Evaluating the Health of Downtowns

here have been many efforts by cities across the country to revitalize their downtowns. Some have been more successful than others. A major problem, however, has been that there is generally an accepted method of evaluating such efforts. It is difficult for downtown leaders to determine whether a program or activity has been helpful in improving downtown health. Programs that appear successful in the short run are sometimes ineffective over the long run.