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Turning Around Downtown: Twelve Steps to Revitalization

Christopher B. Leinberger
cleinberger_full_protrait
Christopher B. Leinberger Charles Bendit Distinguished Scholar and Research Professor of Urban Real Estate - George Washington University School of Business, Former Brookings Expert

March 1, 2005

This paper lays out the fundamentals of a downtown turnaround plan and the unique “private/public” partnership required to succeed. Beginning with visioning and strategic planning to the reemergence of an office market at the end stages, these 12 steps form a template for returning “walkable urbanism” downtown.


Though every downtown is different there are still common revitalization lessons that can be applied anywhere. While any approach must be customized based on unique physical conditions, institutional assets, consumer demand, history, and civic intent, this paper lays out the fundamentals of a downtown turnaround plan and the unique “private/public” partnership required to succeed. Beginning with visioning and strategic planning to the reemergence of an office market at the end stages, these 12 steps form a template for returning “walkable urbanism” downtown.