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N David Milder's Gallery

Gnarly Old Trees

Mar 28, 2012

Photos: 11

Flat Stanley Visits Lower Manhattan, March 2012

Our grandson, Perry Heller, asked us to show Flat Stanley the sites in NYC. And so we did. This album covers our visit to Lower Manhattan.

Mar 23, 2012

Photos: 42

Flat Stanley Tours the Sights Along 5th Ave

Our grandson, Perry Heller, asked us to show Flat Stanley the sites in NYC. And so we did. Here are pics from our sight-seeing trip with Flat Stanley along 5th Ave.

Mar 18, 2012

Photos: 14

Fond du Lac, WI

When we visited this downtown the weather was harsh, with strong winds and cold temperatures. We encountered few pedestrians as we walked around. Cause and effect? Some, probably. We found a lot of eateries and bars, but relatively few comparison shopping retail stores. However, among the latter were an attractive bridal shop and an interesting store that sells Amish wood furniture. Many downtown buildings have "good bones" and lots of facades have been attractively improved. But, many of the more "modern" structures are not pedestrian friendly.

Oct 18, 2011

Photos: 42

Profile Photos

Album for profile photos

Sep 21, 2011

Photos: 1

The New Broadway

Major changes have been made to Broadway, shifting it away from a roadway for cars, trucks and buses to an archipelago of public seating areas.

Dec 31, 2010

Photos: 5

Rockefeller Center Nov 2010

Rockefeller Center is my favorite urban redevelopment project. Back in the day when RCA was headquartered there it was also Radio City. The Radio City Music Hall is a vast and beautiful theater. Great public spaces. Interesting shops. Easy access to subways. It's still a model others should emulate.

Nov 14, 2010

Photos: 29

Cleveland Clinic Mini City

A cutting edge, leading medical center with a worldwide reputation. It has been growing rapidly and now occupies the corridor along Euclid Avenue from about 89th Street to about 105th Street, while often going down to Carnegie on one side and Chester on the other. With hotels, shops, restaurants, shuttle vans, a bus line and a police department it is like a mini city. Unfortunately, this mini city would delight le Corbusier much more than Jane Jacobs. Pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks is discouraged, which magnifies the fear of crime which in turn keeps people off the sidewalks. But, as an economic entity, the Clinic is a powerhouse and a hope for the entire city. But, I am astonished at how little the Clinic's economic power has helped improve the areas immediately beyond its borders. Cleveland's lousy school system encourages families to go to the burbs, but most households these days are childless. Still, the Clinic is generating much needed jobs.

Oct 18, 2010

Photos: 50

Cleveland Oct 2010

This city has been hard hit by the recession and is full of pain. But, it still has many gems on which to build. Knowledge industries and the arts probably will propel any resurgence and chief among the existing assets are the Cleveland Clinic and the Cleveland Museum of Art. The famed Forest City downtown project Tower City Center is still a mixed-use, transit based model for other downtowns, but it looks long in the tooth. The redevelopment in the Euclid Avenue corridor -- that includes the Theater District, Cleveland State University and the Cleveland Clinic -- is impressive. But go a block down a side street and the decay can be overwhelming. And the fear of crime remains a salient concern. The nation's economy is making it real hard for Cleveland to rebound. I really hope it does.

Oct 17, 2010

Photos: 75

College Ave, State College, PA

It was interesting to see the types of commercial establishments that were attracted to the primary commercial street in a college dominated downtown.

Oct 16, 2010

Photos: 62

Montauk Fishermen Sept 2010

I just really like Montauk Point. It's the closest I get to the wild.

Sep 27, 2010

Photos: 7

The Bowery Lighting Niche 090410

In the 1950s, The Bowery in Lower Manhattan was the haven for poor alcoholics drinking in cruddy bars. Around 1960 it started to attract home lighting stores. By 1980 it probably had at least 75 or 100 of them running from Houston St south to Canal St. Today, only about 20 of the home lighting shops remain -- mostly the largest and best known-- along two blocks running from Delancey St south. Neighborhood gentrification, soaring commercial rents and the emergence of a restaurant equipment niche pressured many of these lighting firms to move or close. Still, 50+ years is not a bad run for a retail niche and it is not yet over.

Sep 4, 2010

Photos: 26

Chester, NJ - 082410

A touristy historic district and a shopping center with lifestyle mall type retailers, but without lifestyle amenities.

