At the very beginning of the pandemic, we saw a significant need in our downtown community for reliable, timely, easily accessible information and resources related to the pandemic. Though we are a member-based organization, we decided that for the good of our broader community, we would offer anyone a daily email that distilled information, data/statistics, resources, and more. This email has been going out to more than 12,000 individuals every single business day for an entire year.
Best Practice
Type: Best Practice
The Care Campaign
The Care Campaign is a collection of 14 murals that popped up in our Downtown Dartmouth business district in fall 2020. We worked with a member business to create a placemaking project that would encourage people to feel embraced and connected, at least in mind and spirit, while circumstances beyond anyone’s control make that physically impossible. We received feedback from people of all walks of life that the Care Campaign murals have brought them feelings of happiness and inspiration.
Downtown Dallas COVID-19 Recovery Plan
Supporting business continuity, building an inclusive city and positioning Downtown Dallas to be an international model for economic recovery and social equity is top of mind for Downtown Dallas, Inc. We work every day to protect the last 25 years of investment in the heart of our city and the diversity of our community, while advancing continued growth. Downtown Dallas, Inc., in close collaboration with its members, established a comprehensive path forward.
Planning for a New Downtown Management Organization
In the late 2000s, the City of Tulsa, being dissatisfied with the management of the downtown improvement district, disbanded the private downtown management organization in place by terminating the long-time improvement district. In 2018, a new mayoral administration evaluated the existing downtown management structure and determined that a public-private partnership model should be explored. DCC staff developed a planning scope and timeline to convene stakeholders and partners for the process.
Great DSM Hot Air Balloon Hunt
Greater Des Moines (DSM) residents were encouraged to search for fun surprises in the Downtown DSM throughout two winter weekend evenings on Friday, Jan. 22 and Friday, March 5. Glowing hot air balloons were being stationed in different locations throughout Downtown for an hour-and-a-half each night. Residents were invited to follow The Partnership’s social media channels so that they were first to know about the balloon locations.
Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) Recovery Compass
The DTLA Recovery Compass was a multi-wave tracking study, surveying downtown stakeholders on a range of issues, trends, and sentiments about the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on Downtown Los Angeles. A total of eight survey waves, each with 200-300 responses, were collected throughout 2020. The survey was promoted via the DCBID email distribution list and paid, targeted advertising on Facebook and Instagram.
Shattuck East Renaming Project – Kala Bagai Way
The intent of the engagement process was to create a dynamic, transparent, unique, accessible and low-cost process to receive submissions from the community. Renaming a street is no small feat, especially in a City with a politically active population and a City that has a world renowned University with stellar faculty, graduates and staff.
Double Helping Hands
The Double Helping Hands program was implemented in seven days during the COVID crisis, “Helping Our Local Restaurants AND the Homeless Community”. The program managed by the Downtown Berkeley Association, procures to-go lunches from Downtown Berkeley restaurants to feed the homeless. Approximately 100-150 lunches are ordered per day on a rotating basis from fifteen different Downtown restaurants. Downtown Ambassadors deliver the boxed to-go lunches to local homeless shelter.
Delightful Doorways Mural Program
The Delightful Doorways Mural Project (DDMP) is a public art placemaking program in Downtown Berkeley whose mission is to transform dark and unsafe street level fire exits and industrial doorways located throughout the district into unique colorful works of art by local artists.
Leading Through Uncertainty: The First 100 Days
During the first 100 days of the pandemic, uncertainty and fear loomed large. Our community invested decades of hard work and millions of dollars to revitalize our area. That generated momentum became a palpable force of its own, but the pandemic threatened to bring it to a halt. Leading through Uncertainty: The First 100 Days was Downtown Arlington’s immediate, four-pronged response to the new needs of our district.
