Loading...
13. Discussion - Downtown Planning WorkshopDate: May 29, 1998 To: Glen Neier, Interim City Manager From: Ross Plambeck, Redevelopment Manager RE: Downtown Revitalization Proposals The downtown merchants have expressed an interest in several approaches to continue the revitalization efforts in Kalispell. A petition was presented to City Council for hiring a consultant, Dan Burden, to assess the needs of the Central Business District. Other suggestions for consulting services included a firm that assisted Couer d'Alene and the Main Street Program through the National Trust for Historic Preservation. I have been trying to find the name of the firm that worked in Couer d'Alene, but have only been able to leave messages at several places with no response yet. On June 1 Ith, the Main Street Program will have a follow-up conference in Butte to the one that was video-conferenced a couple of months ago. The first Main Street conference was to discuss the purpose and goals of the program. The conference on the I I' will be more of a nuts-n-bolts approach. I have faxed the names of the Council and Mayor to have invitations sent to them. Unfortunately, this one will not be video-conferenced. Main Street is looking to establish a state wide program that will allow cities to participate quicker and cheaper than on an individual basis. I believe several downtown merchants are planning on attending the Butte conference, and should have some specifics on that soon. I think the timing is excellent to look at the Main Street proposals and continue to gather additional information from other downtown consultants. I've attached some material on what Main Street is about, and will get other proposals to you as soon as I get a response back. Thank you for supporting your community's important Main Street revitalization program by joining the Organization Committee. Your member- ship will help ensure your commercial district's future as the center of commu- nity life. You are joining a coast -to -coast movement led by the National Main Street Center and involving more than 1,000 community programs across the country. Together, these programs have produced an investment in these districts of more than $5 billion and spurred the rehabilitation of countless historic structures, while providing space for 38,000 net new businesses and creating 100,000 net new jobs for local citizens. Your participation on the Organiza- tion Committee will help bring about similar results for your community and make your vision for the commercial district a reality. This handbook offers tips, guide- lines, and sample forms to help you: > Understand the Main Street approach to downtown revitalization and organization; > Develop an effective organization with clear goals and work plans for all areas of the program; and Build an effective and efficient committee. welcome Cl t 0 What Happened to Main Street? Downtown and neighborhood business districts are no longer the primary providers of goods and services to their communities. These commercial cores now suffer from a complicated cycle of disinvestment: with businesses leaving, rental rates slip and property owners have less to invest in their buildings, giving the district a shabby, uncared-for appearance and making it even harder to attract new businesses. Is There Hope for Main Street? While many of these changes have contributed to economic decline, there are also trends and assets that support rejuvenation of our Main Streets. For instance: ■ Many consumers are tired of the homogeneity and impersonality of shopping malls and chain stores. People value personal attention. name recognition, and exemplary service — all potential features of traditional commercial districts. ■ A community's core represents a substantial share of its economy — its jobs, its'tax base, its municipal investment, its businesses. main street ■ Because consumers are more mobile today than several decades ago, the market area that a downtown or neigh- borhood district can potentially serve is much Greater than it used to be. ■ More and more Americans enjoy visiting historic places —not just for vacation but also for everyday busi- ness and leisure activities. Traditional community centers offer unique, historic shopping environments. Where Is Downtown Heading? Even with some trends on its side, Main Street —and the community image embodied there —cannot survive without help. Consider: ■ Most traditional commercial districts will never again be able to provide the range of goods and services they offered 20 or 30 years ago. To support the rehabilitation and maintenance of downtown commer- cial areas in today's market, we must aggressively expand Main Street's business mix —and market area. w ■ Main Street is not "city hall's responsibility" and yet our "Mom & Pop" business owners can't do it alone. A collaborative effort, combin- ing the unique skills and vantage points of both public ayd private sectors, is essential. ■ Main Street's renewal doesn't happen overnight; it's a gradual process that begins with small steps, eventually building our capacity to tackle larger, more complicated revitalization projects and problems. `Big fix," overnight solutions to downtown revitalization almost always fail. ■ Traditional commercial districts, like shopping malls, require full-time, professional management. Clearly, Main Street needs an ally, an advocate, a leader... and that's where you come in. What Is the "Four -Point Approach"? A community's central business district often accounts for as much as 30 percent of the town's jobs and 40 percent of its tax base. But, Main Street is more than an economic asset. It is also a community's crossroad, a place in our hearts and minds that evokes strong emotions and helps define our identity. In recent years, many approaches to downtown revitalization, from urban renewal to paint -up, fix -up projects, have failed because they focused on just one or two problems, rather than dealing with the full spectrum of interrelated issues that affect traditional commercial districts. The National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street program offers an approach to downtown revital- ization that has been successful in more than a thousand towns and cities throughout the country. The four points described in the next column are the keys to the success of the Main Street approach: ■ Organization means getting everyone working toward the same goal. The tough work of building consensus and cooperation among the groups that have an important stake in the district can be eased by using the common-sense formula of a volun- teer -driven program and an organiza- tional structure of board and commit- tees. ■ Promotion means selling the image and promise of Main Street to all prospects. By marketing the district's unique characteristics to shoppers, investors, new businesses, and visitors, an effective promotion strategy forges a positive image through advertising, retail promo- tional activity, special events, and marketing campaigns carried out by local volunteers. ■ Design means getting Main Street into top physical shape. Capitalizing on its best assets— such as historic buildings and traditional downtown layout —is just part of the story. An inviting atmosphere created through window displays, parking areas, signs, sidewalks. street lights, and landscaping conveys a visual message about what Main Street is and what it has to offer. ■ Economic Restructuring means finding a new purpose for Main Street's enterprises. By helping existing downtown businesses expand and recruiting new ones to respond to today's market, Main Street programs help convert unused space into productive property and sharpen the competitiveness of business enter- prises. What Makes "Main Street" Unique? The Main Street approach has eight guiding principles that set it apart from other redevelopment strate=ies. 1. Comprehensive. Take off the blinders. No single focus —such as lavish public improvements, "name -brand" business recruitment, or endless promo- tional events --can do the job. Commer- cial district revitalization is a complex process requiring a simultaneous, comprehensive strategy. 2. Incremental. Baby steps come before walking. Basic, simple activities lead to a more sophisticated understanding of the revitalization process and help members of the community develop skills to tackle more complex problems and ambitious projects. 3. Self -Help. Nobody else will save Main Street. Local leaders must have the will and desire to mobilize local re- sources. That means convincing resi- dents and business owners alike of the rewards for their investment of time and money in Main Street, as the heart of their community. 4. Partnerships. Stop pointing fingers. Both the public and private sectors have a vital interest in the commercial district. Partnership means that all stakeholders are contributing time. money, and expertise —often individually, but sometimes sitting around the same table —Main Street's table. 5. Assets. History is on our side. To s_ive people a sense of belonging and pride. Main Street must capitalize on the unique assets it already has —qualities such as distinctive buildings, neighborly shop owners, and a human scale that can't be copied out on the strip. 6. Quality. Built -to -last. Shoestring budgets and "cut -and -paste" efforts won't do the job. A high standard of quality must be set for every aspect of the commercial district: from window displays to marketing brochures, from public improvements to storefront renovation. 7. Change. Skeptics turn into believers. Almost no one believes Main Street can really turn around ... at first. Changes in attitude and practice are slow but definite —and essential. The Main Street approach often brings about a major shift in downtown's use, purpose ... and future. S. Implementation. Make a difference TODAY. Most communities have enoush plans collecting dust on shelves to last them through the next century. Main Street's focus is to simultaneously plan for the future while creating visible change and activity NOW.