Aug 24, 2010

Photos: 71

Haddonfield, NJ: Another Indy Downtown 081910

Haddonfield, with a population of about 11,448, is in Camden County, NJ, near Philadelphia. It has a charming downtown, with a surprising array of attractive independent retail shops, interesting eateries, wide sidewalks, nice street furniture and a commuter rail station. I cannot think of another downtown we have visited in a community of this population size that has so many attractive retailers. The BID has a strong program and the Borough is quick to process outdoor dining permits and its zoning does not allow service operations in street level storefronts. My visit was well worth the five hour roundtrip by car.

Aug 19, 2010

Photos: 65

Arthur Ave, Belmont, The Bronx, NY

This commercial area is now probably the truest remaining Little Italy in the NY Metropolitan Region. A great place for foodies.

Aug 12, 2010

Photos: 49

Austin, TX

You have to love a place where people wear t-shirts proclaiming: "Keep Austin Weird." Though downtown streets look rather empty during the day, at night the district's many restaurants and music joints are packed and sidewalks on 6th Street and Congress Avenue have lots of pedestrians.Some claim Austin now is the live music capital of America. Live music certainly seems to be everywhere. We had terrific meals here and all were reasonably priced compared to NYC. We gorged on great Mexican and Tex-Mex food, though seafood, of all things is also very popular and very good in this town. Town Lake a.k.a. Lady Bird Lake is a wonderful place, both on the water and along the parks and greenways/trails that that run along it. Austin, like Madison, WI, is a big bike town, too. Always saw people jogging, biking or rowing. Even in the midday heat. Interesting architecture, new and old, abounds. Folks are very friendly. A lot of the "creative class" types like to live here.

Jul 21, 2010

Photos: 180

Lancaster, PA

Downtown Lancaster, PA in Amish country, with some shots from Bird in Hand. Interesting downtown with lots of arts and history related venues to visit. The food was surprisingly good if not Amish in style.

Jul 15, 2010

Photos: 105

Model Sailboat Pond, Central Park

This is one of my favorite places. A delight to have water nearby and the boats and their "captains" are always entertaining. Most of all, I always come away from this place feeling relaxed.

Jun 18, 2010

Photos: 8

Bryant Park, 061810

This is a follow up to my Nov 2009 photos of Bryant Park. The ice rink and shops are gone. But other activities are now featured. The park's obvious popularity remain no matter the season.

Jun 18, 2010

Photos: 114

Temporary Uses for Public Properties

Local governments often own properties that are only used during a few months of the year. Among them are parking lots and outdoor skating rinks. Many can be "re-purposed" with other uses during the normally dormant months. This alternation of functions heightens the public's interest in and visitation to these spaces. The re-purposing of NYC's Wollman Rink during the warm months into the Victorian Gardens amusement park is a good example. The Zamperla Group, an Italian amusement ride manufacturer is the majority shareholder of Central Amusement International, the corporate entity that operates Victorian Gardens. It also operates Luna Park in Coney Island.

Jun 18, 2010

Photos: 10

Chatham NJ 031910

Chatham, NJ is one of the most desirable residential communities in the state. It has many affluent households and a direct commuter rail connection to Manhattan. It's also close to the powerful, upscale Short Hills Mall. Nevertheless, I found a number of interesting shops on or near Main Street.

Mar 19, 2010

Photos: 61

Some Shopping Centers near Phoenix, AZ March 2010

Mar 15, 2010

Photos: 166

Dinosaurs

For grandchildren everywhere.

Feb 6, 2010

Photos: 7

High Line Park

This wonderful new public space is crafted out of decayed elevated freight rail lines on Manhattan's West Side from below 14th Street to 30th Street. It did not start Chelsea's surge as an arts, residential and commercial center, but it certainly is reinforcing it. I bet that a solid evaluation of the park's impacts would reveal big inpacts on the desirability of residential and commercial properties on or near the High Line as well as significant jumps in their assessed values. It has attracted development with lots of interesting architecture. I fear it is now so popular that its pedestrian densities detract from one's ability to properly use this public space. Other communities, large and small, can learn a lot from this project.

