1. Planning Downtown’s Vital Role in a
Thriving & Sustainable Community
Jim Thompson
Business Improvement Specialist
Main Street Iowa
Iowa Dept. of Economic Development
200 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
515/725-3054
515/725
jim.thompson2@iowa.gov

2. Main Street Iowa programs
1/25/2011

3. Cost of an Empty Storefront on Main Street
(Place Economics)
$250,000 lost sales
$16,250 lost employee payroll
$15,000 lost rents
$24,750 lost business profit
$1,500 lost property taxes
$5,100 lost bank deposits
$51,000 lost r.e. loan demand
$15,000 lost bus. loan demand
$12,500 lost sales tax to gov.
$18,900 lost household income
generated elsewhere in
community
$5,500 lost utilities
$3,500 lost advertising
1/25/2011

4. Keys To Success
Apply the time-proven Comprehensive 4
proven 4-Point
Approach® to Increase the Value of Downtown
absolute key to success!
Social - promotion
Physical - design
Political - organization
Economic - economic restructuring

5. Keys To Success
Operate Under the Eight Guiding Principles:
building blocks for a good strategy!
INCREMENTAL
COMPREHENSIVE
QUALITY
PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
CHANGING ATTITUDES
FOCUS ON EXISTING ASSETS
SELF HELP
IMPLEMENTATION ORIENTED

6. Stages of Development
Preparatory
Start-up
Growth
Management

7. Biggest Concern
MANY COMMUNITIES NEVER GET BEYOND
“PREPARATORY”, OR NEVER LEAVE
“START UP”!
It’s easier to talk about the
problems and complain than
to do something about them!

8. Major Concerns
Big Fix – Quick Fix Syndrome
“Project Focuse not “Process Focused”
cused”
Not Learning How to Fish
Belief that it is “THEIR” problem, not
“OUR” problem

9. Think Outside the Box
Create a “Unified” Vision for Downtown
what do we want to be like when we grow up?
Be the instigator - push the envelope
What if?
How could?
Why not?
Why can’t?
How do?
If not us, who?
If not now, when?

10. Embracing Commun
unity Transformation
Discovery: the risks are all ECONOMIC related!
community initiated development projects - public
& private partnerships
grocery & hardware stores
theaters
white elephant buildings
entire blocks of buildings
museums
opera houses
hotels
depots

11. Embracing Commun
unity Transformation
risks are all ECONOMIC
business assistance programs
rent buy-downs
existing business visitations
intensive, long-term business consulting/assistance
term
workshops
marketing into previously untapped areas
cooperative regional tv/radio/magazine media buys
/radio/magazine
billboards
trademarked slogans/branding
internet

12. Embracing Commun
munity Transformation
risks are all ECONOMIC
niche development – knowing your market!
arts, entertainment & recreation
destination upper end specialty & gifts
home improvement
dot.com downtown (silicorn.net)
dining & nightlife
financial centers
international marketplace
destination districts
traditional downtown

13. Embracing Commu
munity Transformation
risks are all ECONOMIC
upper floor housing and commercial development
conversion of vacant buildings into market and income
based housing
• old hotels, schools
• warehouses
• libraries
• post offices
renovation of second story spaces into market rate
apartments
second floor commercial - retail and offices
sympathetic in-fill development
fill

14. Embracing Commu
munity Transformation
Other risky economic strategies:
building ownership and development
targeted business recruitment
development of special events as
economic development
capitalizing on uniqueness - art deco district; green
downtown;

15. Downtown Resource Center
PURPOSE:
to capitalize on the experiences of the IDED’s
highly successful Main Street program by
providing more assistance more often to more
communities through fee
fee-based services:
training
referrals
technical information
technical assistance.

16. Training Opportunities
ICN Workshops
Webinars
Regional Workshops
Annual Iowa Downtown Summit
2011 National Main Streets Conference
Community Presentations

17. Information Exchange
Examples - incentive grant programs, ordinances,
design guidelines
Lending Library - videos, books, how workbooks
how-to
Consultant Exchange - housing, retail, marketing,
landscape architects, historic preservation, structural
engineers, architects, organizational development, etc.
Phone & e-mail consultation
mail

18. Technical Assistance
Downtown Assessment Visits
2 - 3 days on-site - meetings, interviews, tours
2 consultants - downtown professionals
Community Town Hall meeting to share findings & recommendations
ing
Written observations & tangible recommendations
Issue Specific Technical Assistance Visits
Downtown Visioning
Upper Floor Housing

19. Technical Assistance - DRC
Downtown Assessment Visits
Introductions with coordinating committee
Tours (Driving & Walking)
Interviews
Public Meeting (written observations & tangible
recommendations)
Questions & Answers
Media

20. Technical Assistance - MSI
Market Analysis Services
Secondary Data Collection
Primary Data Collection
Supply (Business)
Demand (Consumer)
Focus Groups
Intercept Surveys
Online Surveys

21. Technical Assistance - MSI
Determine the desired target sample "Magic Number" = 384
(Target = 400)

22. TOUGH QUESTIONS
1. How does downtown revitalization fit into the overall
community development plan?
2. Why is downtown important to the community?
3. Who should support revitalization efforts and why?
4. How does it fit with other development groups?
5. How can we find the necessary resources –
people and money - for one more cause?
6. How will it benefit me or my business?

23. EIGHT DEADLY SINS . . . . .
Leading to the Dullification of Downtown
(direct from the state of Michigan)
Sure Fire Strategies to Assist in Killing off Downtown!
Remove your historically significant buildings
Remove (de-map) any existing street
map)
Remove existing on street parking
Remove any existing street level retail (spaces)
Clear land of historically significant buildings for
surface parking
Build an elevated walkway
Build an underground walkway
Invite a proposal from a suburban developer

24. Iowa Downtown Resource Center
Iowa Dept. of Economic Development
1/25/2011

25. Contact Information
Jim Thompson
Business Improvement Specialist
Bus
Main Street Iowa
200 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
515/725-3054
jim.thompson2@iowa.gov