Type: Award

Despite inhabiting one of the oldest cities in America, Mobilians had been all too quick to abandon the architectural treasures that once lined the city’s charming urban grid. Instead of maintaining vacant buildings, many property owners chose to demolish them. The Downtown Mobile Alliance discovered that many surrounding states were offering tax credits, putting Alabama at a competitive disadvantage. It was clear they needed to convince the state legislature to approve the incentives if the historic treasures of the state were to be saved from the wrecking ball, much less adapted for 21st century uses. Since its inception, the Alabama Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program has resulted in 52 redevelopment projects across the state, stimulating nearly $400 million in direct investment. In 2013 and 2014, GulfQuest, the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, used state New Markets tax credits to finance millions of dollars of interactive exhibits. The Downtown Mobile Alliance made the passage of this legislation a priority and dedicated a great many resources, both human and financial, to the effort. The urban core is stronger, architectural gems are preserved, and the public perception of a city on the rise is manifest.

In 1998, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority (DDA) partnered with the area’s transportation authority (TheRide) and the local transit agency to create a commuter shuttle as a temporary solution for disruptions caused by construction. When construction ended, employees wanted to keep using the shuttle, as it was a friendly and efficient way to commute downtown. The DDA partnered with TheRide to implement the go!pass, a program that provides free shuttle service to downtown employees. The go!pass has been widely successful; 4,000 employees use the pass and over 500 businesses participate in the program. This successful partnership has proven to be environmentally sustainable by reducing the number of cars downtown while also allowing the DDA to avoid further parking structure construction.

Yaletown has a rich architectural history, unique for its old warehouses that date back to the district’s time as a national railway terminal. These structures have since lost their aesthetic appeal as bricks were replaced by concrete and asphalt and the remarkable heritage beams were removed. Hoping to highlight Yaletown’s past, the Yaletown BIA implemented “Bring Back the Bricks” as an effort to recognize the district’s unique culture and history, and create a stronger sense of place. “Bring Back the Bricks” is a collaborative project between Yaletown BIA, the City of Vancouver, the Canadian Pacific Railway, community members, and local artists. The project has used innovative ways to use brick in a practical and long-lasting manner, enhancing sidewalks, providing wayfinding, and bringing back Yaletown’s old aesthetic. The combination of brick and historical signage brings a new sense of place to Yaletown. The strong partnerships created by the BIA have allowed for a completely revamped streetscape filled with history, helped the community rediscover its heritage and developed a stronger identity.

Traffic, congestion, access, and parking are significant concerns in Westwood Village, a heavily used and densely populated 25-square block commercial district located on the bustling Westside of Los Angeles. The WVIA resolved to create more parking availability using existing district spaces and to create a comprehensive wayfinding system to direct vehicles and pedestrians to parking and places of interest in the district. WVIA increased on-street parking by creating 40 more metered spaces, challenging disabled placard parking laws, and eliminating repeat meter feeding. Phase two involved increasing off street parking through the transfer of monthly city parking to private lots and making 1,100 workday parking spaces accessible during off-peak hours to district users. Parking conditions in the district have greatly improved because of new spaces added to the on-street and off-street inventory. Easy-to-find parking reduces the number of vehicles circling the district, which reduces traffic, congestion, and pollution. Wayfinding directs users to parking and places of interest. The WVIA solutions in Westwood Village now serve as a model for the City of Los Angeles.

As Seattle’s population increases and its urban core becomes increasingly dense, so does the need for vibrant and inviting public spaces. Downtown-area parks have unique challenges and opportunities that occur as a result of being situated in fast-growing urban settings with rising employment and residential populations. In order to meet that growing need, in June 2015 the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA), Alliance for Pioneer Square, Friends of Waterfront Seattle, the Seattle Parks Foundation, and the City of Seattle began an innovative partnership by signing a one-year pilot contract to manage and program two of Downtown Seattle’s most visible, and underutilized, public spaces: Westlake and Occidental Parks. The DSA and its partners have helped redefine these public spaces into community destinations for all to enjoy, which offers an important preview for how to make future Downtown parks into vibrant destinations. After a successful one-year pilot contract with the City of Seattle, the DSA was selected to continue activation efforts and is currently in contract negotiations to make this a reality. This further demonstrates how strong public-nonprofit partnerships can generate change and have a great impact on our cities.