Dec 13, 2009

Photos: 111

Bryant Park 112809

This is a world class public space and one of my favorite places. It has come light years since the early 1980s when it was a well-known hang out for drug dealers, drug users and robbers. Yet, even then, at noon office workers would sit in the sunny parts of the park they considered visible and safe. Today, the park is a model that other downtowns, large and small, can learn from. Its array of informal entertainments is always interesting, often novel and ever being improved. In the spring I plan to do another photo shoot of the park which will show a different array of activities.

Nov 28, 2009

Photos: 75

Bayonne, NJ: Building for the Future During the Great recession

During the Great Recession the Town Center managed to make some really strong retail additions that will be even more important as the economy improves. See: http://downtown-curmudgeon.blogspot.com/2009/11/repositiong-for-future-during-great.html

Nov 25, 2009

Photos: 8

Cleveland Nov 2009

Once an industrial powerhouse, Cleveland, OH, has been struggling along the revitalization road since the early 1970s. It has many cultural treasures from the past such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance Hall and the Cleveland Orchestra. It has added new stadiums and arenas for its array of professional sports teams as well as a new aquarium and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Cleveland Clinic also has become a world class medical center and a major high tech local employer. We found the restaurants surprisingly good and, compared to NYC, very reasonably priced. The geographic dispersion of these assets has hindered the creation of a critical mass.

Nov 12, 2009

Photos: 55

Downtown Westfield, NJ

I first visited downtown Westfield, NJ, around 1994 or 1995 and was impressed by a number of its retail chains and, more importantly, by its multi-street, non-linear, very walkable commercial core that abutted a commuter rail station. Since then, it has grown into a "lifestyle downtown" with lots of trophy retail chains, interesting independents and attractive eateries. The movie theater, located near supportive eateries, is installing digital and 3D projectors. It will be prepared to provide patrons with the "special occasion" experiences needed to lure them from their home entertainment cocoons. On a recent visit, on a rainy day soon after the bottom of the Great Recession was sounded, I was struck by how strong and appealing this downtown looked and how far it had come since my first visit. Photos are of the downtown's north side.

Oct 27, 2009

Photos: 110

Downtown Friendly Parking.

DANTH's photos of garages that are downtown friendly and garage features that make them customer friendly. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Aug 16, 2009

Photos: 25

Downtown friendly retail formats, facades and signs.

Drugstores, supermarkets, banks and fast food operations often pose the biggest challenges with windowless walls, windows without merchandise, curb-cuts, in-front parking lots, etc. But many retailers have facades that are attractive, properly scaled and reinforce pedestrian activity. Even some of retailing biggest miscreants have stores that are downtown friendly. Most chains have several facade templates, giving developers and landlords a fair amount of latitude in what they want to build. If a developer or landlord says that the retail chain will only accept the submitted facade design, they are usually lying through their teeth. A little research will probably reveal other designs -- as, hopefully, the photos in this album demonstrate. The photos have been taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more information about DANTH visit www.danth.com.

Aug 16, 2009

Photos: 188

Times Square: Many streets are now just for pedestrians

The revitalization of Times Square had reached such proportions that the density of pedestrian traffic was both off-putting and at times fear inducing -- there was little room on the sidewalks and the streets were packed with passing vehicles. Several blocks have now been closed to auto traffic and places for visitiors to sit have been installed. Drivers hate it, but pedestrians seem to enjoy it. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Aug 14, 2009

Photos: 56

Taliesin

Wright's longtime home in Wisconsin. The most important thing I took away from our visit was the way Wright inserted the buildings in the environment. Taliesin is the brow of the hill.The valley and views of it seemed to determine the most important architectural features. To really enjoy the architecture you must be able to enjoy the beauty of the valley. I found the appearance of Taliesin's buildings to be interesting, though not in the same league as Fallingwater, the Guggenheim Museum or other Wright buildings we have visited. But, the valley was constantly beckoning me to it. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Jul 22, 2009

Photos: 47

Chicago Center and Bucktown July 2009

We like Millennium Park even more every time we go there. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Jul 12, 2009

Photos: 58

Downtown Madison, WI -- The Capital Meets The Campus

We think Madison, WI is a wonderful town. The main downtown commercial corridor is State Street. It runs from the State Capital Building on one end right into the UW campus on the other. As can be seen from the photos, State Street has a lot of impressive assets. The street's penetration into the campus is certainly one of them. However, like most other places, this downtown has taken some hits during our recent recession. The new cultural venues were very impressive, there are a surprising number of national chains and we ate in some very enjoyable restaurants on Capital Square. There is a terrific Farmers Market on the Square on Saturdays -- see the separate album on public markets for photos. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Jun 14, 2009

