Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority and the Partnership for Progress YEAR 1, 2010
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Annual Partners Report Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority and the Partnership for Progress YEAR 1, 2010
Construction on the Arts School is underway.
It has been an exciting year for the Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority (DDRA). The Arts School is underway, Streetscape Grants have been awarded, one
Streetscape Grants have been awarded.
pocket park has been completed by Decatur Beautification; a second one designed and site preparation has begun for construction; and a third park property purchased, initial design begun and site preparation underway. Many of the projects, plans and processes that are a part of our Strategic Plan are underway.
One pocket park has been completed with others planned. The Loft Committee is researching the requirements for development of loft properties
One very important part of what we are doing requires input and assistance from the community in the development of two committees. These committees have been formed and will research, structure and guide in Loft Development and Retail Recruitment.
Awarded a matching funds grant to start a retail analysis of the downtown area.
The Loft Committee is chaired by Shirley Hammond and is moving forward with their research regarding the requirements for development of loft properties. They are working closely with the building department, fire department and Decatur Utilities to address code, fire protection and infrastructure needs in order to provide accurate information for property and business owners, as well as, developers, and will be holding their first development symposium in June.
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CONTACT
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A sub-committee of this group is now working with business owners to organize and promote the downtown merchants. On April 7, the merchants and business owners met and have named their new organization the Decatur Downtown Merchant Business Association (DDMBA) and have elected officers. Most of the 3rd Friday events, as well as events coordinated with other community organizations are planned and underway. The DDMBA is also working on organizing a trip to a neighboring city which currently has a monthly event and is flourishing.
The DDRA has recently put together a brochure which contains information regarding the services that we can provide, as well as the agencies that we are partnering with to assist business and property owners and this was distributed at the DDMBA meeting. The business owners are excited about their new organization and there is no lack of volunteers to work on different aspects of the planned projects.
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256-353-00
The Retail Recruitment committee is chaired by Jason Gantt and is moving in two primary directions. One area is the gathering of data to guide us in recruiting the types of businesses that are needed in our downtown area so that we do not have “leakage� occurring and people shopping elsewhere. To this end, we have recently been awarded a matching funds grant, to start a retail analysis of the downtown area. The other area is the support of downtown business owners.
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Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority and the Partnership for Progress
Recently, we have had some interest regarding the area that is slated to become Decatur Commons. The city is actively pursuing the acquisition of the ADM warehouse properties, a 7.4 acre site, which will be a beginning to revitalizing this area and creating a more desirable environment to interest developers.
The office of the DDRA works toward being available to all citizens of Decatur and Morgan County. The web site and programs that we provide are constantly being assessed to be sure that we are providing up to date and accurate information and assisting business owners as much as possible. We have found that we have already outgrown our web site and are currently working on an updated site that would be current, informative and easily navigated.
3 The merchants and business owners have organized under the name of the Decatur Downtown Merchant Business Association. The city is pursuing the acquisition of the ADM warehouse properties, a 7.4 acre site.
Partnership for Progress Campaign We are pleased to report that of the 2.5 million dollar campaign goal, we currently have cash and in-kind pledges totaling $2,453,460. We are grateful for each pledge made and very pleased at the response we have had, but we will continue to pursue funding to meet and exceed our goal. While this initial funding is covering a 5 year strategic plan, our work will not stop at the end of that time. We will aggressively search for and pursue grants and other funding from various sources throughout the 5 year plan timeframe with the intent of fully leveraging the maximum value of the initial $2.5 mm goal.
We realize it is important to recognize and honor our campaign partners who share the vision of this strategic plan for Downtown and have, financially, committed to it to ensure a successful future. With that in mind, we had Joel McWhorter design a recognition sign that will be erected in a prominent area of the downtown to do just that.
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Strategic Plan Update I. CITY CENTER DEVELOPMENT FINE ARTS SCHOOL During the last year, the plans were completed, bids were let and Fite Construction was selected to build the new Fine Arts School. On December 10, 2010, the Ground Breaking for the new Fine Arts School was held at the Robinson building. Since that time, the building has been dismantled and foundation work is presently being completed.
INCENTIVE GRANTS INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS The DDRA will provide a grant to a building owner for ½ of the price of getting the water lines from the street to the building that will then tie into a fire sprinkler system. This grant has a max amount of $5,000. The first Infrastructure Grant was given to Trish Land for the Magnolia Room. This grant was instrumental in getting this new business open. A second grant has been given to Glenna Jones on 2nd Ave. with the completion of her first residential loft. All residential development in the downtown commercial area is required to have sprinkler fire protection.