The Creativity Everywhere project started in 2013 in downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, to improve the district through art after several meetings with the arts community. We said, “Where’s the art?” They said, “Where’s the money?” So we got creative. We started small in 2013 with the mantra of “paint it or plant it” when we sought to improve our district through art and small-scale improvements. We even adopted an informal motto that we were “fixing the ugly” in the Downtown. We audited our public spaces first, including parks, streets and other gathering spaces. We took notice of where we needed to improve and took a more creative and fun approach whenever we could. In one park, the lawn was poorly lit, so we installed festoon lighting for safety and charm. By using our existing budget to invest in the downtown district, we have been able to support the arts community while creating lasting art contributions and improving our image. When we needed to replace our street banners, we used existing budget to contract a local artist to make one-of-a-kind metal sculptures of our logo for the same amount. When you’re having this much fun and doing so much cool stuff, people want to take part. With our initial investment from our existing budget, we have also received grants, sponsorships, in-kind partnerships and even crowd-funding that have made the Creativity Everywhere project a community-wide effort. Through Creativity Everywhere, we have invested $48,000 since 2013 from our marketing and advertising budget and have seen over $200,000 of earned media in the form of positive media coverage for the district through the project, quadrupling our investment and buying us something that’s actually impossible to buy.

Impact Downtown Albany is the strategic plan and proven solution inspiring reinvestment and catalyzing unprecedented economic growth in Albany, New York, the capital of New York. Vacant storefronts and prominent buildings disproportionately tarnished perception of downtown Albany as a place of value. Parking costs, combined with high taxes, put downtown at a disadvantage against alternative locations. Working to address these challenges, Impact Downtown Albany is a game-changing strategic plan advancing the city’s untapped power to drive community and economic growth in Albany and the capital region. This market-driven, action-oriented strategic plan recognizes and positions downtown Albany, its adjacent warehouse district and riverfront as the ideal 21st-century walkable urban center – a strong economic hub, a vibrant neighborhood and a modern, dynamic destination. The plan embraces public and private collaboration as a proven model for unlocking the potential of great places. Implementation of the strategy began in 2014. Guided by the strategic plan’s developed vision and supporting research, more than $130 million worth of new investment has currently taken shape in downtown and its adjacent warehouse district. More than $180 million worth of additional investment is either under construction or in the early stages of the development process.

DUMBO Improvement District is a small neighborhood on the Brooklyn waterfront that has seen rapid redevelopment over the last twenty years, largely through adaptive reuse of existing industrial buildings which transformed into small independent retailers. As the neighborhood grew, prices grew, and retailers struggled to connect with new community members. In summer 2015, DUMBO commissioned a retail market study that showed significant leakage, despite the availability of certain goods and services. The study also highlighted gaps in community expectations with the retailers. To address these issues, and to celebrate all who live and work in DUMBO, the district created the #DUMBOVIP card. More than 60 businesses joined this #ShopSmall campaign, offering discounts and deals. To kick off the program, a mascot was introduced (dressed in a tux and elephant mask) to present neighborhood VIPs with their card and to tout the perks. To date, 6,500+ DUMBOnians have received their “black card” resulting in more than $6,000 infused into the local economy.

In 2003, bars were so scarce in Downtown Jacksonville that marketing a “live/work/play” environment conspicuously lacked a nightlife component. Downtown Vision, Inc. (DVI), along with the City of Jacksonville and other stakeholders, fostered the growth of locally owned restaurants, bars and nightclubs in downtown. DVI convened bar and restaurant owners as a steering committee to formulate marketing plans. Adopting and promoting the authentic grassroots “Elbow” brand, already adopted by the venues themselves, ensured a true sense of ownership by the community. The Elbow Marketing Co-operative held its first “bar meeting” in April 2015. In July, the group held a giant block party in the streets, branded as The Elbow Bender. This event reinforced the name brand and also generated crucial economic development allowing for more marketing efforts. By the end of three months, the co-operative had a combined social media reach of 2.5 million and more than two-dozen earned stories in TV, print and online. Most importantly, from city leadership to the public, “The Elbow” name has gone from a local nickname to widely known vernacular.