Photos: 175

Long Island City

Photos taken by ND Milder on a Reconnaissance and Action Plan assignment for the Long Island City Business Development Corporation. Long Island City is being positioned to become the fourth node of New York City's CBD. It also has one of the largest concentrations of industrial firms in the city. Artists have also found it a very attractive location for their studios. PS1, the Noguchi Museum, Socrates Sculpture Park and the Sculpture Center are also located in LIC. Redevelopment projects and infrastructure improvements are almost everywhere you turn.

Jun 1, 2009

Photos: 388

Cinemart, Eddie's and Cinema Cafe

If downtown cinemas are to survive, they must make movie-making a special occcassion. One way of doing this is to have interesting eateries either on site or next door. The Cinemart in Forest Hills, NY has been around at least since 1949 when my family moved into teh neighborhood. For about 50 years Eddie's Sweet Shop has been right across a narrow street. Eddie's is legendary in this part of NYC for its homemade ice cream, fresh whipped cream and an old soda fountain. A few years ago, the Theater Cafe opened right next door to the Cinemart's entrance -- it has been very popular with outdoor dinners. At The Grove, in L.A., a restaurant is adjacent to a large cinemaplex, with a connecting door between the two. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Apr 25, 2009

Photos: 28

Milwaukee Museum of Art

A whimsical, geewiz design by Santiago Calatrava. Worth a detour to see.

Mar 22, 2009

Photos: 7

A Downtown With A Cautionary Tale

This downtown has a number of buildings with "good bones." But it also has so many highway oriented retail locations, with parking in front or to the side, that it is inherently very unfriendly to pedestrians. Most downtowns are strengthened by having some national and regional retail chains present, but certainly not when they bring in stores designed to operate in a manner that is antithetical to strong pedestrian activity.

Mar 12, 2009

Photos: 50

Informal entertainment activities

Much of the entertainment in strong downtowns comes from people watching other people. Strong public spaces provide opportunities for downtown visitors to "perform" in ways that might interest and amuse other nearby folks. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more information about DANTH, Inc. visit: www.danth.com

Dec 6, 2008

Photos: 45

Atlantic City Nov 2008

These photos were taken just before the existence of The Great Recession was noticed by most Americans. The impact on Atlantic City was brutal. Visitation is way down. Caesar's retail pier, managed by Taubman, basically tanked. Additionally, new competition in PA and NY continues to emerge.

Nov 18, 2008

Photos: 104

Crystal City, VA

Crystal City, in Arlington, VA, is on U.S.1 and a stop on the Metro. It is very close both to Reagen Airport and the Pentagon.It has a concentration of office and residential towers. It was developed in the 1970s -- its underground shopping mall opened in 1976. It definitely was not built to be a pedestrian friendly environment with lots of street level shops and platoons of people strolling on its sidewalks. A recent change in ownership has brought an attempt to rectify this situation and to create a more traditional downtown environment, but "retrofitting" Crystal City will not be quick, easy or inexpensive. The 1970s, as downtowns became unsafe, saw a flury of downtown off-street retail developments: e.g., underground in Crystal City and L'Enfant Plaza in the D.C. area and the over-street bridge networks in Charlotte and Minneapolis. Charlotte closed its over-street network and created a pedestrian friendly environment. Can Crystal City can follow suit?

Jul 23, 2008

Photos: 61

Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, VA

This art center combines art creation with the retailing of art works and interaction with artists as entertainment. Artists work in studio spaces where they can be seen and visited and sell their works directly to visitors It is also a part of a multi-use redevelopment project. Variants of the Torpedo Factory have been done in Miami Beach,FL and Bethlehem, PA. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Jul 20, 2008

Photos: 48

Parking at The Grove in Los Angeles

Rick Caruso and his firm have created one of the most successful and popular retail centers in the country, called The Grove. In no small part its success is due to an attention to detail, especially concerning making the visitor's experience a positive one. This is shown in how they handle parking. The garage has eight levels and shoppers have no problems with using the upper levels. In part this due to The Grove being so popular, but also because the garage uses open escalators and electronic signage to make shoppers feel their visits will be safe and convenient. The Grove exemplifies a level of concern about visitor convenience and safety that many downtowns leaders and business operators can learn from. The Grove also uses modern techologies in ways that many downtowns can use as models. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