South End Small Business Saturdays
South End Small Business Saturdays is an annual program focused on supporting local retail and the holiday season. In 2020, we pivoted from an extensive one-day program aligned with the national Small Business Saturday, to a five-week program focused on supporting local retail, from Thanksgiving to Dec 31. We held 4 Saturday pop-up markets and ran a 5-week promotional program called Shop Small Heroes to encourage and reward shoppers for spending local.
Centro San Antonio Snow Flurries
Following months of uncertainty, lockdowns, restrictions, cancellations, and closures. Painful reminders of the pandemic cycles and community pain were reinforced by the barrage of boarded up businesses, graffiti, vacated street level retail, and a complete and utter absence of users. Through the tactical deployment of an unexpected snow machine, we were able to address the community and stakeholders needs while inspiring a broader agenda for change in emotional perception of Downtown.
Agility in the Face of Uncertainty
When the SA Government implemented one of the harshest lockdown responses to Covid-19 in the world, fear and confusion prevailed. The CCID, which operates in downtown Cape Town, sprang into action, agilely changing the operational strategy of 3 departments to meet the needs of a deserted downtown
Small Business Disaster Relief Forgivable Loan Program
Recognizing the significant economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our local businesses, the BBCRA Board approved the creation of the Small Business Disaster Relief Forgivable Loan Program (SBDRLP) and the allocation of $1 million in program funding. Using these funds, the BBCRA provided eligible businesses a forgivable loan of up to $10,000 to offset costs associated with utility, payroll or inventory expenses.
Downtown Boca COVID-19 Marketing Initiatives
The CRA quickly realized COVID-19 would greatly impact the community. Its mission and activities needed to pivot immediately. The CRA’s new objective was two-fold. First and foremost was keeping the community informed on ever-changing safety protocols, and City of Boca Raton (City) emergency notices. Second, the CRA needed to support the downtown business community, which was facing a catastrophic situation.
BIG BIRTHDAY BASH
No parent wants to tell their child “no” to a birthday party, but in Memphis, a city where nearly a quarter of families live below the poverty line, parents may not have the resources to throw that dream birthday party. Watching families host small parties in our parks, we saw an opportunity to condense resources and throw the BIG BIRTHDAY BASH! Set on Mud Island River Park the event featured bounce houses, water slides, games, cake and more all for free and close to 2,000 people attended.
Ballard Alliance Clean Streets Program
The Ballard Alliance partnered with Millionair Club Charity (MCC) to provide twice weekly cleaning services and the annual fall leaf cleaning. The MCC is a nonprofit that employs homeless individuals and provides them with work, job training, and wrap-around services that help remove barriers so they can support themselves. The Alliance selected the MCC as its partner because they are qualified to do the work and because it has a direct positive impact on the homelessness crisis in Seattle.
San Antonio Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead Celebrations
Historically San Antonio has been home to numerous Día de los Muertos celebrations that would be hosted in parallel. Seeing an opportunity for collaboration, community leaders gathered the independent hosts to put together a united Día de los Muertos event that would make San Antonio a top destination for a Día de los Muertos experience. Partnerships with Visit San Antonio as well as community corporate sponsorships support allowed for a heavy marketing strategy to areas outside of San Antonio.
Bloor Annex Parkettes
This project was initiated to improve the pedestrian experience along the popular Bloor Street and create new beautiful and environmentally conscious public places to sit, rest, and enjoy the outdoors. It involved the transformation of four underused paved right-of-ways into a series of new dynamic green spaces. These parkettes feature trees, pollinator-friendly gardens, wood decking, bike parking, and custom site furnishings.
Roots of Rubber
Brought to life through a partnership between Akron Public Schools National Inventors Hall of Fame School (NIHF) for STEM Learning, Downtown Akron Partnership (DAP), local government, and the Knight Foundation, the project highlighted the importance of activating public space in our community. Roots of Rubber features the creative excellence of Spanish arts collective Boa Mistura, the inspirational words of Akron native Laureate Rita Dove, and the imaginative hands of our city’s future.
