DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP CORE STRATEGY

Transcription

1 DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP CORE STRATEGY Mission We work to ensure downtown remains the heart and soul of the Lewisburg Vision Downtown Lewisburg will be the cultural and economic magnet for the region Values We believe in the Power of vision effecting proactive change Invincibility of partnering for the sake of community Necessity of respectful and inclusive interactions Magic of hometown pride and warm welcomes We Believe An authentic sense of place enriches daily life Our common roots of heritage and place bind us together Small businesses are the catalysts for a vibrant community economy Lewisburg deserves trustworthy stewards of community resources Our Strategic Purpose The Lewisburg Downtown Partnership engages stakeholders to create cultural and economic vibrancy in downtown Lewisburg for the benefit of the greater region. With strategic partnerships and good financial stewardship, the LDP provides effective full-time management for the downtown business district

2 Strategic Plan -2020, Organizational Overview Economic Development--We Take a Long-Range, Proactive, Cooperative, Project-Based Approach to Business Recruitment and Retention Business Retention Committee runs the ambassador program for downtown businesses and executes projects that support business success Business Expansion Committee oversees market analysis, business mix and works to provide opportunities for expanding existing businesses and creating new ones Promotion--Promoting the Downtown as a Destination : We plan promotions and events; provide a place where all downtown businesses have a role and voice; and promote the concept that "we are all in this together" Project Committees: We provide a 501c3 umbrella and financial oversight for committees that work autonomously on events or projects that support the LDP mission Mission: Ensure downtown remains the heart and soul of Lewisburg Historic Preservation and Design--We Promote Preservation, Beautification & Accessibility Historic Area Review Board (HARB) HARB is a Borough entity that enforces Lewisburg Borough's Local Historic District ordinance. Historic Preservation & : We work on projects in collaboration with the Lewisburg Neighborhoods Corporation that effect accessibility, signage, historic character and other physical assets necessary in a strong downtown business district Organization--Successfully Connecting a Positive Downtown Experience to the Region Committee: We bring the strategic plan to fruition, create and monitor the annual work plan, oversee organization image and governance Finance Committee: We spend money wisely in accordance with our strategic goals and have enough funds to sustain the organization Membership Committee: We make sure our board and committees are populated with engaged volunteers who each bring a necessary skill set to the LDP and are well-trained for their volunteer experience

3 -2016 Strategic Plan, LDP Strategy Wheel Economic Development Use the Ambassador program to engage and support downtown businesses Promote the Value of Buying Local Collect Information Necessary to Inform Business Expansion & Retention Efforts Enhance Dining & Entertainment Cluster Use a Business Expansion Approach to Recruiting New Business Encourage Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive Promotion of Downtown as a Destination Increase Amount & Circulation of Downtown Foot Traffic Build a Spirit of Collaboration among Downtown Business Owners Expand Art Offerings Vision: Downtown Lewisburg is the cultural and economic magnet for the region Historic Preservation and Design Increase Accessibility of & to Downtown Lewisburg Encourage Flow of Foot Traffic throughout Entire Downtown Area Reinforce Downtown's Brand through Enhanced Use of Green Space, Art and Beautification Build Greater Understanding Of Value of Historic Preservation Organization Strengthen & Expand the LDP's Role as Collaborator & Catalyst Make Sure LDP is Understood and Visible in the Community Streamline Committee Organization and Communication to Ensure Effective Committees