May 6, 2008

Photos: 7

Mechanically Stacked Parking

May 6, 2008

Photos: 4

Robotic Garage, 123 Baxter St, New York, NY

DANTH is convinced that as the cost of downtown land increases, the cost of automated parking systems decline and Americans gain greater familiarity, there will be a much greater adoption of these systems in downtowns across the nation. The adoption of mechanized parking systems will not be confined just to large projects; they also will be critical to the financial feasibility of smaller infill residential projects having 20 to 40 units. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

May 5, 2008

Photos: 36

Work as Downtown Entertainment

People like to watch all sorts of other people as they do their jobs: craftsmen doing glass-blowing, pot-making, weaving, cigar-making, chefs cooking; artists painting or sculpting; students in dance and martial arts classes; buildings being constructed or demolished. Such activities add an often unappreciated entertainment element to a downtown. Photos are by ND Milder unless otherwise noted.

Apr 10, 2008

Photos: 26

Philadelphia Center City and Manayunk, March 2008

We have been spending long weekends in Center City since the mid 1990's. It is pedestrian friendly, has great restaurants, first rate museums and fun things to do. Reading Terminal Market is one of our favorite places. The improvement of retail along Walnut Street over the years has been impressive. Manayunk is a blue collar neighborhood in Philadelphia that has been gentrified over the past two decades. It has commuter rail, a location on the Schuylkill River, and an historic canal with towpaths that now attract walkers, joggers and bicyclists. Over the years the retail has developed a strong home and hearth niche in old industrial buildings and attracted some coveted national retail chains.

Feb 25, 2008

Photos: 191

Paved Over Neighborhoods 1/31/08 10:07 PM

Across NYC beautiful old homes with grassy lawns and backyards are being torn down and in their steads are built gross McMansions on paved over lots. Ugly architecture, more visible on-site parking and lots of runoff are the gifts to the neighborhood. These photos were taken in Kew Gardens, but the same trend can be seen in the Cord Meyer section of Forest Hills, Jamaica Estates and in other residential areas around the city that have a lot of single family homes. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Jan 31, 2008

Photos: 11

Jamaica Center Retailing January 25, 2008

These photos of the situation in Jamaica Center, NY, demonstrate that large ethnic downtowns can attract many national and regional retail chains. Photos by ND Milder except as noted. Part of DANTH, Inc collection.

Jan 25, 2008

Photos: 61

Northampton, MA -- An "Indy Downtown"

Northampton, MA is regarded by many downtown experts as one of the best examples of a sizable downtown that has succeeded with but a very few national chain stores. Most of the commercial operations are independents or small regional chains. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Sep 21, 2007

Photos: 63

Tourist Retail on the East End of Long Island

A look at retail in Sag Harbor, East Hanpton and Amagansett. The shoppers are upscale, but each of these towns differ in the strength and and character of their retail sectors. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Sep 14, 2007

Photos: 96

Forest Hills, NY: Home and Hearth Niche

A cluster of shops in a home and hearth niche has continued to exist for over 5 years since a Home Depot opened about 500 feet away. Also nearby are the expensive homes in famed Forest Hills Gardens, owned by people who value time and service as much as price. Photos are by ND Milder unless otherwise noted.

Aug 22, 2007

Photos: 33

Home and Hearth Niche Shopping Centers, Natick, MA

These two shopping centers in Natick, MA, specialize in home and hearth niche stores. Both are on major, highly trafficked roads, not in the downtown. Nevertheless, they demonstrate a level of concentration for the home and hearth niche that many downtowns might seek to emulate. Photos by ND Milder. Part of DANTH, Inc collection.

