You may have heard that America’s cities are in trouble. From the “death of downtowns” to the “urban doom loop,” the plight of America’s superstar metros — and their central business districts in particular — have been a frequent source of concern for economists, politicians, and commentators. 

Most of the concern has been focused on coastal cities like San Francisco and Seattle, which have seen the usual stream of commuters shrink to a trickle due to remote work’s hold on the white-collar workforce. But Midwestern cities are also facing a crisis of their own — struggling to attract workers, residents, and visitors to their downtowns. And while many coastal metros experienced a “golden age” in the decade before the pandemic, cities in America’s heartland have been struggling since well before COVID came around.

In order to pull out of their tailspin, economists and urban planners say many Midwestern cities need to get serious about improving amenities and boosting quality of life in their downtowns. Instead of being places where […]