| For decades, cities in Upstate New York State have experienced changes relating to deteriorating downtowns. In order to bring both residents and businesses back to downtowns, many have undertaken revitalization. To understand what forms revitalization is taking, planners and officials from 84 communities were sent a survey requesting information on current and planned revitalization strategies and their views on issues their communities face regarding revitalization. Using 31 returned surveys, descriptive analyses and t-tests were used to evaluate the ways in which four factors (public concern, planning priorities, experiences elsewhere, and need for revitalization) come together to explain the needs and strategies of small and large communities. Most communities, regardless of size, indicate that revitalization in one form or another is a priority for both officials and the public, and changing the image of downtown is a primary goal associated with such activity. However, choice of strategies varies by community size. |