Seattle is already notorious for bad traffic, which would only become worse when, in April 2016, the Washington State DOT announced a two-week closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, an elevated section of State Route 99 in Seattle that runs right through downtown Seattle, carrying more than 100,000 commuters into and out of the city daily. The closure was part of an ongoing construction project to replace the Viaduct with an underground tunnel. A previous earthquake-related closure had been termed “Viadoom,” so this significant commuting change was a big deal. When the April closure was announced, the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) flew into action, strategizing and executing an awareness ad campaign designed to take advantage of the impending closure and put a positive spin on a potentially negative traffic experience, while building awareness for DSA, its members and a revitalized downtown Seattle. The campaign urged commuters to wait out the rush hour and enjoy everything downtown has to offer. With in-kind creative and production support from DSA member The Garrigan Lyman Group (GLG), the campaign “Why Rush Hour?” went from idea to execution in less than three weeks. The campaign included 7 short (20-second) videos pushed out in both organic and paid social media (Facebook, Twitter) and radio commercials (both 30-second spots and traffic sponsorships) on two local news and talk radio stations (KOMO-FM and KIRO-FM). The campaign even had to tweak its messaging half-way through when the Viaduct was able to reopen a week early! In just two weeks, 12,000 people visited WhyRushHour.com and the videos had more than 2,400 YouTube views. In all, the campaign delivered almost 2 million impressions on social media and significant earned media in top publications and outlets.

At the start of 2015, Downtown London, Ontario, made a strategic decision to move away from traditional billboards or print ads to target earned media opportunities. The organization recognized social media as an important tool to tap into the new demographic living and working in the downtown. Since the new millennium, London’s downtown has become increasingly younger, richer, denser, and busier. Downtown London encouraged Londoners and visitors to Get Down. The foundation of the campaign was a highly visual photo-based social sharing contest that amplified the sights and sounds of London’s funky, fresh and unique core destinations. Participants were to snap a photo downtown, tag it with #GetDTL, and post it to social media. Each week, Downtown London would harvest the hashtags, share the photos online in a digital album, and award one random photo a Downtown Dollar prize. The campaign proved to be highly visible, adaptive, cost-­effective, and easy to manage. Furthermore, it gave the local businesses valuable earned media. The campaign would not have been a success without community engagement and partnerships with organizations like Tourism London. The two organizations were able to split a budget of $25,000 (CDN) together, and tap into a number of Tourism London’s marketing resources, including advertising on the London Free Press’ website and Budweiser Gardens’ e-blast (160,000 subscribers). “Get Down” took off as hundreds of photo entries were submitted on the first day, and the campaign was so popular it was extended a month. The campaign resulted in 2,053 photo entries, more than double the goal of 850, and dozens of other benefits and positive stories.

In summer of 2015, Downtown Fredericton Inc. (DFI) launched their #LoveYourDowntown campaign. This was a week-long campaign leading up to the Canada Day Celebrations in Downtown Fredericton, in which thousands flock to the local square for a day of live music, family activities and great food. The campaign consisted of multiple coordinated components, including a video commercial, a splash page for entering a contest to win $1,000, the #loveyourdowntown hashtag, digital ads, downtown signage, and more. The campaign was a resounding success. The video received over 23,000 views during the campaign, and the digital ads served 1.1 million impressions. More than 900 people entered the contest, and the hashtag continues to be used regularly by downtown fans.

In August 2015, the Downtown Berkeley Association convened leading downtown arts partners to develop a “Meet Me Downtown” (MMDT) marketing campaign, to coincide with opening of the new BAMPFA, UC Theatre, and Berkeley Rep Peet’s Theatre, all in early 2016. “Meet Me Downtown” is an action-oriented campaign that leverages the growing number of arts, cultural, food and entertainment venues in Downtown Berkeley. With the creative assistance of Berkeley-based RadiantBrands, the six partners co-funded a $60,000 marketing campaign including the following: 1) In November: a colorful MMDT brand concept, 2) In December: hanging of 86 double MMDT banners throughout the Downtown promoting theatre, music, concerts, work & play, and food & drink, 3) In January: online ads in Berkeleyside, East Bay Express, and other sites, 4) In February: BART station and bus ads, 54) Culminating on MMDT Day. On March 20, nearly 1,000 Berkeley and Bay Area residents braved the rain to celebrate Meet Me Downtown Day, with free events at six cultural venues, and specials at over 20 restaurants. Attendees collected differently colored MMDT stickers at the various venues to enter a contest for generous Weekend Extravaganza-sponsored items. DBA will continue the MMDT campaign with all of its marketing programs, including 2015 Annual Report, new mobile-friendly website, business cards, posters, PowerPoint templates, as well as other events and programs. The DBA has also provided an online toolkit for downtown partners that want to integrate MMDT into their own marketing program. There are more and more reasons to say “Meet Me Downtown!”