4 VALUES TACTICS & BENCHMARKS Lead Partners Timeframe 12 Use the ambassador program to engage and support downtown businesses. BENCHMARK: Decrease average number Retention of businesses that close annually 13 LEWISBURG DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN Economic Development Values ; Tactics Action 49: Education and communication through at least 3 ambassador visits each year with downtown retail businesses regarding LDP initiatives Action 50: Implement downtown employee PR program that provides training about the LDP and downtown attractions Action 51: Hold one event annually that engages all downtown businesses Action 52: Train ambassadors in business retention practices Promote the value of buying local. BENCHMARK 1: Locate at 2 businesses that sell locally produced goods downtown. BENCHMARK 2: Measure results of sales promotion Action 53 : Research national buy local programs and create fact sheet Action 54: Execute a PR campaign using traditional and social media Downtown employees 2015 Retention 2016 Retention Action 55: Identify ways to offer locally-produced goods for sale downtown Expansion 2020 Action 56: Develop a downtown sales promotion that promotes and rewards buying local Retention Collect information necessary to inform business expansion & retention efforts. BENCHMARK: Publish market analysis Business research; distribute to new & existing businesses; post on website; begin use of benchmarking tool (Action 61) Expansion 15 Action 57 : Conduct a professional level market analysis using local resources Action 58: Set benchmarks for diverse business mix based on analysis results, including expanded retail offerings positioned to satisfy customer base preferences and small business employers offering innovative products and services, and high-quality jobs on upper floors Action 59: Identify unmet retail market niches and create prospectus reports for each Action 60: Share demographic information with existing and potential businesses Action 61: Develop benchmarking tool to quantify downtown economic vibrancy Enhance downtown's dining and entertainment cluster. BENCHMARK: Add 2) new dining experiences as identified by market analysis to downtown offerrings by 2020 Action 62: Survey customers, restaurant owners & use on-line reviews to quantify existing dining experience BUEI, SBDC, County, KIZ July-14 Expansion 2015 Action 63: Offer guidance to restaurants on using social media sites, especially Yelp Action 64: Share findings with existing and potential restauranteurs Action 65: Develop a restaurant guide; companion web page and robust Yelp presence 16 Use a business expansion approach to business recruitment. BENCHMARK: Assist five existing businesses in expanding Business their existing business or starting a second Expansion Action 66: Develop collaborative relationship with Meridian Development Corp and Miller Wellness Ctr. Action 67: Share market analysis results and prospectus reports with prospective business network Action 68: Develop network of prospective business owners, including successful business owners looking to expand and Bucknell alums Retention Expansion 2016 Bus Forum 2016 Action 69: Locate an anchor to replace services lost by CVS when they relocate Action 70: Locate an anchor in the 100 or 200 block Expansion Encourage Entrepreneurship. BENCHMARK: 1) Locate 5 businesses downtown by 2020 that fill gaps identified in market analysis action 59; 2)Conduct customer intercept surveys downtown to gauge success of improving business mix Business Expansion County, SBDC, Incubator, Chambers, SEDA-COG, Major employers Action 71: Foster an investor network looking to create innovation & vibrancy in downtown Action 72: Use results of market analysis to determine entrepreneurial opportunity Action 73: Develop strategy for recruiting/creating entrepreneurs & instilling an entrepreneureal mindset Tasks and Objectives Continue Identifying Ways to Support Existing Businesses Retention

