Revitalization efforts in downtown areas have gained momentum in recent decades. This article focuses on revitalization strategies, recognizing the process of decline, while identifying key strategies used in downtown revitalization efforts over the past fifty years. years (Faulk 2006). City centers, unlike shopping malls or suburban office complexes, have evolved slowly over time, in response to changing technologies and social and economic models. A city's identity depends largely on the image of its downtown, which is why cities of all sizes inevitably commit to successful redevelopment (Robertson 1995). In reading the literature on downtown revitalization, a number of strategies and principles have surfaced. Many principles overlap in order to create a successful redevelopment strategy and there is no blueprint for success. The strategies I have identified and will explore are categorized into groups: 1) Pedestrian Mall; 2) Indoor shopping centers; 3) Historic preservation; 4) Development of the waterfront sector; 5) Office development; 6) Generators of special activities; 7) Transportation improvements; and 8) Niche strategies. This article will highlight the successes and failures of each strategy, then use case studies to show how they have been applied in American cities. Case studies will include: Seattle, Washington; Portland, Oregon and Phoenix, Arizona, have all made significant efforts over the past 40 years to revitalize their downtowns. The Emergence and Decline of American Downtowns To provide perspective on the development of American downtowns, I have identified stages and eras of history that have had major impacts on their development. There is an extensive literature on development ...... middle of paper ......ions for America. 2003. “Sustainable Economy.” Solutions for America University of Richmond. http://www.solutionsforamerica.org/viableecon/downtown-revitalization.html, accessed October 3, 2011. Robertson, Kent A. 1995. “U.S. Downtown Redevelopment Strategies and End-of-Century Assessment ". Journal of the American Planning Association61:4 1995. pp. 429-437. Robertson, Kent A. 1997. “Revitalizing Downtown Retail: A Review of American Development Strategies.” Planning Perspectives 12 1997. pp 383-401. Ward, David. 1971. Cities and Immigrants: A Geography of Change in Nineteenth-Century America. New York: Oxford University Press. West, Darrell M. Orr, Marion. 2003. “Downtown Shopping Centers as Engines of Economic Development, Community Spirit, and Political Capital.” Economic DevelopmentQuarterly 17:2 2003. pp. 193-204.