Like most thriving major cities, Portland struggles with panhandling, vagrancy, loitering, and substance abuse. As part of providing supplemental services for public safety in the district, Portland Downtown manages the Downtown Cadet Program, which provides additional security in public areas that see an influx of traffic in the summer months due to an increase in tourism and transient populations. Portland Downtown’s collaboration with the Police Department and regular communication with area homeless service providers serves to assure downtown businesses, employees, residents and visitors that the BID is providing for downtown safety and perceptions of safety. The Police Department collects and tracks daily stats from each cadet team, so they may interpret the data for hotspots and apply its community policing and outreach efforts strategically. In 2015, the cadets made nearly 4,000 safety checks; gave over 1,000 warnings pertaining to violations of local municipal ordinances; and made contact with over 1,000 local businesses. In addition to patrolling the downtown area, cadets’ duties include talking to business owners and connecting with local homeless outreach teams to resolve issues of loitering and panhandling. The Downtown Cadet Program is an innovative solution to community outreach with an eye to law enforcement and exemplifies a collaborative approach to downtown leadership and management that bridges the gap between enforcing ordinances and providing public relations for both business owners and tourists.

Like most thriving major cities, Portland struggles with panhandling, vagrancy, loitering, and substance abuse. As part of providing supplemental services for public safety in the district, Portland Downtown manages the Downtown Cadet Program, which provides additional security in public areas that see an influx of traffic in the summer months due to an increase in tourism and transient populations. Portland Downtown’s collaboration with the Police Department and regular communication with area homeless service providers serve to assure downtown businesses, employees, residents and visitors that the BID is providing for downtown safety and perceptions of safety. The Police Department collects and tracks daily stats from each cadet team, so they may interpret the data for hotspots and apply its community policing and outreach efforts strategically. In 2015, the cadets made nearly 4,000 safety checks; gave over 1,000 warnings pertaining to violations of local municipal ordinances; and made contact with over 1,000 local businesses. In addition to patrolling the downtown area, cadets’ duties include talking to business owners and connecting with local homeless outreach teams to resolve issues of loitering and panhandling. The Downtown Cadet Program is an innovative solution to community outreach with an eye to law enforcement and exemplifies a collaborative approach to downtown leadership and management that bridges the gap between enforcing ordinances and providing public relations for both business owners and tourists.

The Downtown Victoria Business Association (DVBA) launched Car Free YYJ to inspire locals to imagine the future of Victoria’s main street. The DVBA saw the opportunity to use Car Free YYJ as a means to drive foot traffic to Douglas Street for a one-day, pedestrian-focused, community celebration, to reintroducing downtown to local residents, and encouraging alternate means of transportation. On June 21, 2015, the DVBA closed six blocks of Douglas Street from 8am to 8pm. Douglas Street was transformed with three stages featuring live music, a 7,100 square foot grassy park, a farmers market, a craft beer garden, a half pipe, free guided tours of Downtown Victoria, and 237 vendors. Partnerships and innovation helped to stretch a budget that was limited for the size of the event. Car Free YYJ gave people a reason to come downtown, see something new and remember what they love about downtown Victoria. It also challenged people to think differently about how they commute and get around Victoria.

The Yaletown BIA (YBIA), a technology provider, and a member software company launched a “first of its kind in Canada” dining card program for the Yaletown neighbourhood, called “Lunch on Us.” This project was developed to generate new revenue for YBIA food establishments suffering from a sluggish economy while creating an impressive employee retention and recruitment tool for the software company. The software firm, also the card’s sponsor, pays 100% of the costs of the program, and supplies the annual funds for each of the dining cards. Each cardholder receives $2,000 per year for exclusive use with YBIA members. The restaurants welcome the software company’s employees and create special menus and promotions. The technology provider supplies specialized equipment to the restaurants, develops and hosts the administration, and designs a user-friendly web interface unique to each cardholder. The sponsor continues to maintain the program with minor involvement from the YBIA, thus creating a self-sustaining and self-funded program with shared benefits between the employer, the employees and the Yaletown BIA members. “Lunch on Us” contributes significant funds into the neighbourhood economy and builds customer loyalty.

