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The evolution of business improvement districts: From place management to place leadership
Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal,
18
(4),
322-335
(2025)
Abstract
As municipal budgets and priorities are more constrained than ever before, the business improvement district (BID) model of pooling hyperlocal funds to supplement municipal services and improve a specific neighbourhood is more relevant than ever. This paper sets out an evolution of BIDs from simple partnerships led by the private sector to complex organisations that take on much more complex responsibilities for driving urban revitalisation. Even in the face of major disruptions and uncertainties such as the COVID-19 pandemic, place management organisations have evolved to meet these crises and adapt to new opportunities. The future of cities will continue to depend on strong downtowns, and place management organisations are supporting that future through adapting to hybrid and remote work, reimagining public spaces, supporting local businesses and engaging the community in co-creation. Urban place leadership, with its emphasis on shared responsibility and localised expertise, offers a powerful framework for creating vibrant, resilient and inclusive urban spaces. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
Keywords: place management; business improvement districts; downtowns; urban revitalisation; redevelopment; public–private partnerships; stakeholder engagement
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
David Downey As President and Chief Executive Officer, David Downey IOM, CAE, Assoc. AIA is responsible for the overall strategic positioning of International Downtown Association (IDA) as a world leader and champion for vital and liveable urban centres. Prior to joining IDA, David served as Managing Director for the American Institute of Architects’ Urban Design Center and as Executive Director for the Michigan Chapter of the American Planning Association. David has been a city advocate since the 1990s having received his degree in architecture and design with a focus on urban design. He speaks frequently throughout North America on the intersection of place and public–private organisational leadership and has delivered talks in more than ten countries across the globe. David has served on numerous not-for-profit boards over his career, including recently for the Mount Vernon Triangle business improvement district (BID) and the Golden Triangle BID in Washington, DC, the Responsible Hospitality Institute in California, and currently the Mobility Innovation District Advisory Board in Southwest Washington, DC. He served on DC’s Downtown Action Plan Advisory Board and is currently serving on the Urban Land Institute Vital Cities Advisory Group.
Cathy Lin AICP leads International Downtown Association’s (IDA) in-house research efforts on quantifying the value of downtowns and public–private place management organisations, providing best practice solutions, and serving as a source of leading indicators on issues affecting the future of downtowns and urban districts. Prior to joining IDA in 2018, Cathy was a project manager at the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, and a planner on the strategic research team at the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore. Cathy has a Master’s in urban planning from Harvard University Graduate School of Design and a BA in economics and geography from Northwestern University.
