COMMUNITY SYMPOSIUM

Your ideas Your Future

DRC Committee

June 28 2013

Chairs
Brian Zeller

Biking Pat Wolf

Business Mix

Stillwater City Council and Staff City of Stillwater

216 4th Street N
Stillwater MN 55082

Richard Cummings
Ambiance

Stillwater City Council and Staff

For the last 10 months the Downtown Revitalization Committee has worked

Ryan Lettner
River Front

diligently to identify and research a wide array of exciting opportunities that will bring downtown to a whole new level of prominence as the state s birthplace of
Minnesota

Steve Reeser Branding

Their work passion for a better downtown and commitment to form a long and successful relationship with the City has culminated to this moment when they

collectively ask for the City s commitment and support that will transform downtown into a vibrant commercial district for generations to enjoy These unprecedented opportunities are within our grasp provided the City takes the recommended
actions to make these opportunities a reality

Included in this packet are the primary opportunities that now need Council staff support In a perfect world we could articulate every economic benefit per every dollar invested to revitalize downtown Naturally this is unrealistic
What is not unrealistic is the enormous impact these opportunities possess to
create a vibrant downtown when all are merged into a seamless series of

improvements that create a downtown as never before

The DRC has done

everything in their power to assist the City now they ask for your support
At this council meeting the DRC seeks
Approval of a budget for a thorough Economic Development Action Plan

Authorized staff assistance for a preliminary Transient Dock Grant request Non financial support for a Bike Friendly Community Assessment
Snow removal quotes for a designated downtown improvement zone

City determination for building facade and tree up lighting

The future of downtown regardless of the work 40 plus members of the DRC have

brought forward to create a revitalized downtown now rest in the hands of the City
Let s now work together to take full advantage of these tremendous opportunities

Regards

CHAMLBEER
of COMMERCE

XerrigtreeZer
Co chair

iy

guettner

Co chair

Downtown Stillwater Revitalization

Revitalization Opportunities and Downtown s Unprecedented Future

The Downtown Revitalization Committee DRC was

established in September 2012 as a means for downtown

businesses and property owners to join together to identify opportunities to revitalize or redevelop downtown in conjunction with the major capital improvements taking
place in the next four years creation of Brown s Creek
Trail Lowell Park Phase II completion Lift Bridge

renovation and eventual redevelopment of the Shoddy Mill In total these improvements will forever alter downtown as we know it today However each of these improvements will not reach their full potential if they are not meshed together into one cohesive plan that clearly identifies all the possible opportunities
beyond just the improvements themselves

The DRC has spent the last 10 months identifying a wide range of additional opportunities that further enhance the aforementioned improvements as well as creating a dynamic commercial district that evokes the unique history of downtown as never before
When added to the major improvements the DRC s opportunities act like mortar

cementing the continuity of the major improvements into a seamless flow of cyclists
pedestrians shoppers diners and residents

all enjoying the new vibe of a rejuvenated

And the

downtown that offers goods and services in demand 12 months of the year
opportunities the DRC has brought forth couldn t come at a better time

As stated previously downtown Stillwater is decaying both economically and physically The great recession and ever increasing property taxes have eroded the financial capabilities of property owners to maintain their properties let alone the ability to reinvest in the properties to bring them into refurbished condition This failing economic structure forces owners to lease
their spaces to under qualified tenants who often don t have the capital to withstand

Stillwater s seasonal highs and lows This all to present situation produces a revolving door reputation that downtown and the City cannot afford
I want to cancel my membership this year because my business is not doing well I almost closed this winter and now this month is slow too I have no money to pay for membership I hope you understand I can barely pay rent this month I m so sorry for
this

Downtown Chamber Member June 12th email but thrive downtown

To ensure downtown doesn t just survive as it has in recent years

businesses property owners City officials and MnDOT must take unprecedented collaborative action to leverage each opportunity to its fullest extent To do anything less dramatically marginalizes the investment and benefit potential provided by these major
improvements

With the bulk of downtown opportunities

identified the next step is action The time

has arrived where we now must work together

to start implementing the opportunities in a systematic process to bring about the best downtown from vision to reality
The work the DRC has done to date is now

ready for implementation Below

summarizes all the current DRC opportunities
and the specific actions needed to continue

the revitalization of downtown Economic Development Action Plan The DRC has received proposals from two local economic development consultants with

yet another highly recommended consultant Buxton who has preformed economic development redevelopment and marketing plans for more than 650 municipalities
Proposals received range from 35 000 to 65 000

The full assessment of downtown s current offerings market trade area consumer profile

and resulting proposed business mix action plan is the most influential set of economic reports critical for all of us to make sound decisions for downtown long into the future The resulting action plan comes at the pivotal time in downtown history when all these opportunities converge
to make downtown an economic powerhouse or if not

undertaken continues to have downtown remaining an economic revolving door with well intended businesses coming and going on a regular basis The latter is not beneficial to downtown or the economics that the city
relies on The investment and stakes are too high to allow past methods to continue their lack luster results

There is little doubt that strategically planning downtown guided by these economic
action plans brings economic benefits not just for downtown but for all of Stillwater As

downtown is redeveloped into a 12 month commercial district the City will enjoy a
rebirth of economic activity throughout the city which can only enhance the quality of

life viability and economic restructuring of other commercial districts and provide a
positive impact on commercial and residential values as well It is for this reason and

rationale that the DRC requests the economic plans be supported by the City

Transient Docking Grant Preparation

The DRC s River Front subcommittee has conducted research

and meetings with DNR Transient Docking Grant representatives with the goal of submitting an application for
the

