The Northeast Community Development Corporation

- Great Cities -

Research and Planning for the Central Avenue Commercial Corridor

Why We Are Here?

How We Are Researching:

Year One Focus:

Education and Outreach

Feasibility Studies

Collaboration

• University United

• West Broadway Business & Area Coalition

• Lake Street Council

• Sparc on Rice Street

Year One Milestones

1. Database

2. Website

3. Survey

Great Cities Database

• Updated and completed

• Increased scope

• Took into account new tenants and vacancies

Great Cities Website

• Outreach mechanism for the Great Cities project

• Connect the project group members and businesses involved

• Tool to share research findings

Great Cities Survey

• Outreach survey (300)

• Feedback gained from participants and stakeholders

• Made the initial connections to affected parties

• Translated into Spanish, hard and online copy

• Pinpointed areas of need

BID Survey Responses

50% Property Owners (lower than expected)

65% Business Owners (or both)

50% familiar with CASSD

35% familiar with BIDs

Survey Responses: PrioritiesInitial responses are noting a range of priorities from:

Winter ServicesGraffiti Removal

Filling Vacant Storefronts

4. Control Over Budgets5. Marketing

6. Increased Parking7. Landscaping8. Tree Lights

9. Banners10. Snowflake Installation

Survey Responses: Other Suggestions

• Parking on Friday afternoons is bad

• Clean up existing business store fronts and sidewalks

• Window signage, cluttered windows, dirty storefronts

• Safety/perception of safety

• Better storefronts and name brand restaurants

What are Special Service Districts?

They provide business and property owners the ability to tax themselves and pay for an increased number of municipal services or services at a level higher than the base line of

services provided by the City of Minneapolis

What is CASSD?Central Ave Special Service District (CASSD)

The advisory board that is currently in place

Located on Central between 19th Avenue & 26th Avenue

Formed in 1999

Pays for services above and beyond the basic services provided by the City of Minneapolis

CASSDCentral Avenue Special Service District

• Winter Services: snow removal• Twinkle Tree Light Installation, Repair, and Removal

(November-April)• Snowflake and Garland Installation, Repair, and Removal

• Landscaping: trees, signage, banners, and planters• Banners: new street banners

• Additional considerations: flower pots, bike racks, alternatives to metal tree grates, increased trash removal

What are Business Improvement Districts?

A partnership in which property and business owners elect to make a collective contribution to the maintenance,

development and promotion of their commercial district.

What is the Difference?

BID

•Able to determine the contractor

•May hire third party service providers

SSD

•Available services are defined by ordinance

•No funding for marketing / special events

What is the Future of Central Avenue?

What are the possible benefits that could result from a Business

Improvement District?Arrangement?

1. Broader scope of services

2. Supplemental services and programs

3. Ability to respond quickly to changing needs of the business community

4. Potential to increase property values

5. Improve sales and decrease commercial vacancy rates

6. A district that is better able to compete with nearby retail and business centers

Great Cities Project - 2012

Year 2 Milestones for the Collaborative:

• Implementation

• Research

• Continued Education and Outreach

Dialogue

Ongoing communications

Meet with property owners and businesses

Send informational packets

Work with Chamber of Commerce & Local Orgson the Central Avenue Plan

Education, Policy and Outreach

Monthly CASSD meetings

Quarterly Neighborhood meetings

Attend City Council meetings

Refine educational materials with updated information, distribute e-versions

Other Districting Priorities

Research Parking along Central Avenue

Research P.I.D.s

Consult Central Avenue Plan

Arts District priorities and funding mechanisms

Communications

Continue to update Great Cities sites and Microsites

Monthly updates to businesses via site

Continue translation

Research to answer questions and concerns

Thank You!

Let’s talk!