For the past several years, the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore (DPOB) has been both observing and actively promoting the growth of Baltimore City’s technology sector. However, by 2013 DPOB had noticed that while the tech sector was expanding citywide, much of the growth was taking place in neighborhoods adjacent to, but not within, the core of the traditional downtown where DPOB manages the Downtown Management Authority (DMA), a 106-block business improvement district. DPOB staff spent several months learning about the needs of the City’s tech community and working to understand why companies were choosing to locate in adjacent neighborhoods. To combat negative misperceptions and encourage technology companies to give downtown a chance, DPOB launched the TechConnect attraction and retention incentive program in October 2014. At the heart of the program were grants of up to $10,000 offered to qualified companies that signed one-year or longer leases within the boundaries of the DMA. To make the funding attractive to new technology companies, DPOB allowed significant flexibility and let companies determine the best way to spend their grants — from rent expenses to subsidizing employee parking to staffing needs. The TechConnect program was a resounding success, introducing new technology companies to the area, reducing commercial vacancy, and helping to change the perceptions of the community towards downtown. In just 14 months, DPOB received 29 inquiries and awarded seven (7) TechConnect grants. TechConnect companies filled more than 15,000 square feet of formerly vacant office space. Nearly a year later, every operating grantee has chosen to remain downtown and has either recommitted to existing space or expanded their footprint within the DMA. Furthermore, TechConnect has garnered positive press and sentiment for technology downtown.

They exist in every city: those family-owned restaurants that serve great food, but lack a certain aesthetic appeal. Downtown Fresno Partnership staff were lunching at one such location and realized it wouldn’t take much to elevate the interior design to be on par with the food quality. Thus, the Restaurant Makeover was born, a competition among downtown Fresno restaurants where the grand prize winner earns cash and prizes to help remodel their downtown restaurant. The Partnership donated $2,500 cash to cover makeover materials and supplies. Upon learning of the competition, community partners donated over $20,000 worth of goods and services to the prize package. Five restaurants applied for the competition with Kikku Japanese Food selected as the eventual winner, with more than 50% of the 2,700 online votes for People’s Choice. Their vision for the remodel could be accomplished within budget, required no permits, and could be completed over the weekend by volunteers. The makeover included paint, new menu boards, new baseboards, furniture improvements, pendant lighting replacement, and decor throughout the space. One volunteer even created custom, hand-painted koi fish paintings for the walls. Post-makeover, Kikku continues to experience a 10% increase in sales — a game-changer for a small, family-owned business.Restaurant Makeover is an innovative way to encourage small business owners to make small, simple improvements to transform their space. The Partnership’s $2,500 investment leveraged 10 times its value in donated goods and services, generated community support and significant media coverage, and had a ripple effect on other businesses in the central business district.

In the summer of 2014, under the new direction of Kate Borders, the Downtown Tempe Community, Inc. (DTC) set out on a mission to tell a new story. There were many great assets within Downtown Tempe and many more in the works. The office market was thriving, ASU was expanding, the residential component was growing, and the restaurant profile was improving. The image and brand of Downtown Tempe had not been visited in over a decade. All of the marketing components of the organization needed to be redesigned. It was time to refresh, update, and create a plan for the future — it was time to turn everything upside down and begin to tell a new story! By creating a new name, logo, website design, marketing collateral, messaging, and imagery, the Downtown Tempe Authority raised public awareness and changed attitudes towards the downtown. The area is seeing a decrease in vacancies, and an increase in new unique businesses, entertainment options, employees, residents and event attendance.

In May 2016, seven new stations opened to complete the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Expo Line. For the first time in over 60 years, a train connected Downtown Los Angeles to Downtown Santa Monica and it only took 46 minutes. Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. and Downtown Center Business Improvement District partnered to put together a memorable campaign that would remind people what awaited them on the other side of a convenient 46-minute ride. The partners decided to kick off their promotion with a cheap, light, and funny man-on-the street video. The piece would feature residents of both areas sharing what they loved about DTLA and DTSM as well as their excitement for the train. The video was filmed in two days for under $5000. In three weeks, the video had been viewed over 11,000 times via Facebook and YouTube. It received 1,151 likes and 635 comments and shares. Word of the train spread far and wide – the trains were packed. The train has connected these BIDS physically and figuratively.