Aug 21, 2007

Photos: 19

A "Lifestyle Downtown:" Wellesley, MA

A charming, busy downtown with numerous "trophy" retailers. Wellesley is the home of Wellesley College and Babson College. Households in the town have an annual median income of $113,000+. Surrounding communities are also wealthy. Lifestyle malls, featuring trophy retailers, restaurants and well-programed pubic spaces are very popular these days. Wellesley's downtown is like a lifestyle mall, but without the mall. I have been visiting this downtown since the mid 1980s and it still is charming, interesting and walkable. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Aug 21, 2007

Photos: 56

Beverly Hills Pamper Niche July 2007

Many downtown leaders look down on Pamper Niches with their nail, hair and skins salons, their gyms and spas, and their perfumeries and cosmetics shops. But, this niche can draw a lot of women who will have a relatively high amount of discretionary dollars for their market areas. The Pamper Niche is quite robust in posh Beverly Hills -- as the photos in this album demonstrate -- so maybe it's good enough for other, less well known downtowns. Pamper niche operations are plentiful in Beverly Hills department stores and hotels, but not included in this set of photos. Photos are by ND Milder except as noted in captions.

Jun 16, 2007

Photos: 30

La Brea H & H niche

Some cities have many separate home and hearth niche clusters. In the L.A. area, for example, there are clusters along Montana St. in Santa Monica, along Robertson in West Hollywood as well as this one on La Brea not too far from the tar pits in L.A proper.

Jun 16, 2007

Photos: 25

Downtown New Brunswick, NJ

Downtown New Brunswick has led in the utilization of many revitalization techniques. It has many new office and residential buildings as well as several attractive new hotels and a cluster of three renovated theaters. They also have some really good restaurants. The one area that is still a challenge is retail.

Jun 14, 2007

Photos: 84

Chicago and Downers Grove, June 2007

Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

May 27, 2007

Photos: 190

Bayonne Town Center's Pamper Niche

Many of these operations are among the biggest generators of customer traffic in the Bayonne Town Center. They attract lots of the area's more financially comfortable women, who are very important shoppers. Savvy merchants of apparel, housewares, gourmet foods, etc., target this customer traffic.

May 25, 2007

Photos: 29

Tourist Retail: Seaside, OR

Seaside is a popular resort town with a very attractive ocean front. The store mix reflects a strong reliance on the tourist market. The median HH income for its 5,900 residents in 1999 was about 25% below the national level, so there is not a lot of local spending power.

May 10, 2007

Photos: 35

Brookline MA - April 2007

This is a vibrant suburban downtown, even with the commuter rail line running through it. I found it had less of a "pedestrian moat" effect than rail lines running through many other downtowns. The facades of Walgreens and CVS should be models for their other downtown locations.

Mar 9, 2007

Photos: 37

Some Pedestrain Malls

Pedestrian malls are a concept that many "newbies" to downtown revitalization quickly attach to. Several hundred have been tried, most have failed. Here are some that have been around for at least 10 years. Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, VT, 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, CA, the 16th Street Mall in Denver, CO, and Fremont Street in Las Vegas, NV, appear to be successful. Boulder, CO and Charlottesville, VA also have sucessful pedestrian malls. In my opinion, pedestrian malls are not the solutions to failing or badly stalled downtowns. When they work the downtown has already progressed substantially along its revitalization arc, with key economic issues being confronted. Photos are by ND Milder unless otherwise noted.

Dec 25, 2006

Photos: 68

Outdoor Dining

East-west, north-south, everywhere people want to eat and drink outside. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more information about DANTH, Inc, visit: www.danth.com

Dec 21, 2006

Photos: 57

BTC: Kids Row Niche Advertising and PR

This is another example of effective advertising for downtown ncihes.

Dec 4, 2006

Photos: 4

Downtown Denver: july 2006

Jul 23, 2006

Photos: 90

Meredith, NH, Home and Hearth Niche

This album shows some of the shops in Meredith's home and hearth niche. Meredith has a sizable existing home and hearth niche containing at least 14 retail shops including a hardware store, a lumber yard, and two furniture shops. This niche also has about seven antiques stores, three arts and crafts shops, 29 construction firms and about six professional firms that provide services related to this niche.Meredith had a population estimated at 6,615 in 2005. It also has about 1,100 second homes. Meredith demonstrates that a town does not need a large population to have a vibrant home and hearth niche. Photos are by ND Milder unless otherwise noted.

Jun 13, 2006

Photos: 14

Columbia SC April, 2006

The core of the downtown along Main Street was dead as a door nail day and night when I visited for an IDA conference in 2006. But, the USC area and more impressively, The Vista, an old warehouse district turned into a strong restaurant/entertainment district, had plenty of action. From Columbia I went on to Charlotte, a town I loved living in. But, both of these downtowns underscored for me just how poor an engine office growth is for downtown revitalization. Think also of Stamford, CT; Richmond, VA; White PLains, NY, Hartford, CT, etc. Also, why are the downtowns in state capitals so often lagging?

