasing than  covering them with plywood, and it supports other community businesses at the same time. This will require cooperative landlords, which the prospect of advertising revenue can help in convincing.

In downtown Buena Vista, Colo., several vacant lots were consolidated and converted into a patio, activating a previously disused area as a community space (Smart Growth Online). Another example is next to the nearby Jailhouse Craft Brew Bar. The bar, located in a 19^th century jail, annexed an adjacent lot to create outdoor seating.

In Clarksdale, Miss., the hole that needed plugging was both vertical and horizontal. The New Roxy Theater, once a popular cinema for black residents during segregation, suffered a devastating fire in 1973, which collapsed the roof. The building sat vacant for more than three decades, until it was purchased by new resident Robin Colonas in 2008. Colonas faced a major challenge in cleaning up the property, but she eventually realized the lack of a roof was in fact an asset. The New Roxy is now an open-air music venue and a staple of the town’s two annual music festivals.