5 Lewisburg Downtown Partnership Strategic Action Plan PROMOTION Values 44-7: Action Items VALUES TACTICS and BENCHMARKS Lead Partners Timeframe 4 Drive Promotion of Downtown as a Destination. Benchmark: 1) Develop customer intercept survey to measure results 2) Track and increase media impressions Action 14: Hire part-time PR staff person to focus on website, e-newsletters and social media Finance Action 15: Increase methods of directing market to tourists at events, lodging and dining SRV Tourism Bureau Action 16: Update Marketing Plan and Branding Strategy using results of market analysis Action 17: Keep up with leading edge technology, including mobil optimized promotion opporptunities Increase Amount and Circulation of Downtown Foot Traffic. Benchmark: Increase overall pedestrian counts by 5% annually and equalize counts throughout entire downtown within a 20% variation by 2020 Action 18 : Execute a summer event with Arts focus that builds summer traffic Action 19: Create a program that encourages downtown businesses to get to know and recommend other downtown businesses Action (ED 70): Locate an anchor in the 100 or 200 block Action 20: Identify and Implement effective cross-promotion project Build a spirit of collaboration among business owners. Benchmark: Increase attendance at meetings from 7 to at least 15, on average, by 2020 Action 21: Utilize ambassadors to spread information in person Action 22: Develop a brand statement that helps downtown business owners understand the Lewisburg brand and how they can participate in enhancing it Action 23 : Change focus of meetings from reporting to engaging and inspiring Action 24: Use one meeting annually to evaluate downtown's Miracle Momentum Action 25: Develop town-wide loyalty promotion for downtown employers Action 26: Recognize a downtown business owner or employee in the monthly e-newsletter who demonstrated the "We are all in this together" mindset Expand Arts offerings in downtown. Benchmark: 1) Track and increase number of arts events and arts media impressions monthly; 2) Track and increase attendance at downtown art events Action 27: View all downtown events as anoccasion for engaging Campus Theatre, Weis Center & Samek Action 28: Use Arts Collaborative to surface existing arts events and use them to promote downtown Action 29: Set aside one business forum meeting annually to invite BU and community arts organizations to share calendars and brainstorm Action 30: Develop Downtown Arts brochure with companion web page Action 31: Assess current level of arts activity ONGOING TASKS AND OBJECTIVES Publish calendar and business directory annually Regularly update and maintain website, Facebook and Twitter Continue collaboration with Lewisburg Arts Council Send monthly, promotional e-newsletter Annually execute Miracle on Market Street, Ice Festival, Welcome to the Neighborhood, and ongoing retail promotions Allocate $12,000 promotion line item Carry Lewisburg brand consistently throughout all marketing and promotional materials Expansion & Retention 2015 Campus Theatre, Weis Ctr, 2015 Downtown Art Gallery 2017 Expansion 2020 Retention 2017 Retention Retention / Intern Samek; Campus Theatre; Weis Center; Arts Council Samek; Campus Theatre; Weis Center; Arts Council Samek; Campus Theatre; Weis Center; Arts Council 2017 Mar-14

6 Lewisburg Downtown Partnership Strategic Action Plan HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND DESIGN Values 8-11;Tactics VALUES TACTICS and BENCHMARKS Lead Partners Timeframe Increase accessibility of and to downtown Lewisburg. Benchmark: Set goals for the LDP as a catalyst 8 for these actions and benchmark through the relationship policy Action 32: Offer LDP as a willing partner and advocate developing a comprehensive signage and Union County EBT, Kelly Township, Bucknell, PennDOT Dec-14 way-finding plan from Route 15 to Downtown Lewisburg Planning Action 33: Assist with the implementation of the Route 15 Corridor Plan as it relates to wayfinding and access to downtown (pedestrian, bicycle, motor vehicle) Union County Planning County Planning Dept, Boro PC, Boro Traffic Committee, BVRec 9 Action 34: Identify and pull together stakeholders to bring a long-term, comprehensive parking management plan to the Borough that balances the needs of businesses, employees, shoppers, visitors, and residents Action 35: Assist with the extension of the BV Rail-Trai to Downtown Lewisburg Action 36: Assist with the implementation of the Bull Run Greenway to link the BV Rail-Trail, St. Mary's Park, Downtown, and Bucknell Encourage flow of foot traffic throughout the entire downtown area. Benchmark: 1) Use relationship policy to set goals and track progress in actions where the LDP is not the lead organization; 2) Increasing traffic counts in the 100 & 200 blocks by 50% by 2020 Action 37: Assist with securing funding to implement of the Arts Bridge Project linking Bucknell, downtown and the Susquehanna River at Soldier's Park Action 38: Advocate for the development of the Bull Run Greenway to link the BV Rail-Trail, St. Mary's Park, Downtown, and Bucknell Action 39: Advocate for the creation of a walking loop between Hufnagle Park and Soldier's Memorial Park, using public art and/or signage to encourage circulation Action 40: Identify and execute way to use wayfinding signage and/or targeted promotion to circulate traffic between downtown, Street of Shops and Wolfe Field Action 41 : Participate in the community design process to envision Solidier's Park as a riverfront park Borough Borough, County Planning Dept, Boro Traffic Committee, Boro PC, LDP Dec-15 BVRec County, Borough Dec-15 BV Rec BVRec, County, Borough, LNC TBD Samek Gallery Weis Center, BVRec, Arts Council, Susq Greenway, SRV Visitors Bureau BV Rec County, Borough, LNC Borough & LNC Traffic Committee; Borough; BV Rec; LNC; Community Park Street of Shops, Packwood House Museum, Borough; BV Rec; Susquehanna Greenway Partnership; Action 42: Support efforts to bring small, community programs to Soldier's Park LNC CommUnity Zone; BU Service Learning Community Garden Reinforce Downtown's brand through enhanced use of green space, public art and beautification. 10 Benchmark: Create 2) new or expanded spaces Action 43: Assist with the extension and promotion of the Poetry Path Stadler Center; LNC 2017 Action 44: Assist with the creation of a public arts plan and walking route - using existing art and planning for new installations Lewisburg Arts Council; LNC 2018 Action 45: Create inspired spaces 2018 Promote the value of historic preservation. Benchmark: Develop one Preservation Week event by 2016; Generate at least one press release and monthly Facebook posts/tweets annually beginning in Action 46: Celebrate Preservation Week LNC; HARB 2015 Action 47: Include value as part of the LDP PR Plan Action 48: Recruit HARB member to LDP Board LNC; Exec ONGOING TASKS AND OBJECTIVES Administer the Lewisburg Loans Program Partner with HARB 16-Dec