The Downtown Fresno Partnership in Fresno, California, always places their hefty State of Downtown report on their website; but no one ever peruses it. In 2015, they elected to take a different approach. They worked with local production company Meza Films to create a one-minute flyover video with 44 digital pins dropping onto downtown to identify 60 projects/businesses. They used the video as a vehicle to reinforce their top three data points throughout. The video, which cost $1,800 to produce, ends with the text: This Is Fresno. The video received more than 20,000 views and 500 likes. The media, the mayor and elected officials now use the Partnership’s top three data sound bites when talking about Fresno. The organization received 20 leads from new businesses and investors in the two months after the video aired, resulting in five new businesses and 40 new jobs downtown.

Downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has experienced substantial growth since the Downtown Development District’s (DDD) inception in 1987. Since that time, the leadership demonstrated by the DDD has influenced over $2.12 billion invested in the district by the public and private sector. This significant amount of development transpiring in the past six years revealed the need to create a comprehensive document that showcased Downtown Baton Rouge’s dynamic transformation and assisted in future economic development opportunities. The Development Toolkit is a document offering demographics, statistics, and other resources meant to meet the needs of the development and business community. Through engaging infographics and colorful images, the toolkit gives a current snapshot into the downtown economy as a whole, featuring real estate statistics, a demographic summary of downtown residents and workers, economic incentives, tourism/hospitality data, and information on obtaining planning commission approval and required City/Parish permits. Since its release in February of 2016, the Downtown Development Toolkit has been downloaded from the DDD website over 1,200 times and approximately 150 hard copies have been distributed. The document has seen its greatest success in the initiation of new development and growing investment interest in the newly defined DDD. A forgotten urban park in Downtown East started a redevelopment process that is intended to become a 24-acre Baton Rouge destination. In addition, 152 residential units are currently underway, an entire vacated block is being revitalized, and many businesses are relocating to the expanded DDD area.

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In the past few years, downtown Boca Raton, Florida, has emerged as a vibrant district with much to experience. The arrival of several new downtown residential buildings, the city’s first two hotels, increased modes of transportation and a plethora of restaurants, pubs, salons and shops has made downtown Boca a great place to come spend time and money. Supporting the downtown with a calculated marketing campaign at this time was critical. The “Come Early, Stay Late” campaign by the Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency targeted no less than 14 experiences in downtown Boca and incorporated a wide variety of mediums: revamped website, blogs, digital newsletters, outdoor street lamp banners, maps, print ads and downtown merchant outreach. Highly visible banners on a prominent federal highway will reach millions of consumers every year and highlight the arrival into downtown. The new Merchant Marketing Packet welcomes new businesses to the city and has greatly increased the number of organizations that attend marketing forums that are held three times each year. In addition, an unexpected impact was how the campaign created increased exposure for the CRA itself from city council members, managers and employees, reinforcing the organization’s value for the city. In early 2015, the CRA brought marketing in-house with a newly created marketing coordinator position, creating a three-person team that together executes all marketing programs for the CRA. This team developed the entire strategy, plan, and design for the “Come Early, Stay Late” campaign elements over the course of a few months.

In 2015, Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (CAP/ADID) created the Connect Downtown transportation demand management (TDM) program and marketing campaign. It highlighted the various Downtown alternative commute modes, with emphasis on those most accessible to Downtown: walking, biking, and various forms of transit, including the Atlanta Streetcar. The program focused on creating an innovative campaign brand, community-based social marketing materials, creative events and a strategy that would appeal to young, in-town commuters not typically targeted by other programming. CAP leveraged its neighborhood and transportation partnerships to create a number of exciting transportation-focused events and programs. The Connect Downtown program is quickly becoming one of CAP’s most innovative and pinpointed community outreach and commuter behavior programs. Connect Downtown utilized events, social media and advertisements to spread the campaign messaging, resulting in more than 800 social media engagements, 131,000 impressions and 4,800 clicks in paid advertisements. Staff members continue to engage the target population and create personalized commuter maps for pledged commuters—what we call our “white glove service.”

With Lower Manhattan rapidly changing in recent years, the Alliance for Downtown New York wanted to create a website that reflected the recent development. The One World Trade Center, 9/11 Museum, and two new transit centers,as well as a resurgence in business and infrastructure, all needed to be highlighted on the new site. The Alliance worked with I-SITE to create a new website that more accurately reflected the personality of the area. The new design features vibrant photography and seamless tools that allow users to see all that Downtown has to offer. Since launching the new site, the Alliance has been able to better feature its members and events and has seen an increase in online engagement.

