ASA Annual Conference

Participation Type

Panel

Session Title

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Downtown Revitalization

Session Abstract or Summary

This panel takes an action-research orientation to investigate downtown revitalization efforts within the Promise Zone of Southeastern Kentucky led by the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK). CEDIK focuses on three main goals: to provide professional development and training in community, economic, and leadership development; to assist Kentucky community leaders, organizations and extension personnel directly with economic and community development efforts; and to produce quality research that supports innovative community, economic, and leadership development programming. CEDIK’s vision is to be the key source of education and research to benefit Kentucky’s communities through community and economic development and creative placemaking. To meet these goals in the Promise Zone, CEDIK has taken a coordinated approach to downtown revitalization that includes strategic planning, implementing research-based tools, urban planning and design, and regional efforts to promote the creative economy. Through a series of action-research projects, each paper will examine themes that emerge across the downtowns in Southeastern Kentucky in each one of these areas. Papers will explain key data, share results of their analysis, and present implications for action within downtowns. By analyzing trends within and across specific communities, the panel as a whole will provide perspective on what are action items needed across the region as well as helping the audience understand which challenges are more unique to specific communities

About the Presenter

Shane Barton, University of KentuckyFollow
Melissa Bond, University of Kentucky
Ryan Sandwick, University of Kentucky
Sky Marietta, University of Kentucky

Presentation #1 Title

Downtown Revitalization in the Promise Zone

Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary

Within the Southeastern Kentucky Highland Promise Zone are a variety of small towns, each with their own unique downtown that has been shaped by history, geography, and changing economic tides. Since 2016, the Community Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK) has been working within many of these communities to promote economic diversification through downtown revitalization. One core offering of CEDIK is strategic planning. For rural communities, strategic planning allows them to work towards a unified vision of economic revitalization of downtowns and make choices that support outcomes. However, work in the field revealed that many towns had been through several strategic planning processes and participants often voiced frustration with implementation. This paper has the goal of supporting downtowns to implement key objectives by understanding the historic patterns of strategic planning across downtowns. The objective is to identify key areas of support needed by downtowns in order to implement their plans and reach their goals. In this study, the author analyzed over 20 downtown plans for towns across the Promise Zone. Thematic Analsysis reveals the main themes that have emerged across towns, as well as ideas that cluster in specific towns. Implications for downtown revitalization work will be considered with a focus on implementation support.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1

Shane Barton has degrees in Environmental Science and Urban Studies/Geography and a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Public Policy and Administration. Barton has lead programs in eastern Kentucky including The Growing Local Economies Program, The Eastern Kentucky Local Motive Alliance, The Coal Camp Documentary Project, UK Tomorrow Corps and currently coordinates the CEDIK Promise Zone downtown revitalization project.

Presentation #2 Title

First Impressions: A Tool for Communities

Presentation #2 Abstract or Summary

First Impressions (Lewis & Schneider, 1991) is a structured community assessment program that enables communities to learn about the first impression they convey to outsiders. It offers a fresh perspective on the appearance, services and infrastructure of each community. Data is collected from trained volunteer teams who undertake unannounced, one-day visits, record their observations, and give constructive feedback to the community. Their photos and responses are then compiled and presented back to the community by a CEDIK representative. The knowledge gained through this program is intended to serve as a basis for community action. For example, the program will offer suggestions and resources to address the areas identified for potential improvement. CEDIK has adapted the First Impressions Program to meet the need of Kentucky communities and is implementing this tool within 6 downtowns in the promise zone. The author will provide an overview of the findings of this tool as applied across the downtowns in order to inform regional priorities for downtown development. Particular attention will be paid to how communities might respond in a phased approach, including pilot work that allowed communities to go after “small wins” to make improvements to downtowns, and how FI can be incorporated into the strategic plans of downtowns across the region.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2

Melissa joined CEDIK in March 2015. A former Extension Agent in Whitley County, her expertise is on arts programming and farmers markets. In addition to her role as a CEDIK Extension Specialist, she is the program leader for Arts Extension in the state of Kentucky.

Presentation #3 Title

Tactical Urbanism Goes Rural

Presentation #3 Abstract or Summary

Community design focuses on creating and managing healthier built landscapes that support and enhance the character and quality of life in communities. The process not only changes the built environment at varying scales but also aims to strengthen community capacity through inclusive participation and decision-making with all members. Public spaces are areas that are open to the public to access and use. Spaces that are used most frequently tend to be valued highly in the community and can serve as a draw to downtown, thus driving more customers to businesses located nearby (Milder, 2017). Koo (2015) argues that great public places in communities should strive to be destinations for both locals and visitors. She further argues that public places are not only locations in our society, but tend to have an additional special identity linked to the public spaces. This paper examines how downtowns in the promise zone might develop these public spaces to make them economic drivers. The presentation analyzes key aspects of public spaces across promise zone downtowns, including walkability, public event space, vacancy rates, and parking in order to identify key priority areas for action. The author will also outline the key notion of “tactical urbanism” and how its tenants can be applied to primarily rural downtown spaces in Appalachia.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3

Sandwick is a Community Design Specialist on a joint appointment between CEDIK and the Department of Landscape Architecture. He received his MSc. in City Planning and Regeneration from the University of Glasgow and his B.S. in Landscape Architecture from the University of California, Davis. A strong believer that cities need to be more fun, Ryan is interested in making communities more creative and engaging. Ryan's work has ranged from tactical urbanism to research for the Scottish Government.

Presentation #4 Title

Beyond Downtown: A Regional Approach to the Creative Economy

Presentation #4 Abstract or Summary

In their report Arts and Economic Prosperity (2016), Americans for the Arts finds that the nonprofit arts and culture industry is an economic driver in communities—a growth industry that supports jobs, generates government revenues, and is critical to tourism. But what does that mean for the downtowns of the Kentucky Highlands Promise Zone? Milder (2017) argues that the creative economy of small downtowns often requires a regional approach—one in which individual arts events are positioned within broader offerings in order to encourage a larger market to make the drive often necessary to shop and/or participate. This paper examines this proposition in the Promise Zone by analyzing the arts opportunities available in the region and how they can be leveraged for economic development both broadly and to draw visitors to downtowns. In particular, the author will propose a typology of the arts opportunities that includes community art projects, non-profits, festivals, and retail. From these types, further attention will be paid in when and how arts opportunities are marketed to audiences with a special focus on digital strategies. Suggestions will be made for how the creative economy can be strengthened in order to provide stable income streams for individuals as well as to draw tourists to downtowns.

At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #4

Sky Marietta helps vulnerable communities by applying research to practice. She received her PhD in Human Development from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. As a Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer at Harvard, she focused on hands-on initiatives, including partnering with the New York City Department of Education to lead institutes on instructional change. Sky returned to her native Kentucky where she is designing and implementing scalable programs that are targeted to rural communities.

Conference Subthemes

Economic Development