The relationship between urban design and economic activity is seldom studied throughempirical studies with a large number of cases due, in part, to the implicit and intangiblenature of design. This study was intended to understand, analyze, and evaluate thecomplex relationship between the design and the economic revitalization of downtowndistricts with reference to the 78 active Texas Main Street Program districts. First, thedesign, promotion, organization, and economic restructuring components of the MainStreet Program's comprehensive four-point approach were investigated. Next, theeconomic changes that occurred within those districts were analyzed from 1997-2001.Finally, employment, the number of jobs, the number of business establishments, thenumber of sales tax permits, the retail sales volume, and the commercial property valueswere compared for the same time period among three categories of cities: those active inthe Main Street Program, those formerly active but now inactive, and those who havenot participated.Findings revealed that several positive changes occurred in design, promotion,organization, and economic restructuring components of the four-point approach within the active Texas Main Street districts. It appears that these changes produced severalpositive outcomes for the physical, social, and economical environment of the activeMain Street districts. Moreover, the findings suggests that these changes in the MainStreet districts resulted in an increased economic activity, not only within the MainStreet district by generating jobs, or producing private and/or public investment, but alsoacross the Main Street city by creating community wide economic activity in most of thevariables that were under investigation. The results indicate that the Texas Main StreetProgram, part of which is urban design oriented, is having a positive effect on economicactivity within the active Main Street districts.
