Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / LaBarbara J. Wigfall / Historically downtown St. Joseph was a vibrant urban center where many people came for entertainment and shopping (Bunkowski, 2010). With the rise of the automobile in the 1950’s and 60’s, the city has become largely focused around auto-oriented development. The downtown has been separated from the Missouri River with the construction of Interstate 229 and rail lines, limiting access to the riverfront. Overtime, some of the sites have become contaminated and are now designated as brownfields. Redevelopment of downtown St. Joseph can help solve these problems, and help position the city for future development. By restructuring existing buildings and planning for future infill, as well as incorporating green space into the design of the area, the downtown can once again be a vibrant, vital area of the city. The redevelopment of downtown St. Joseph will focus around creating walkable mixed-use urban fabric that attracts people to the city’s core. Downtown St. Joseph will once again become an important economic and social center for the city. New mixed use development in the downtown will provide places for new businesses and residences in the city. Enhanced connections to the surrounding areas will increase access to the downtown and parks in the area. Improvements to the downtown will make the area a vital part of St. Joseph.

Societal changes have changed the function and presence of downtowns over the years and a variety of strategies have been implemented in an effort to revitalize downtown cores. One of the most recent strategies employed has been using urban catalysts, such as stadiums and markets, to stimulate downtown revitalization. The primary purpose of this strategy is to create catalysts for further development and investment. This study examines the role the John Labatt Centre (JLC, a recent arena) and Covent Garden Market (a farmers market with a large range of permanent food retailing facilities) play in revitalizing Downtown London, Ontario. Within the last decade the City of London invested millions of dollars into rebuilding the Covent Garden Market and constructing the John Labatt Centre in the heart of London’s downtown. The purpose of this research is to determine whether these venues act as catalysts for new development, and thus assess their spin-off effects. Data was collected by reviewing planning legislation, administering a survey to local business owners and interviewing key stakeholders. Findings show that the impact of the JLC and Market is unevenly distributed. The results provide insight on differences based on business type, and geographical location. Planning implications derived from the London, Ontario case study show that continued commitment from the public and politicians is the most important factor in downtown revitalization. Implementing urban catalysts helps to anchor downtown districts, by providing a destination. However, this strategy needs to be applied in conjunction with innovative ideas, such as a Main Street program and incentive programs (façade improvements, waiving development charges on residential buildings) that instill confidence in the private sector.

Societal changes have changed the function and presence of downtowns over the years and a variety of strategies have been implemented in an effort to revitalize downtown cores. One of the most recent strategies employed has been using urban catalysts, such as stadiums and markets, to stimulate downtown revitalization. The primary purpose of this strategy is to create catalysts for further development and investment. This study examines the role the John Labatt Centre (JLC, a recent arena) and Covent Garden Market (a farmers market with a large range of permanent food retailing facilities) play in revitalizing Downtown London, Ontario. Within the last decade the City of London invested millions of dollars into rebuilding the Covent Garden Market and constructing the John Labatt Centre in the heart of London’s downtown. The purpose of this research is to determine whether these venues act as catalysts for new development, and thus assess their spin-off effects. Data was collected by reviewing planning legislation, administering a survey to local business owners and interviewing key stakeholders. Findings show that the impact of the JLC and Market is unevenly distributed. The results provide insight on differences based on business type, and geographical location. Planning implications derived from the London, Ontario case study show that continued commitment from the public and politicians is the most important factor in downtown revitalization. Implementing urban catalysts helps to anchor downtown districts, by providing a destination. However, this strategy needs to be applied in conjunction with innovative ideas, such as a Main Street program and incentive programs (façade improvements, waiving development charges on residential buildings) that instill confidence in the private sector.

