The City of Lancaster, California, converted a drab, automobile-oriented arterial at the heart of downtown into a lively, pedestrian-friendly center. The nine-block makeover of Lancaster Boulevard has become a regional draw and attracted significant economic development in its first two years.
In a dramatic demonstration of the value of smart streetscape investment, Lancaster spent $11.5 million on a project and, within four years, attracted $130 million in private investment and generated $273 million in economic output, according to estimates by the California Redevelopment Association. Between 2007, the year before revitalization efforts began, and 2012, tax revenues from the downtown area nearly doubled .
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