ABSTRACT
The shared experiences of downtown revitalization in small cities around the country give evidence that downtown is still considered a vital part of the health of cities. Rarely does a community give up on its downtown. This is, in part, because downtowns still occupy a special place in the psyche of many Americans. These are places where colorful festivals are held and where civic activities bring the community together. Communities across the country are working hard to ensure that downtowns remain viable centers of community life. Even so, competing with the suburban malls for business and economic activity has been a daunting task for downtown promoters. But as the contributors in this volume have made clear, many communities have succeeded in bringing life back to dying downtowns. So what lessons can other small cities learn from these stories in the process of revitalizing their downtowns? The following is a summary of the key issues to downtown revitalization from the discussion of city experiences in this book.