Apr 27, 2006

Photos: 88

Charlotte City Center, April 2006

Despite the development of many tall office towers, new hotels and numerous new cultural and entertainment venues, pedestrian traffic in Charlotte City Center remained sparse for many years. But, as some of the photos show, things finally changed, due probably to the construction of a lot of CBD housing and the opening of lots of on-street eating places and watering holes. The construction of a new light rail system demonstrates that the city's leadership continues to be innovative and looking to the future. Photos by N,D, Milder.

Apr 23, 2006

Photos: 123

Some Downtown Theaters

Photos are by ND Milder unless otherwise noted.

Apr 10, 2006

Photos: 48

Retailing In Ethnic Commercial Districts

The US population is becoming increasingly diverse and this retail reflects this across the nation. "Ethnic shoppers" soon will be in the majority. For a more in depth look of an ethnic commercial center also look at the Jamaica Center album. Photos are by ND Milder unless otherwise noted.

Apr 10, 2006

Photos: 69

Public Markets In Various Cities and Towns

Shopping for food is a strong generator of customer traffic in downtowns large and small. Public Markets also can be places where people like to congregate, especially if they have interesting places to eat. The Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia has long been one of our favorites. Union Square Market in Manhattan has also been a magnet for trophy chefs who wanted to be close to the market's fresh produce and meats. Portland, OR, has a Saturday Market (which is also open on Sundays) that has few "green market" components and resembles more a combination of a flea market and crafts fair. But, when we were there, the crowd was huge! Photos of the Saturday Farmers Market in Madison, WI, are by Pat Henry. Other photos are by by ND Milder unless noted otherwise.

Apr 10, 2006

Photos: 174

Ridgewood, NJ: Another "lifetyle-type" downtown commercial center

Ridgewood is an affluent community in Northern NJ. It had a median HH income of $147,965 in 2007. Its downtown has many trophy retailers and a number of attractive store facades. In many eespectss it resembles "lifestyle malls," and perhaps even served as a model for them.

Mar 31, 2006

Photos: 35

Chelsea Arts

Chelsea is a large neighborhood in Manhattan bounded roughly by 10th Ave, 5th Ave,14th St and 34th St. It has become NYC's art center with over 350 art galleries and countless artist studios. It also has strong retailing, a slew of popular and highly regarded eateries, and the High Line Park. It is a very popular place for NYC's creative class to live. First there was the bohemian Greenwich Village, then Soho emerged, now there is Chelsea.

Jan 5, 2006

Photos: 19

Anything But A Car: Rail, Trolleys, Buses, Horses, etc

There are lots of transportation modes -- other than cars -- in today's downtowns. I'm watching for: more TGV intercity trains; more light rail from city centers to suburbs and then burb to burb; and greater use of bicycles. Photos are by ND Milder unless otherwise noted.

Oct 15, 2005

Photos: 64

Chicago Oct 2005

Oct 8, 2005

Photos: 77

Cedar Rapids, IA -- July 2005

We found Cedar Rapids to be an economically vibrant city of about 120,000. Visiting because of a conference, we stayed in a suburban hotel located in a strong commercial corridor. We made two trips to the downtown. It was attractive, with a number of assets, but its retail and eateries were much weaker than what we found near our hotel. The community appears to have a strong cultural commitment and has invested heavily in downtown cultural venues. We really liked the Museum of Art and some of the scattered street sculptures. The Cedar River flooded the community in 2008. I do not know about the damages it brought to the downtown.

Jul 20, 2005

Photos: 62

BTC Film Festival

Many downtowns, even some with movie theaters, have developed outdoor film festivals to draw folks downtown after dark during the summer. The Bayonne Town Center lost its movie theater many years ago. Its film festival has grown over the years from audiences in the 75 to 125 range to over 300 for recent performances. The film festival in Manhattan's Bryant Park has been very popular for many years.