Calgary BIAs Professional Development Fund
We set aside $30,000 of $80,000 that had accumulated in our accounts to provide grants up to $2,000 each year to the Executive Directors of smaller and newer BIAs in Calgary who do not have professional development funds in their budgets or to any Executive Directors who needed professional development funds.
Adams Morgan Date Nights
The purpose of the Date Nights campaign was to brand Adams Morgan as THE destination in DC for a “date.” We set up multiple date lineups and offered suggestions that would appeal to a diverse audience. From girls night out or a mother-daughter date night to a first date or anniversary – we assembled a “grid of dates” on our website which provided suggestions, incorporating dozens of our businesses.
Downtown Burbank Art and Mural Program
The Downtown Burbank Art and Mural Program was created to enliven the visitor experience, encourage social media posts and enhance a sense of place-making and culture through art. Launched in 2017, the program has funded and installed 12 murals in Downtown taking advantage of formerly blank facades, staircases, and alleyways, to create art.
King of Prussia District’s Restaurant & Retail Week Benefitting Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
In 2014, King of Prussia District launched King of Prussia Restaurant Week. From the beginning, the restaurants insisted that the event benefit the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. King of Prussia District facilitated the partnership, creating branding/marketing and getting restaurants involved. In 2018, we launched a corresponding retail event and in 2020, the events grew bigger as we launched the Community Champion program and partnered with the school district.
Upper Downtown 360
The Upper Downtown district is the longstanding Central Business District of Downtown Denver. Built largely from 1970-1985, this 50 year old district was facing a mid-life crisis. What remains the region’s most dense office/employment/visitor market, the no longer knew what it wanted to be. Upper Downtown 360’s re-visioning revolved around five potential “Big Moves”; Make a There, There; Transform the Pedestrian Experience; Tame the Concrete Jungle; Reposition Towers; Break Through Barriers.
Merry Madness
The first Thursday in December is a BIG night in Portland, Maine, as MERRY MADNESS takes over downtown! This event is Portland Downtown’s signature holiday shopping extravaganza, bringing together 1200 guests and more than 75 participating businesses for an evening of joy and merriment like no other.
BallstonConnect
As our organization was not formed with residents in mind, we had to think strategically about how we could best encourage and engage our growing number of multi-family properties and tenants. We determined that to secure the long-term sustainability of the BID, we must work in partnership with our multi-family owners and inspire them contribute resources and perspective to the BID. We developed BallstonConnect Club, an all-inclusive, membership program now covering over 3,000 residents growing!
Downtown Organic Waste Diversion Pilot Program
In 2017 the Downtown Kitchener BIA formed a Waste Task Force Committee. This Committee worked towards finding solutions for managing waste in our core. Through membership surveys and feedback, Clean Team 2 was launched; a successful program focused on moving garbage away from King Street and several side streets. Clean Team 2 is another beautification effort to improve the curbside appearance and embrace the funding invested in restaurant patios.
Building Brand, Increasing Awareness, Celebrating Diversity: Financial District Online Interview Series
The Financial District Online Interview Series was created to leverage the diverse business and employee voices in Toronto’s Financial District to build the district’s brand, increase employee awareness of the Financial District BIA and celebrate the diversity of the area. Rather than create a new marketing/branding campaign, we used the people in the district to build the brand and speak to the strengths of the area while engaging area employees on social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn).
Celebrating the Mississippi Riverfront
In celebration of their 100-Year Anniversary, the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge, a service association comprised of area business and professional leaders, donated a unique sculpture to the City of Baton Rouge. The spherical sculpture, known as Sing the River, is installed on the Mississippi Riverfront and offers a unique landmark for all to enjoy. Like a futuristic globe sitting on the edge of the river, people are drawn to it; to see reflections of themselves and the city that surrounds it.
