by Huston Gibson from Kansas State University, USA, Micky Zurcher from Helena (MT) Business Improvement District, Tash Wisemiller from Montana Department of Commerce
In a time when funding for small communities is limited, an analysis of investment strategy is critical. Façade improvement programs are thought to spur spillover of both direct and indirect investment in downtown districts by leveraging built capital and harnessing a sense of placemaking. Through case study, with interviews and observational analysis, we empirically analyze this phenomenon in the three communities of Helena, Kalispell, and Anaconda, Montana, USA.
