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1 How to Develop a Main Street Workplan

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Page 1: How to Develop a Main Street Workplanctmainstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/How-to-develop-a-Main... · Sample of young Main Street program: Niantic Main Street 2002 Vision is

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How to Develop a Main Street Workplan

Page 2: How to Develop a Main Street Workplanctmainstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/How-to-develop-a-Main... · Sample of young Main Street program: Niantic Main Street 2002 Vision is

Our Mission - …to be the champion and leading resource for vibrant and sustainable Main Streets as foundations for healthy communities.”

Our Core Values are:1. Encouraging civic engagement;

2. Place-making, preservation of historic buildings and places, and enlivening of the public realm;

3. Main Streets that thrive with a mix of uses, incomes and cultures; and

4. Responsible policies integrating land use, housing, transportation and energy.

Within our small state there is a wide variety of village centers, traditional town centers, and urban neighborhoods and downtowns involved in the program.

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Designated Main Street Programs: Implementing the Main Street Management Program with operating budgets between $120-$550K, full-time professional staff, board, volunteers and partnering organizations that assist in the implementation of the Main Street Management program.

Member Communities: designation was out of reach for most communities. In 2005, CT Main Street Center expanded its program to include those communities that wanted access to education and training, resources and networking on an “a al carte” basis. Many of these communities are utilizing the Main Street model, on a volunteer basis.

Regional Members: Beginning in 2009 we responded to regional organizations (planning, economic development & chambers of commerce). Our services are customized to regional needs.

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The National Trust for Historic Preservation, through a pilot program in the late 1970s, learned that downtown had lost its value in four distinct areas and developed the Main Street Program around restoring value to downtown.

This Four Point Approach� is both incremental and comprehensive, addressing the restoration of each of these values simultaneously.

The structure of a Main Street Management Program is typically built around a nonprofit board of directors and the Four Point committee structure.

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“Restoring Civic Value” - Engaging the community and public & private sector partners.

Communications:

• Newsletters, website, social media,etc.

Cultivate public/private partnership & Maintaining organization networks:

• Business community, civic and governmental partners, community anchors (colleges, hospitals, etc.)

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“Restoring Physical Value”

• Preservation surveys & protection, design guidelines and standards, façade programs, etc.

• Redevelopment and adaptive reuse

• Pedestrian-orientation, parking, way-finding & signage, information systems (ease of use for the community)

• Visual training, beautification projects, etc.

• Streetscape plans, traffic plans, master planning, etc.

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“Restoring Social Value”

Begins with -• Understanding the market (your demographics & psychographics), and public relations, advertising, media relations

• Special events, festivals, parades and parties; Art Walks, Historic tours, etc. that bring people downtown.

• Retail events and promotions; joint advertising, brochures, etc. that promote the district as a whole.

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“Restoring Economic Value”

• Workshops and one-on-one counseling, technical assistance, maintaining valuable business information, etc.

• Technical assistance, fee waivers, loan assistance

• Market niche studies, cluster studies, consumer & resident surveys

• Incentives, ease of regulatory process for business & property owners

Working relationships with downtown property & business owners

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Local Main Street program’s board is representative of the community.

Start-up Phase: four committee structure is typically grassroots oriented, with volunteers implementing the work of the program.

Growth Phase: a mature, higher performing program has built partnerships and secured its reputation as an effective downtown management program, so more complex projects are addresses by professional agencies and organizations working closely with the Main Street program. Volunteers are still deeply involved.

While this is a model of a professionally managed Main Street program, plenty of communities begin with an all-volunteer organization.

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Basic PrincipleRevitalization of your downtown built around its unique natural and built environment.

� Most communities have plenty of plans and studies, but lack the capacity and organizational infrastructure to implement the recommendations.

� CT Main Street Center advises an organizing structure, that keeps you focused, around which your own unique plan of action is developed.

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Much like a shopping mall has a management company which ensures its success, downtown needs comprehensive management.

Public/Private Partnership to ensure sustainability. The involvement and buy-in of the community is necessary.

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The structure of the Main Street Four Point Approach addresses Restoring the Value of Downtown. Begins with basic Strategic Planning for Downtown.

Vision: declares your intentions for downtown / what does success look like? Should lead the way to any necessary planning & regulatory changes.

Goals and Projects: developed out of SWOT analysis (unique to your downtown – begin with Clean, Safe, Attractive & Fun!)

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Sample of young Main Street program: Niantic Main Street 2002

Vision is evocative and specific to a unique place. It lays out what the Village can be in the future (residential, commercial, arts, tourism).� Niantic found that zoning changes were necessary to allow

increased residential/mixed-use, outdoor dining, a shared parking agreement with multiple property owners in the Village Center, and Streetscape and Boardwalk projects.

NOTE: Visioning, Goal & Project identification was done over two days with a leadership group of 25 people representing all major interests / constituencies in the community.

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To assist you in developing your goals, identify Strengthsthat will minimize Weaknesses while taking advantage of Opportunities to stave off Threats.

Examine the strengths of place (your downtown, your community, your region) and the strengths of resources (people, institutions, partners).

� What are your advantages?

� What do you do well?

� Skills/expertise?

� Programs/services?

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Be honest, be specific.

� What could be improved?

� What is done badly?

� What should be avoided?

� Missing any key skills or competencies?

� Weak image?

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Now, it’s time for the glass half full attitude! Optimistic, but realistic.

� What trends can be taken advantage of?

o Changes in markets

o Changes in government policy

o Changes in demographic and lifestyle patterns

� Expanding programs to address critical issues

� Building partnerships, leveraging resources, building capacity

� Capitalizing on existing and potential assets

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What obstacles do you face?

What is your competition doing?

What trends can effect you adversely:

� Changes in markets

� Changes in government policy

� Changes in demographic and lifestyle patterns

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Strategic Goal:

A major directive describing one of the fundamental changes your organization plans to bring about.

Ideally, each goal should be market-focused, meaning that it is based on a fundamental understanding of the district’s best economic opportunities and, it reflects the community’s vision for the commercial district’s future

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Projects were identified by each committee, following their introduction to the previous vision and goals.

• Program goals – left column

• 4 Point “functions” – across top row

• Committee projects – underneath, aligned with the program goals

Balance of projects that are easy, inexpensive and highly visible –with those that are more complex, more expensive and require additional capacity. It starts with Clean, Safe, Attractive & Fun!

This summary sheet helps draw in partners & volunteers. The workplan discipline keeps you organized and helps measure the return on investment in a Main Street Program.

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An Actual Workplan Template!

Use it.

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Niantic Main Street – Detailed Workplan

Committee: Organization

Goal: Become the coordinating agency for the revitalization of Niantic Village

Project: Niantic Main Street Speakers Bureau

Project Supervisor: Pauline (VP of board and Co-Chair of Organization Committee)

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Begin by addressing Quality of Life Issues:• Redefine public safety issues (inappropriate social behavior and blighted building conditions) as economic development issues. Investment won’t happen if the district is not welcoming.

• Convening Code Enforcement Teams, made up of police, building inspection, fire marshal, etc. to cite unsafe and blighted conditions.

• Visual elements and amenities that make people feel welcome in downtown.

• Healthy business environment, addressing the unique markets of the community.

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