The Toronto Financial District BIA (FDBIA) recently implemented technology to create a more efficient public realm management system. Despite being a prosperous area, the Financial District previously lacked an organized and cohesive system to track public maintenance, improvements, and law enforcement. GeoPal Solutions assisted in providing data and mapping, allowing the district to make more effective improvements and create detailed development plans. In applying this use of technology and data in their district, the FDBIA had several goals in mind. First, the district wanted a way to keep records of public realm changes and provide a tool for reporting maintenance issues in real time. To reduce congestion, the BIA wanted to advance parking enforcement and ensure direct communication with Toronto Police Services. And lastly, providing a means of information communication to assist Toronto’s Streets-to-Homes Outreach Team was also a priority to ensure that people in need received timely assistance. The programs developed provide a wealth of data that allow the Toronto Financial District to create solutions specific to their needs and accomplish their goals. Agencies responsible for various aspects of public realm management now get the accurate and precise information they need to implement improvements. This innovative technology has been highly successful, notably in improving the consistency of maintenance and enforcing parking laws.

As the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) looked to celebrate its 25th anniversary, the opportunity was taken to capitalize on DVBIA’s influence, leverage the city’s growing success, and create a legacy project that would set downtown up for continued prosperity over the next 25 years. This community engagement process, Re-Imagine Downtown Vancouver 2040, was an opportunity to engage with a wide spectrum of those who live, work, play, learn and do business in downtown. This narrative would highlight how downtown Vancouver could enhance its reputation as a destination of choice for businesses, investors, residents, and visitors alike. DVBIA partnered with Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Dialogue/Public Square to co-create and co-manage a multi-dimensional and innovative process. DVBIA employed both high-touch and high-tech tactics including: creating a website and social media, facilitating jams (quick brainstorming sessions), conducting surveys, and producing festivals. The results were more than 300 participants in the Jams, 3,750 attendees for in-person events, and 7,250 people engaged digitally.

In 2007, the Downtown Mobile Alliance was asked for help in funding a new master plan for downtown. Using its philanthropic sister (Main Street Mobile), donations were received from foundations, corporations, and individuals to provide 1/3 of the funding for the master plan. The effort became known as the “New Plan for Mobile.” The DMA’s staff and board members participated in the coordination and planning activities throughout the entire process. The selected firm, EDSA, developed a detailed and visionary plan for downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods. Numerous public meetings were held and strong support and enthusiasm was expressed from the community for the development initiatives detailed in the plan. The problem was that this plan was being finalized in late 2008-early 2009, just as the nation’s economy was crumbling. Suddenly, visionary plans seemed frivolous. The plan was barely finished when things began to unravel. Momentum had waned, but the DMA remained focused on downtown’s redevelopment, adopted plan or not. After all, thousands of citizens had given their input during dozens of meetings and that input was reflected in the plan. In 2011, the plan began making its way through the long adoption process. Finally, in January 2012, the City Council of Mobile adopted the “New Plan for Old Mobile.”

When the Capitol Hill Business Improvement District was founded in 2003, the BID’s board members saw an opportunity to not only make Capitol Hill clean and safe through their Clean Teams, but to be socially responsible in the process. At a time when many people were opposed to the idea of formerly homeless individuals working in their community, the Capitol Hill BID board believed in the positive change a program like this could create. The BID founded Ready, Willing and Working (RWW), a nonprofit organization that contracts with business improvement districts to provide jobs to men who are formerly incarcerated, homeless and/or battling addiction. RWW started humbly with a contract with the Capitol Hill BID and eight team members. Ready, Willing & Working successfully combined the need for jobs in the homeless and formerly incarcerated population with the availability of jobs within business improvement districts, and it didn’t take long for other BIDs to take note of the success of the program. The program currently provides $2 million in job opportunities and employs over 50 individuals, with 150 more on the wait list. RWW now holds contracts with the Capitol Hill BID, Barracks Row Main Street, Adams Morgan Partnership BID, Capitol Riverfront BID and Southwest BID — nearly half of the business improvement districts in Washington, DC. Ready, Willing & Working also provides full benefits and numerous supportive services to team members. These supportive services, including case management meetings, relapse prevention, Metro fare cards and other incentives, provide the tools necessary for the “men in blue” to gain the self-esteem and confidence they need to be successful. The Capitol Hill BID is so much more than simply a BID — it’s now the largest nonprofit provider of clean team services in DC, thanks to the success of the Ready, Willing & Working program.

