A recent Hartford Business Journal Online article describes what Middletown does right in downtown revitalization: “It is a successful office/retail destination. And as such, it’s a pathfinder for every Connecticut municipality revitalization plan, community task force, business district redevelopment report and special charter commission on economic development.”
The article notes that a key aspect of keeping the downtown area busy was the decision to require all downtown buildings to place retail or restaurants on their first floors, preventing them from flooding with office space. This attracts diners and shoppers and makes the district attractive to professional businesses that occupy the upper floors of these buildings. The diverse crowds help Middletown from becoming a ghost town a night, a fate other downtown improvement districts have historically faced.
