ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the importance of retail vis-a-vis activity in downtowns. It presents a tier diagram to position and measure business improvement district (BID) activities. The chapter provides a synoptic and macroscopic explanation of retail-oriented BID practices in both Canada and the United States. The organizational and financial systems create the foundation that underlies the success of the BID model. In general, BID security activities are similar, though the crime and safety monitoring systems vary considerably across organizations. The chapter offers a set of recommendations for improving the relationship between BID and retail-related activities. In exploring the relationship between retail and downtown revitalization, the argument presented in the chapter is that retail and downtown economies are agglomeration economies. In the long term, interaction of the commercial and consumer environments creates brand and place equity, which supports sustainable economic development while promoting an environment complementary to the downtown’s export economy.
