Downtowns & Place Management Districts

With 40+ years of downtown and urban place management experience, we help civic leaders envision great places for everyone, and conceive, prioritize, fund, and operate programs to bring their visions to life.

Downtowns & Place Management Districts

Waterloo Greenway Conservancy

Waterloo Greenway Strategic Plan & Implementation

We closely partnered with Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to the development and management of the Waterloo Greenway, to help the organization develop a detailed integrated strategic plan.

Downtowns & Place Management Districts

Downtown Austin Alliance

Downtown Austin Alliance Strategic Plan

Uncommon Bridges supported the strategic planning process for the Downtown Austin Alliance, which was completed in the spring of 2023.

Downtowns & Place Management Districts

Downtown Long Beach Alliance

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Access Framework

In one of the first deliberate DEIA processes for a downtown organization in the country, we guided the Downtown Long Beach Alliance through augmenting its existing strategic plan with diversity, equity, inclusion, and access goals.

Downtowns & Place Management Districts

DowntownDC Business Improvement District

DowntownDC BID Strategic Plan

We partnered with DowntownDC Business Improvement District to support the creation of their 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and continued organizational development.

Downtowns & Place Management Districts

Association for Portland Progress

A 25-Year Vision for Central Portland

Managing Partner Brian Scott served as co-chair, lead facilitator, and primary author of a yearlong process that led to the creation of A 25-Year Vision for Central Portland involving more than 500 community leaders and 90 high school students. The resulting vision provided direction to support the City of Portland's decisions to make school funding, the health of the Willamette River, and diverse central city neighborhoods its top priorities.

Downtowns & Place Management Districts

Metropolitan Improvement District

Metropolitan Improvement District Renewal & Expansion

Since the firm’s inception in 2009, we have actively partnered with the Downtown Seattle Association and its Metropolitan Enhancement District, which provide place management services to most of downtown Seattle. 

Downtowns & Place Management Districts

City of McMinnville

McMinnville Strategic Plan 2032

Uncommon Bridges, in association with ECONorthwest and Arturo Vargas, completed a Strategic Plan for the City of McMinnville, Oregon: Mac-Town 2032. Our engagement included facilitating five focus groups in English and Spanish and two discussions between the City Council and the Project Leadership Team (consisting of City department directors and community stakeholders).

Downtowns & Place Management Districts

Ballard Alliance

Ballard Partnership for Smart Growth & Improvement Area

BDS Planning & Urban Design facilitated a strategic planning and organizational development effort to reinvent the neighborhood chamber of commerce as the Ballard Partnership for Smart Growth. The Partnership is dedicated to creating a thriving environment for Central Ballard that supports the interests of commercial and residential property owners, residents, business owners and visitors. All stakeholders will benefit from the Partnership’s ability to advocate for the public services desired by the neighborhood, and provide a strong, clear voice at City Hall.

Downtowns & Place Management Districts

Downtown Seattle Association

Downtown Seattle Association Strategic Plans

BDS facilitated a year-long process, including outreach to widely diverse constituencies including business leaders, social service agencies, neighborhood associations, downtown residents and workers, government employees, and elected officials, as well as internal planning sessions with task forces, influential community advisors, and the DSA Board of Trustees. BDS designed the overall process, facilitated all planning sessions, synthesized issues, and guided the decision-making processes among key leadership. The DSA’s Strategic Planning Process identified four fundamental assets, including: a Stunning Natural Setting, Platform for Innovation, Super regional Center, and Arts & Culture.