Jun 22, 2005

Photos: 5

Moving People in Las Vegas

Hotel owners want their guests to spend as much time as possible in their casinos, shops and restaurants. So LV's leaders have devoted a lot of thought and money on moving people quickly and efficiently. Wait-time for a hotel elevator is almost nil. A lot of attention also has been paid to separating pedestrian and auto traffic. And they have a monorail. And curved escalators!. Lots of food for thought, if not always for emulation. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more information about DANTH, Inc. visit www.danth.com

May 26, 2005

Photos: 41

Bayonne Town Center: Appropriate and Inappropriate Facade Designs

Some indications of how the BTCMC's architect will judge facade designs. Posted on this site with permission of the BTCMC. Graphics by Westfield Architects. DANTH, Inc identified the need for these materials and managed the project that crated them.

Mar 18, 2005

Photos: 4

Bayonne Town Center: Illustrated Principles of Good Facade Design

This work was done for the Bayonne Town Center Management Corporation by Westfield Architects

Feb 13, 2005

Photos: 11

Hoboken Waterfront Parks

Hoboken, NJ has created some terrific open spaces along its Hudson River waterfront.

Aug 3, 2004

Photos: 36

Red Bank, NJ, Antiques Niche

Red Bank, NJ has long had a significant cluster of antiques shops along West Front Street next to the downtown district. Such clusters stimulated my thinking about niches. Unfortunately, because of the Internet and the way that antques marts/malls are now operated, downtown antiques niches are weakening and often disappearing. Photos are by ND Milder unless otherwise noted.

Jul 31, 2004

Photos: 12

Christo's Gates Project in CP 2004

This was an art work and an EVENT, attracting huge crowds to Central Park on a Winter's day. We thoroughly enjoyed it -- though why still remains beyond my comprehension. Sometimes, as in this case, there is magic... and it is sufficient.

Feb 19, 2004

Photos: 24

Some Publications by N David Milder

Jan 26, 2004

Photos: 16

Disney Hall, Downtown L.A.

A truly exceptional piece of architecture. I increasingly believe that in the right place a great piece of architecture -- the building must not only look good but also work well from a people perspective -- can add a turbo drive to a downtown's redevelopment. I think Disney Hall did this for Downtown L.A. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Oct 11, 2003

Photos: 24

Some Photos That Make Me Think

My thinking process usally starts by something catching my eye, often when I am on a visit, but also very often when I review photos I have taken. Sometimes, as with the garage at Horton Plaza, just seeing something changes my thinking. Here are some photos/places that got me going. Perhaps you will find them intellectually provocative as well.

Mar 2, 2003

Photos: 29

Mitchell Park in Greenport, NY

A truly wonderful public space in a small port town on the eastern end of Long Island. A gutsy, persistent mayor -- leadership -- made it happen. Photos by Susan Lanfray and ND Milder

Jan 19, 2003

Photos: 21

West Hollywood Home and Hearth Niche

Wesst Hollywood, CA, has one of the biggest home and hearth niche-clusters in the country. Lots of small and moderately sized shops as well as the Pacific Design Center. Photos are by ND Milder unless otherwise noted.

Nov 4, 2002

Photos: 14

Fallingwater

Simply the best! And the best Wright building we have visited. Seeing it first hand flamed my interest in architecture. The experience is well worth a special trip. Photos taken by ND Milder, except as noted. For more info about DANTH visit www.danth.com

Apr 24, 2001

Photos: 2

Salk Institute

A brilliant building. Louis Kahn's style is indeed "heavy" at times, but he often puts you in places where you feel you are on a walkway straight into a heavenly blue sky. It was well worth the special trip we made to see it.

Apr 14, 1999

Photos: 8

Some Downtown Gateway Signs & Structures

Many downtown districts need to announce their gateways lest they remain invisible. Here are some examples of gateway structures and signs that try to address the invisibility issue.. Photos taken by ND Milder. For more information about DANTH visit www.danth.com.

Dec 16, 1998

Photos: 17

Downtown Rutland (VT) Wedding Niche

Rutland's Wedding Center shows some ways that niches can be marketed very effectively.Photos and exemplars from the Downtown Rutland Partnership.

Dec 16, 1998

Photos: 9

Miami area

These photos were taken in South Beach and Coconut Grove. Some major themes that caught my eye were: 1) the arts on Lincoln rd; 2) the popularity of outdoor acfes and how close seating is to the curb; 3) valet parking and how it is done, and 4) interesting designs

Mar 5, 1997

Photos: 23

N David Milder
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