A Tale of Two Cities… and their downtowns. (Theory put to practice)

1. A Tale of Two Cities… and their downtowns. (Theory put to practice)

2. Downtown Trends Increase in two-income households has made traditional downtown 9-5 shopping hours obsolete. In the last ten years, retail space has increased 4 times – retail sales increased less than 10%. An entire generation of younger consumers have grown up with shopping malls; their expectations have been shaped by this.

3. What is the Cost of an Empty Storefront ? A small building sitting empty for 1 year in a small town commercial district will have the following impact on the community*: $250,000 in lost sales. ($12,500 in lost sales tax.) $24,750 in lost business profits. $16,250 in lost employee payroll. $15,000 in lost loan demand to local banks. *From the National Main Street Center 2006

4. Downtown revitalization is about economics… …not just attractive buildings and streetscapes. Downtown revitalization efforts must be ongoing… ….the job is never done. Downtown revitalization must be comprehensive… ….dealing with all downtown issues simultaneously. Downtown revitalization is more than just retailers… …it is a community-wide issue. Physical Improvements Are Not Enough

5. The Main Street™ 4 Point Approach to Downtown Revitalization • Design • Promotion • Economic Restructuring • Organization

6. Design: restoring physical value Enhancing physical appearance by: • rehabilitating historic buildings • encouraging supportive new construction • developing sensitive design • long term planning

7. Promotion: restoring social value Marketing Downtown’s assets to: • customers • investors • new businesses • local citizens • visitors

8. Economic Restructuring: restoring economic value Adapt to a changing economic landscape: • ID Market Opportunities • Improve Real Estate • Find New Uses for Old Spaces • Recruit Business • Expand Existing Business

9. Organization: building capacity Creating partnerships for change.

10. A vibrant downtown is indicative of a healthy community with a good quality of life. A vibrant downtown maintains and expands the tax base and uses existing infrastructure wisely. A vibrant downtown helps attract and retain quality employees. A vibrant downtown provides the atmosphere and services important to visitors to your businesses. Why is a vital downtown important to you?

11. How do You fund a Downtown Program? • Hybrid organization that leverages: • Municipal Support • Property Owner Support • Business Owner Support • Grant funds for projects • BID/EID Funding • $100,000 – $150,000 per year.

12. Partnership Opportunities • An annual commitment for three years: • Founding Partner $5,000 for three years • Sponsor $2,500 for three years • Supporter $1,000 for three years

13. Main Street’s Eight Principles • Comprehensive • Incremental • Community Driven • Public-Private effort • Builds on existing assets • Quality • Change • Implementation-Oriented

15. Design & Planning: Enhance Downtown Cortland’s physical appearance through historic preservation efforts, design guidance, and planning. Projects • Downtown Sign Program • Adopt a Downtown Flower Bed • Historic Architecture Education • Downtown Directory • Historic Preservation Tax Credit

16. Promotion: Market and Promote Downtown Cortland’s features and assets to visitors, residents, potential investors, and businesses. • Projects • Downtown Marketing Campaign • Coordinate Downtown Events • Cooperative Advertising • Downtown Weblog • Downtown Beat News Articles • Best of Downtown! Awards

17. Economic Restructuring: Strengthens Downtown Cortland’s economic base while finding way to expand commercial potential to meet new opportunities. • Projects • New Business Recruitment • Real Estate Inventory • Neighborhood Development Initiative • Commercial Promotion • New Business Mentoring

18. Main Street’s Results • 2006 Statistics (Nationwide) • 23.3 billion in physical improvements • 67,000 net new businesses • 308,370 new jobs • 107,179 building rehabilitation projects • 26.67 to $1 reinvestment ratio

19. Results from Building Downtown Partnerships • Partnered with City Hall, the nonprofit Cultural Council of Cortland County and local property owners to develop a $100,000 (federally funded) project that investigates commercial and cultural uses of vacant second and third stories. • Partnered with SUNY Cortland, local businesses and eight non-profits to secure $500,000 in foundation funding cultural performances throughout the County. • Partnered with the Cortland County Convention and Visitors Bureau to develop a $200,000 marketing campaign for historic downtown Cortland and downtown’s events funded by the National Park Service. • Partnered with the County Economic Development Agency to create 40Below Cortland an organization for Cortland’s young entrepreneurs and young professionals.

20. Results from Building Downtown Partnerships • Partnered with property owners to develop a $400,000 rehabilitation program. • Partnered with the State of New York Assembly Woman Barbara Lifton to develop a $300,000 business incubator for Central New York downtown Cortland. • Partnered with local businesses for more than $30,000 in cooperative advertising “faces behind the facades” that promotes the business and business owners who make historic downtown Cortland a great place to work, visit and shop. • Partnered with Homer High School and SUNY Cortland’s Center for Economic Education to develop a business model competition and economics curriculum for high school students with college mentors.

21. Results from Building Downtown Partnerships • Partnered with the Cultural Council of Cortland County and the SUNY Cortland Art Department to bring year-round programming and artwork to the newly established Beard Building Gallery in SUNY Cortland’s Main Street Campus. • Partnered with the Institute for Civic Engagement at SUNY Cortland to develop a $150,000 campus-community initiative that develops the leadership capacity of SUNY Cortland students funded with support from U.S. Congressman Michael Arcuri. • Partnered with SUNY Cortland Art Department to create the Cortland Road Pour to artistically reinterpret the manufacturing heritage of central New York as a cultural tradition by engaging the public in the process of creating cast iron sculptures and metalworking. $20,000 project funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.

23. Downtown Oregon City Blue Collar Creative A recruitment and re-imaging campaign for historic downtown Oregon City.. Taste of Downtown (retail follows restaurants) Marketing a unique niche/business cluster – the restaurants and eateries that make downtown Oregon City a social and cultural hub for Clackamas County. Downtown Design (business follows beds) It is time to imagine downtown Oregon City as a modern marketplace. Housing, public space, green buildings? Explore the potential of downtown. Downtown Sign Fund A matching grant program to improve business signs on downtown’s historic buildings.

24. Downtown Oregon City Arts in Action Using cultural programming to add to the vitality of downtown. Signature Events Promoting Downtown’s Unique assets through festivals. First Steps Downtown Walking Tour Highlighting historic locations and places in a 160 year old downtown. Buildings Banners Baskets Beautifying streetscape through flowers, banners, amenities and streetscape improvements. Downtown Dialogue An ongoing conversation with downtown stakeholders about downtown issues.

25. Keys to Success: • Build Partnerships. • Inclusive of all Stakeholders. • Commit Financial Resources. • Build Upon Small Initial Successes.