FAÇADE GRANTS The DDRA will provide a grant to a building owner, for ½ of the price of getting façade work done, up to a $5,000 maximum. There is
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another $2,500 available if the building is on a corner and there are side windows or doors. There are presently several façade projects being done downtown that have applied for grant assistance. The funding is provided after the work is completed and the city has signed off on it. The first of these grants was issued to Cloud 9, a new business on Bank St., in 2011.
SIGN GRANTS The DDRA will provide a grant to a business owner in the amount of $300 for signage as specified in the Sign Grant parameters. This is an effort to encourage the use of 2-sided, carved and painted signs that are hung from a decorative bracket on the face of the building. These signs not only serve as advertising but are also an artistic, architectural accent.
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II. BEAUTIFICATION POCKET PARKS UPDATE To keep some design and materials consistency moving through the downtown area, Sam Barnett of Godwin, Barnett & Woods, is designing the pocket parks, making each one individual and still keeping design continuity. The PassThrough Park design and estimates have been completed and is presently in the bid process. The city has already completed its portion of removal of some of the old structure in preparation for the new construction. This park is located between Grant and Johnston on the east side of the street. The lot on the southeast corner of Lee St. and Canal St. has been purchased by the DDRA. Some preliminary designs have been drawn. The old concrete has been removed and new sidewalk has been poured. We will grass the area and plant trees between the sidewalk and curb. We are working on a partnership to complete this park.
2ND AVE STREETSCAPE The 2nd Ave. Streetscape plans have been completed and approved by ALDOT. This project could potentially begin sometime this summer.
LOWER BANK STREETSCAPE We are approved for an ALDOT streetscape grant for lower Bank St. Preliminary drawings are underway. When these are completed, they will go to ALDOT for approval and then to the state for signatures.
III. RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT GATEWAY PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE UPDATE We endorse the continued development of Ingalls Harbor and the new pavilion, which is under construction. It is another integral part of the redevelopment and the connection between the river and the downtown area.
with some of the local industries to partner in cost and construction materials. At this time, the design of the bases/entry to the bridge will carry through the park theme using stone and the bridge itself, is designed to look similar to the railroad bridge. We are also pursuing a state highway grant that would be used to complete the construction of the pedestrian bridge.
Our Strategic Plan calls for a pedestrian bridge to connect the Riverfront with the downtown area because this will cross highway 20 (Wilson St.), discussions have been held with ALDOT and preliminary design concepts have been drawn. The current plan is to put a base at the front of Doc Jordan Apartments, cross the highway and put a base in the parking lot of First Baptist Church. Plans and discussions for this project are still underway and include working
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Goals
RAISE THE PER CAPITA INCOME IN DECATUR’S CITY CENTER BY 25%
ASSIST EXISTING BUSINESSES IN THE CITY CENTER TO EXPAND At this time, one business that is new is actually an outgrowth of an existing business. We assisted this business with an Infrastructure Grant. A second business is currently in the process of expanding.
Annual Partners Report
CREATE RESIDENTIAL UNITS WITHIN THE CITY CENTER GOOD START: 6
CREATE
Currently six units have been approved on 2nd Ave., with one being close to completion. The loft committee is currently moving forward with their efforts to gather information and be able to put a logical step-by-step guide together for property owners to use for residential development. At this time, the initial meeting with a small group of owners is scheduled for June, to be followed with a meeting with a large group of owners later.
NEW JOBS IN THE CITY CENTER At this time, our numbers are not stable because of new start-ups. We will have a better idea of how many new employees in the 2011 report.
RAISE AWARENESS OF DECATUR’S CITY CENTER AS A DESIRABLE PLACE TO LOCATE A BUSINESS GENERATE
ESTABLISH
$20 MILLION
IN NEW CAPITAL INVESTMENTS ALMOST THERE: $11 MILLION At this time, we have record of $11,266,425.00 new capital investments going into the downtown area, which includes investments already made and those that are scheduled to be made over the next year.
$9,625,000 OF NEW PAYROLL
Payroll, at this time, is not stable enough to track. With the new business, there are increases in employment, but many are still parttime. We believe that we will have more defined information in 2011.
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ENHANCE DECATUR’S TAX BASE BY
$5 MILLION
According to the records, the taxes in Decatur increased from the 2009 figure of $23,514,153 to the 2010 figure of $24,255,824. While this increase is not huge, it is a move in a positive direction and we feel, an indicator of where we are going.
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Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority and the Partnership for Progress
GRANTS AWARDED TO DATE We have received several grants, both State and Federal. The State Transportation Enhancement Grants were achieved through much effort from Arthur Orr. The Partnership Funds are instrumental in these matching grants to facilitate the maximum leverage with our strategic plan budget dollars. ALDOT Transportation Enhancement Lower Bank Streetscape ALDOT Transportation Enhancement Railroad Depot ALDOT Transportation Enhancement 2nd Ave. Streetscape Federal Appropriation Streetscape Downtown Corridor Sessions & Adderholt Federal ARC Retail Study
RECRUIT NEW BUSINESSES IN DECATUR’S CITY CENTER ALMOST THERE: 17 At this time, a minimum of 17 businesses have either opened or relocated in the downtown area.