The two most successful preservation initiatives in Texas are the Main Street Program (TMSP) and the Historic Courthouse Preservation Program (THCPP). A downtown revitalization strategy and grant fund program respectively, the initiatives are structurally different. However, they inevitably affect the same communities. The two organizations have never combined forces to achieve their goals, but the potential to integrate efforts could lead to reviving many more Texas communities. This study investigates the question: how can the TMSP and THCPP coordinate to create stronger preservation efforts in counties across the state? The program processes were analyzed to better understand the mechanisms used to carry out each initiative at the state and local level. Then, twelve case study cities were evaluated in order to understand the interactions at the local level. Interviews with program professionals, occupancy surveys, and reinvestment statistics were used to discern these effects. Through the interventions of both programs, all twelve cities have seen a decrease in vacancy ratings and an increase in rehabilitation projects. However, no Main Street program had any input into their local courthouse restoration. Alternatively, the courthouse restoration boosts local pride and ownership in the surrounding community, but these results are just “snow ball” effects; the restoration does not consider its impact on the greater community. The investigation also shows that rural communities rely more on the courthouse square to function as a traditional county seat, while suburban communities are transitioning their courthouses into new uses. Coordinating the TMSP and THCPP initiatives and creating preservation efforts at the county level could result in the successful revitalization of more rural communities across Texas, who could not achieve it on their own. / text

Special Activity Generators have been a policy popular with governments across the country seeking to revitalize lethargic downtowns. Sports facilities, a widespread form of Special Activity Generators, have been shown to be incapable of generating regional economic benefits, but are able to generate urban redevelopment. While sports facilities are well studied by academics, minor league stadiums have not been the focus of significant research despite the larger number of such projects. My dissertation uses a sequential explanatory mixed methodology to answer whether minor league baseball stadiums are successful as Special Activity Generators. I first use a quantitative analysis of sixteen stadiums built around the year 2000 which finds a significant effect of the stadium on nearby neighborhoods in comparison to the rest of the city. However, that growth is created by concentrating redevelopment, not creating unique activity. Two case studies clarify that the stadiums were critical to the observed redevelopment efforts, but also that there is a need for thorough planning and collocated amenities prior to construction in order to maximize the results from the public investment.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / John W. Keller / In the mid-20th century a migration took place taking residents of American downtowns to the newly-developed, master-planned suburbs. In the wake were abandoned urban cores that evolved into poorly-perceived conditions. One of the many responses to correct these deteriorating central districts was the establishment of Business Improvement Districts (BID), a public-private partnership that develops complementary services to what a city already provides and is paid for by assessments collected from property and business owners in a defined area. With more than 1,000 BIDs in existence in the United States as of 2010 (Becker, Grossman, Dos Santos, 2011), the concept has caught on as a tool utilized to bring downtowns back to life. However, despite the popularity of BIDs and their nearly 50-year existence as a planning tool, the question of how successful they are in improving the conditions of safety, cleanliness, and business growth in the districts over time needs continued analysis. This study gauges the impact of BIDs through a case study of Fresno, California and its BID, the Downtown Fresno Partnership. To measure how the Downtown Fresno Partnership has been successful or unsuccessful, interviews with Downtown Fresno stakeholders were conducted to measure the BID’s ability to change perceptions and advocate for the property owners in its boundary. Also, to measure further impacts, crime, property values and retail data was investigated. A perceived injection of new energy seems to exist in Downtown Fresno, as evidenced by the activity taking place and the change in perception of the area since the Downtown Fresno Partnership was formed in 2011. The BID has played a central role in instituting physical change to the space while it has been a strong advocate for its property owners. In its first five years of existence, the Downtown Fresno Partnership has proven to be necessary, but it is not sufficient on its own. From a planning standpoint, it is important to recognize that in order to revitalize, a community must first organize. In the case of Fresno, the BID provided an opportunity to collect formerly competing interests and put itself at the center of an underperforming downtown to alter the course towards a more vibrant and thriving area. It has established positive momentum down this path, and it is expected to be a strong voice for downtown in the future as others join in on the fully-experienced revitalized state of Downtown Fresno.