In order to revitalize Blum Park and the surrounding community, the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) planned on purchasing two public housing buildings. However, due to a lack of funding, the project was put on hold. The CRA’s solution was to create a LOT 23 Artist in Residence program, an innovative housing and art initiative. Eight artists moved into the public housing buildings. The artists provide the community with free art classes and in return, the CRA subsidizes their housing. The program has been successful in bringing art to low-income youth while activating and revitalizing public spaces in the community.

Pedestrian Night on Orchard Road was an initiative by the Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA) as part of the place management efforts to invigorate Orchard Road. The pilot initiative, supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), took place the first Saturday of the month and aimed to inject street vibrancy into the precinct by creating a community space with accessible lifestyle experiences for all to enjoy at the heart of Singapore’s most iconic shopping belt. ORBA rallied the stakeholders to contribute financially to the organization of the event, and encouraged them to participate in the initiative by offering performances, attractive discounts and unique experiences to increase buzz and vibrancy as well as inspire the conversion of traffic footfall to sales. More than 60 merchants participated in the in-mall promotion campaigns and more than 100 activities were staged for public enjoyment. Pedestrian Night on Orchard Road successfully garnered the attention of both locals and tourists with an average event footfall of 50,000.

Through the establishment of pop-up events and businesses, the NoMa BID has infused NoMa with an increasing level of activity and an array of amenities for residents, workers and visitors. To date, the NoMa BID has created six pop-ups which have resulted in significant coverage in the local media and attracted close to 60,000 attendees. Opportunities to establish pop-ups are difficult to find and expensive to execute, but with an opportunistic approach, and an emphasis on partnerships, the benefits in NoMa have outweighed the costs. The impact of the overall pop-up program has been exponential. The NoMa BID has been able to create a lively ambiance, generate buzz and get thousands of people to NoMa. The NoMa BID has relied upon its relationship of member property owners to establish these pop-ups.

In recognition of increased community involvement in Flatiron, the Flatiron Partnership developed programming to capture the spirit of the winter holiday season and promote the activities through creative, strategic communications. The challenge was to attract audiences amid colder weather to the district’s public spaces, to engage and promote partners supportive of the programming, and to fashion innovative ways to enhance the neighborhood’s appeal as a vibrant, mixed-use community throughout the holidays. The 2015 “23 Days of Flatiron Cheer” featured a neighborhood-wide scavenger hunt, contests, performances, hot beverage giveaways, and “Holiday Happys” happy hours. The centerpiece of the festivities was a dynamic, interactive installation called Nova, designed by Flatiron-based SOFTlab. The campaign increased engagement on social media platforms and garnered wide attention with media.

In 2015, the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership significantly expanded activities for the Flatiron Summer Series, identifying innovative ways to capture various audiences while also engaging businesses anchored in the neighborhood. The BID designed programming, contacted neighborhood establishments, secured partnerships, developed marketing material and communications campaigns, and provided all technical and support staff. The summer activities, “Tech Tuesdays,” “Wellness Wednesdays,” and “Throwback Thursdays,” represented an inclusive way to engage the various audiences emblematic of Flatiron’s dynamic, 24/7, mixed-use community. They also introduced a solar-powered charging station in the plaza and completed the expansion of a free public WiFi network. The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership estimated that nearly 1,000 people participated in these activities which served the dual purpose of activating public space, and marketing and promoting the diverse business options in the surrounding community.

On December 4, 2015, Downtown Eau Claire, Inc. hosted Let it Glow!, a new event that has put quite a bit of sparkle into downtown. Roughly 3,000 people gathered in Phoenix Park in downtown Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to enjoy a crisp winter evening and the twinkling lights. The Eau Claire community, with its population of nearly 70,000, didn’t have a light display during Christmas. Downtown Eau Claire wanted to create a magical area for people to gather and enjoy lights during the holidays and beyond. Starting with just 28,000 white lights on 18 trees in 2014, the event has grown to attract thousands. Last year, the organization was planning to raise $300,000 to take it up a notch and install decorative colored lighting on the 526-foot railroad bridge that sits in the middle of the 19 lighted trees in Phoenix Park.