LIST OF NEW BUSINESSES North Alabama School of Fine Arts Vittone’s Alabama Mountain Lakes Association Tallulah’s Inc. Cottage House TKAM Scout Antiques Ingall’s Harbor Center The Emporium Network Funding LP Divas, Doodlebugs & Debutants Charis Mortgage Group Realty Group of Alabama Allen Stoner, Attorney The Magnolia Room Iron Lung Fitness Cloud 9 Ruggiere A Gallery
GREAT TOTAL
$500,000 $900,000 $712,000 $570,000 $10,000
$2,692,000
ENHANCE PROPERTY VALUES IN THE CITY CENTER BY 25% CREATE GREEN SPACE AND PROMOTE THE USE OF GREEN TECHNOLOGIES IN DOWNTOWN PROJECTS We currently have one pocket park completed by the Beautification group. Funds are designated to construct a second. And we have purchased a small piece of property that connects Bank and 2nd for a third. Another way that we are trying to stay green is by encouraging the re-use of materials from some of the buildings that have been torn down. Frazier Park, which has been pushed by the Old Decatur neighborhood, is using brick from the old Decatur Utilities building. Some of the beams from the Bailey-Robinson building will be salvaged and used in the new Ingalls Pavilion.
This has been a successful year
and our forward progress is even more than we had anticipated. We also think it is important for you to understand that our Partnership with you is the reason for the success we have had, thus far. We are in the midst of a fruitful 2011 and are continuing our mission to revitalize and redevelop the downtown area. Visit www.decaturdowntown.org and keep up with our progress.
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Mission Statement The Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority exists for the purpose of redeveloping and revitalizing the area designated as the Downtown Redevelopment Zone of Decatur, Alabama and to aid the City of Decatur and other entities to accomplish that purpose.
Honor Roll of Investors Board of Directors Em Barran chairman
Carl Cole vice-chair/secretary Melissa Craig treasurer
Gloria Arthur Murphy Brown Tami Reist Blake Temple John Thornton Fred Underwood
Oversight Committee David Breland Brian Cook Bob Glenn Kent Quinn
Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. Allegra Print & Imaging AT&T Alabama Baggette Construction Baker Foundation Bank Independent Bank Street Antique Mall Blackburn, Maloney and Schuppert, LLC Blue Creek Investment Partners The Boeing Company David Breland Calhoun Community College Calvin Brown Murphy Brown Building Construction Associates, Inc. Joe & Pat Carl The Carnegie Visual Art Center The Casual Gourmet, LLC Chenault Studios, Inc. Cintas City of Decatur Cook’s Pest Control John Coon Decatur Beautification The Decatur Daily Decatur Lamp Company Decatur Morgan Co. Chamber of Commerce
Decatur Morgan County Convention & Visitors Bureau Decatur Utilities Del Monte Foods Encore Rehabilitation, Inc. Enersolve Eyster, Key, Tubb, Roth, Middleton & Adams, LLP Family Security Credit Union Fite Building Company, Inc. Gateway Commercial Brokerage Giles Realty Glee Interiors Dr. Robert Glenn Godwin Barnett Hargrove & Associates Harris, Caddell & Shanks, P.C. Holiday Inn Decatur Hutto Printing Hyosung USA, Inc. Lamar Advertising MarMac Real Estate M&D Mechanical McWhorter Communications Morgan County Commission Morgan Co. Economic Development Association Morgan Keegan & Co., Inc. North Alabama Glass Osco, Inc. Rick Paler
Parkway Medical Center Petroleum Sales, Inc. Peebles Oil Company, Inc. Peoples Bank of Alabama Pepsi Cola Decatur, LLC The Princess Theatre Pro-Air Services Pugh, Wright & McAnally RBC Bank Red Sage Communications Regions Bank Renasant Bank Rotary Club of Decatur Terry & Debbie Roche Sexton Foundation Dr. William Sims S.S. Nesbit Company Scott Schoel Pat Smartt Temple Inc. Tennessee Valley Authority Wally Terry The Trowelers Garden Club John Thornton Underwood & Associates United Launch Alliance Valley Budweiser Valley Investments Wear, Howell, Strickland, Quinn & Law Wells Fargo Lawrence C. Weaver – Wilmer & Lee, P.A. Willo Products Company Wyker Family Foundation
www.decaturdowntown.org
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