The purpose of this research is to understand if and how downtown university campuses contribute to mid-size city downtown revitalization, how this contribution is measured, and the implications for planning practice and planning theory. To address this research question, a mixed methods approach was used which included a literature review, the use of two case studies, a survey administered to downtown businesses, a web-based survey administered to students, faculty and staff and interviews conducted with municipal planners. The two case studies were: Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Social Work (WLU FSW) in downtown Kitchener, Ontario and the University of Waterloo’s School of Architecture (UW SA) in downtown Cambridge, Ontario. The findings of this research indicate that downtown university campuses do contribute to downtown revitalization in mid-size cities. The WLU FSW and UW SA campuses are not, however, a panacea for their respective downtowns, nor are they significant contributors to downtown retailing or a major catalyst. Rather, the WLU FSW and UW SA campuses act as stabilizing influences on the downtown, bringing confidence to and about the downtown for residents, potential downtown visitors and potential downtown investors. They are examples of revitalization strategies that contribute to the improved reputation of the downtown and city. They are strategies that build on existing downtown strengths (e.g. adaptive re-use of heritage buildings, the complementing of existing businesses and services) and they are part of a larger community vision for these downtowns. The WLU Faculty of Social Work campus and the UW School of Architecture campus are both examples of effective and successful university-community partnerships. Recommendations based on the findings of this research are provided for municipalities, planning practitioners and academics. This research contributes to the limited but expanding literature on mid-size cities, mid-size city downtown revitalization and university-community partnerships. Recommendations for further research are also provided.

The purpose of this research is to understand if and how downtown university campuses contribute to mid-size city downtown revitalization, how this contribution is measured, and the implications for planning practice and planning theory. To address this research question, a mixed methods approach was used which included a literature review, the use of two case studies, a survey administered to downtown businesses, a web-based survey administered to students, faculty and staff and interviews conducted with municipal planners. The two case studies were: Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Social Work (WLU FSW) in downtown Kitchener, Ontario and the University of Waterloo’s School of Architecture (UW SA) in downtown Cambridge, Ontario. The findings of this research indicate that downtown university campuses do contribute to downtown revitalization in mid-size cities. The WLU FSW and UW SA campuses are not, however, a panacea for their respective downtowns, nor are they significant contributors to downtown retailing or a major catalyst. Rather, the WLU FSW and UW SA campuses act as stabilizing influences on the downtown, bringing confidence to and about the downtown for residents, potential downtown visitors and potential downtown investors. They are examples of revitalization strategies that contribute to the improved reputation of the downtown and city. They are strategies that build on existing downtown strengths (e.g. adaptive re-use of heritage buildings, the complementing of existing businesses and services) and they are part of a larger community vision for these downtowns. The WLU Faculty of Social Work campus and the UW School of Architecture campus are both examples of effective and successful university-community partnerships. Recommendations based on the findings of this research are provided for municipalities, planning practitioners and academics. This research contributes to the limited but expanding literature on mid-size cities, mid-size city downtown revitalization and university-community partnerships. Recommendations for further research are also provided.

No description available.

The issue of downtown revitalization has been much studied over the past several decades. However, much of the existing knowledge base pertains to our largest urban centres. This leaves a significant information gap with regards to mid-size cities. As a result, past renewal attempts in these cities have often been scaled down versions of what has worked in larger cities. In most cases, this has resulted in detrimental rather than reviving effects. The current trend in cities of all sizes is the implementation of Creative City Theory. This thesis seeks to study this trend and its specific relevance to the mid-size city. The scope of research will then build on the current theory by exploring the effects of well-designed public spaces and their ability to not only unleash the creative spirit but to revitalize the post-industrial mid-size city downtown. This information will then be applied to a design study for Hamilton, Ontario where failed renewal attempts have crippled the city’s downtown. The design will concentrate on Jackson Square (formerly known as Civic Square), a superblock within the very centre of downtown Hamilton. Through a redesign of Jackson Square, the thesis proposes to create a place that not only fosters creativity, but is once again meaningful and significant to Hamilton citizens. While the application of research to Hamilton is specific, the goal is to produce a body of work with principles that can be applied to any number of mid-size cities across the post-industrial world.