7 Lewisburg Downtown Partnership Strategic Action Plan ORGANIZATION Values 1-3; Action Items 1-13 VALUES TACTICS and BENCHMARKS Lead Partners Timeframe Strengthen and Expand the Partnership's Role as a Collaborator & Catalyst. Benchmark: Achieve 100% of relationship 1 policy goals annually Action 1: Partner with Visitors Bureau and others to hold 2 Newcomer Meetings annually Action 2: Create new or stronger partnerships while working on collaborative projects in other Pillars. SRV Tourism Bur Fall start Annual workplan Action 3: Reassess applying for Main Street Designation and add maintaining relationships with the State and PDC to the Relationship policy. Action 4: Share strategic plan with partners and request their input into key initiatives for next 18 months January-14 Jan-March 2 Make Sure LDP is Known and Understood in the Community. Benchmark: 10% annual increase of attendance to annual meeting Action 5: Institute an Annual Community Meeting of partners, supporters and newcomers, including a Charlie Pollock Volunteer of the Year Award Action 6: At Newcomers Meetings, distribute a takeaway that promotes the website and encourage new residents to sign up for the promotional newsletters Action 7: Hire part-time PR person to keep in touch with partners, supporters and newcomers Finance November-15 Fall March-14 Action 8: Create PR plan and review annually January-14 3 Streamline Organization and Communication to Ensure Effective Committees. Benchmark: 20% Improvement in evaluation scores annually maintaining a 65% or greater score Action 9: Develop simple evaluation tool to measure effective Board and committee communication and function and administer annually Action 10: Establish a regular pattern for updating planning documents and incorporating new initiatives Action 11: Develop orientation and reorientation process for board and committee members Action 12: Create page for each committee with minutes and supporting documents on the board portal Action 13: Create checklist to ensure annual review of policies, procedures and benchmarks Membership September-14 September-14 Membership September-14 January-14 September-14 ONGOING TASKS AND OBJECTIVES Ensure an effective system of Program, and Operations Evaluation Ensure effective management of Board Finances and Funding Plans Ensure that all Board Policies are current, relevant, and fulfilling necessary legal requirements for the Organization Ensure that LDP Board and Committees are populated with engaged, informed volunteers and Board and Committees have appropriate mix of skills Finance Membership