The Power of Partnerships in Challenging Times
The collaboration between two CCID departments, Social Development & Urban Management and Khulisa Social Solutions (KSS), a main NGO partner in the city centre which provides work-based opportunities for street people featuring stipends, social services, training, and administrative support. CCID connected known homeless individuals on Long Street, an iconic corridor in Cape Town, with KSS to curtail social problems wheelie bin scavenging or aggressive panhandling.
Central Bark Dog Park
The South Main neighborhood is a growing residential neighborhood and is considered a primary arts/entertainment and dining district in Downtown. To remediate an area of vacancy/blight in this neighborhood, the Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) developed a plan to convert an underutilized lot into a vibrant and active neighborhood amenity. Our intervention willed this space into a better outcome.
The State of Cape Town Central City Report 2018: A Year in Review
The Report is intended to provide an accurate and comprehensive overview of the downtown economy, to encourage local, national and global investment in downtown Cape Town. The Report’s unique approach is that it not only gives a detailed breakdown (in numbers) of the main economies of the Cape Town Central Business District (CBD), as it is a year in review, it also identifies key themes that emerged and how the city and Big Business responded to them.
From Pilot to Pandemic: The [Fortuitous] Benefits of Understanding Your District’s Curb Usage
Downtown Santa Monica undertook a project to map our curb network to help us better understand the status quo and search for opportunities to adapt curb use for current needs in COVID. The resulting intelligence has been used to directly inform policy recommendations and facilitate conversations with stakeholders, beginning with a pilot to convert restaurant-adjacent metered parking into short-term loading zones during peak hours.
Charlotte SHOUT!
With more than 175 art, music, food and ideas events offered over 13 days, Charlotte SHOUT! delivered something new and fresh to the city’s residents and visitors. A diverse mix of local artists, musicians, chefs and thought leaders joined renowned international talent to make the festival an unforgettable experience. The event also included unique cultural experiences like a live Indian wedding ceremony, interactive artwork, and community discussion.
Downtown Tempe’s Micro-Influencer Program
People assume that to be influential on social media you must have thousands and thousands of followers. However, marketers have discovered that the true effectiveness of influencer marketing comes from engagement. In 2017, the Downtown Tempe Authority alongside Bright Brothers Strategy Group, launched a micro-influencer pilot program in an effort to increase authentic engagement and ramp up BID marketing efforts across the board.
Fence Art Activation
The Fence Art activation started in 2019 and is an ongoing activation that thrives to bring beauty and art to the downtown area. The art is installed in areas that are fenced off due to development, construction, safety, etc. The art itself is sourced from a local artist and is built by community members, along with the artist. The message is in the art. Art should be an expression that can be absorbed by anyone within the community.
Travis Park Holiday Activation
The City of San Antonio partnered with The Rotary Club of San Antonio to bring an outdoor ice-skating rink to Travis Park for the 2019 holiday season to help establish the historic Travis Park as a downtown destination for visitors and locals while further promoting activation in public spaces. The City of San Antonio invited residents and visitors to celebrate the holidays at Travis Park with free, family friendly events.
Then and Now: An Analysis of Downtown Retail – Parts 1 & 2
The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association’s (DVBIA) two-part series, “Then and Now: An Analysis of Downtown Retail”, quantifies and benchmarks retail in the DVBIA’s 90-block catchment between 2012 and 2018. Part 1 examines non-edible goods and services, while Part 2 examines the food and beverage sector. The reports identify retail mix, average annual growth rates, business openings and closings and the percentage of businesses operating for 10 years or more.
Civic Center Initiative
The three connected public plazas in front of San Francisco’s City Hall (Civic Center Plaza, Fulton Street Mall and UN Plaza) were blighted, crime-ridden and well known as a place to avoid. Through a significant private donation two new state-of-the art playgrounds and an adjacent café were constructed in Civic Center Plaza. These new amenities were the catalyst for creating surrounding programming that supported the success of the playgrounds and laid the groundwork upgrades to come.