Empty Lot Economic Development

Video Empty Lot Economic Development

Turn empty lots into economic development engines

28 minute video to watch on your schedule
Immediate access

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Bring your empty lots back to life

Put them to work enabling commerce, supporting business and adding to prosperity

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Struggling to redevelop those empty lots?

It's not just you. Most small towns struggle to attract developers or builders to replace missing buildings. The smaller your town, the bigger the challenge with this. Most folks lack the resources to redevelop buildings on your own.

You're left with few options: ignore empty lots, use them for parking, fence them off or create pocket parks. (Parks are good, definitely, but they aren't all you can do.)

We see empty lots as full of economic potential!

We’re going to give you lots of ideas and examples, and we’ll use the Idea Friendly Framework so you can come up with your own ideas. In the end, you’ll have a great start on tapping the economic potential in your empty lots.

Empty lots can be enablers of commerce.

We’ll show you how you can use empty lots to improve your parking and get more shoppers downtown without using the lots for parking.

Kendrick, Idaho, (pop. 300) uses an empty lot next to the bank to move people from parking in the back into the downtown.

Empty lots can be temporary commerce locations.

We’ll talk about real examples of temporary businesses and pop-up uses that generate more business activity in your community.

Alva, Oklahoma, (pop. 4900) uses empty lots to host workshops, classes and a bonus famers market.

Empty lots can be long-term commercial centers.

We’ll show you examples of small towns that have converted empty lots into hubs of business activity without having to depend on a commercial developer to redevelop a building.

Tionesta, Pennsylvania, (pop. 500) uses empty lots to host a pop-up business incubator using simple storage sheds. Photo by Forest County IDA-IDC.

How empty ground can bring people together

Throughout 2021, we're focused on helping you build a more unified community. With all the forces that feel like they're pulling us apart, we want to help local communities like yours join together better.

With this, our last video of the year, we're getting down to earth. When empty lots are unused, uncared for and unsightly, they are actually tearing at the fabric of your community.

When you turn an empty lot into a pop-up market village or a host for vendors or a well cared for walkway between parts of your town, you're demonstrating care and fighting apathy. You're giving people a new place to meet and interact positively. And you're rebuilding community ties.

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You'll get the full 28 minute video you can watch on your own and share with others in your community.

This video is perfect for:

People like you, tired of staring at those empty lots whether you own them or not
Chambers, Main Streets, downtown groups that have responsibility for downtowns
Cities, towns, tribes, municipalities and officials with empty lots on their books, ready to see them redeveloped
Empty lot owners who aren't sure what to do with them
Brownfields administrators looking for innovative redevelopment strategies

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Not another tiresome webinar

Short, to the point video
Watch instantly on your schedule: anytime, on demand, starting now
Recorded so you can pause, stop, rewind or watch again immediately

You won't waste time waiting for everyone to sign in or sitting through long introductions. You don't have to put up with technical glitches or annoying background noise from inconsiderate participants. No one will fumble around with how to control their video or say "Can you see my screen?"

You get personal access to Becky and Deb via message, email and comment. We do answer your questions personally!

You can trust SaveYour.Town's Becky McCray and Deb Brown to share practical advice for rural communities.

We are both small town entrepreneurs. We've been trained in traditional economic, workforce and organization development. So we understand that old way thinking. But we didn't stop there.

Deb Brown and Becky McCray joined forces in May 2015 to help small towns and rural communities thrive. They developed the Idea Friendly Method out of their own personal experiences in business, agriculture, entrepreneurship, nonprofits and government.

FAQs

Is this video recorded so I can watch later?

Yes, the video is recorded, and you'll be able to watch it immediately as soon as you complete your purchase. You are welcome to watch the video more than once, start and stop, or go back and watch again. You're not limited to watching from a single computer or with just one group.

Can I get a copy of the slides? What all do I get?

You get the video to watch whenever you like, a transcript plus an audio-only version.

What if I have questions?

You can ask questions two ways: in the comment box or via email. We always answer you personally. You can also share stories or examples you've seen. That helps everyone!

Will the video play on my computer? Can I watch on my phone?

Either one! If you can watch a YouTube video, you can watch this video. That means you can use any device, any screen that can load a web page for you to login. Any PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android phone or tablet, smart TV or TV with a streaming box or stick should work.
You don't need blazing fast internet.

Can I share the video with other people?

Yes! Once you’re registered, you can schedule more than one viewing so you reach as many people as possible. We encourage you to watch on your own or set up a virtual watch party.

How long should I make a watch party?

For a watch party, schedule 45 -50 minutes. You'll want that extra time to discuss what you watched and to network and talk with each other.

Who should I invite?

Your friends who love to do things with you
Visionaries like yourself
Positive thinkers and doers
Leaders and officials
Downtown associations, Main Streets, chambers
Economic development folks
Elected officials from municipalities, counties, tribes
Business with a community focus, like banks and utilities
People who care about your town

Testimonials

This video stimulated lots of note-taking and conversation between the business owners gathered at my house. Deb and Becky gave us some new ideas and several excellent examples of known models. I think some of us are thinking of pivoting our summer’s plans after participating in Wednesday’s event. Thanks for a well-thought out presentation!

Jonya, Minnesota

What a TERRIFIC marketing Video. I had 20 businesses show up to watch and they all left with new ideas and an excitement to get back and start implementing! I’ve already had 5 businesses reach out in less than 2 hours after it ended, that are already putting your ideas into action.

Mandy Walsh, City of Lampasas, Texas

There are always great take-aways from the videos that can be put into place immediately. One of my favorites is changing your store's evening vibe (different music, lighting, etc.) because evening shoppers are not the same as day time shoppers.

Diane Moore, Wheaton, Illinois

Videos by SaveYour.Town are fun way to learn some no-nonsense alternatives to community inertia.

Clark Hoskin, Ontario

Video Empty Lot Economic Development

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