100 000 Minnesota competitive grant

The grant

application deadline is August 1s

If the initial grant

application is approved a formal grant application will be in

April 2014 The DNR grant representatives are very willing to provide extensive assistance to the City to complete the initial grant application Bike Friendly Community Assessment The need for a complete biking assessment for all of Stillwater is not only timely it is imperative given the impending completion of the Brown s Creek Trail It is essential that all biking interaction within Stillwater and specifically downtown be fully assessed to ensure biking interaction is safe for bikers pedestrians automobile traffic and downtown visitors enjoying the commercial district and Lowell Park
The Bike Friendly Community Assessment is provided by the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota and will be funded by community organizations Nearly half of the 5 000 assessment cost has already been collected All the DRC seeks is the City s acceptance of the assessment s
results and to have recommendations pertinent to

downtown be given thorough consideration as it may

relate to the current Lowell Park plans and other

considerations for safe and enjoyable interaction for all who visit downtown Snow Removal Quotes

It is important that we plan early for a new method of handling snow removal from
downtown sidewalks In an effort to devise a cost estimate and possible cost distribution calculation it would be wise to get quotes for snow removal this summer so defined

review

contribution zones can be developed with corresponding cost structure drafted for further Getting cost quotes now allows the City and downtown property owners to craft
a workable arrangement well before the winter season begins

Building Facade and Tree Up Lighting

There are approximately seven building owners who are very interested in up lighting the building facades or trees within their property lines The work and cost necessary are the responsibility of the building owners with no funding requested from the City All the DRC and property owners ask is the ability to proceed with
their planned ambiance improvements

Bluff Lighting

At the workshop there was discussion about a test pilot program to light the south and
north bluff areas MnDOT s Adam Josephson has provided the items for consideration

requested by Mayor Harycki The goal as stated by Mayor Harycki is to implement this
project yet this summer We now need to respond to the items from MnDOT and
establish a resulting action plan

The details will be important to fully understand what is being proposed Keep me in the loop as this gets developed and hopefully we can work through the various issues
Adam Joesphson P E MnDOT
Review Lowell Park Phase II Improvements

It is recommended that Lowell Park Phase II improvements be given another look before improvements begin This request is made due to the fact the improvements were designed prior to the realization of Brown s Creek Trail and Congressional approval of

the St Croix River Crossing These two major new developments to downtown will dramatically alter the use and traffic patterns of Lowell Park It is recommended that the Bike Friendly Community Assessment be conducted this summer to ensure the park provides safe interaction among all the various modes of transportation converging in one location One last review may also result in maximizing
the park s potential use throughout 12 months of the year

Downtown Planning with MnDOT

Fall DRC workshops and conversations with MnDOT have identified significant

opportunities along main street with the elimination of turn lanes that could result in wider sidewalks as proposed in the Ambiance subcommittee presentation Extending the
Lift Bridge plaza to Main Street and perhaps to Chestnut west of Main Street present

exciting opportunities to create a wide thoroughfare that may increase the economic value
of Second Street

Initial Planning of the Medallion Project In the near future a steering committee will be formed to begin the process of rolling out the Medallion Project We envision city staff participating on the committee
Historical Street Signs

The DRC s Ambiance subcommittee identified historical street

signs as a significant component to celebrating Stillwater s history

ATTRACTING RETAIL
INCREASE SALES TAX REVENUE

Buxton

IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE CREATE JOBS

Retail Experts in Your Corner

At Buxton we made a name for ourselves as a trusted

Proven Steps to Jump Start Your Community

Evaluate your community s retail potential

advisor to leading retailers by providing big answers about customers and identifying the best possible sites
for expansion
We ve taken that retail expertise and created the most

How many customers are in your trade area Where do

they shop and what do they buy In this step we focus on the factors that make your community valuable from a
retailer s point of view

successful tool available for helping local governments

and economic development organizations find attract and support the best possible retail matches for their
communitites

The retail industry s top analytic teams will be working to bring your community answers that have
been proven to

Retail leakage supply analysis You know that dollars are flowing out of your community but how many This analysis tells you how much residents are spending outside your trade area and how many
dollars are coming in from outside your trade area It
reveals the unmet demands and possible opportunities

that currently exist in your local retail sector

Target retailers uniquely suited for your

community
Retail site assessment

We use our experience in retail site location to analyze

Identify sites in your community that

offer the greatest potential

specific locations within your trade area We assess

locations for their retail desirability then consult with you

to select the sites that offer the greatest potential

Pinpoint opportunities for local business

expansion

Identify retailers that match your community

We identify the retailers and restaurants that offer an excellent

Market your community using the

information retailers need

fit by matching your customer profiles with Buxton s proprietary database of retailer profiles We also take other factors into consideration including cannibalization from
stores nearby the retailer s expansion plans and the

Establish credibility with retail decision

makers

retailer s operations history in communities similar to

yours

Prevent retail leakage and lost tax revenue

Prepare marketing packages for targeted retailers

To communicate the positive characteristics of your

Satisfy your citizens desire to shop in their

own city

community we provide marketing packages for you to send to retailers on the list Every marketing package is
different tailored to meet the location requirements of
each retailer

Gig

PAJ ADENA

downtown

isa

FORT

IRVING
T E X A 5

NA

PARTNER TO OVER 600 COMMUNITIES

OVER 25 MILLION SQ FT OF RETAIL RECRUITED

Bring new life to your economic development strategy

and new retailers to your town
Underserved markets Communities lacking essential
products and services have turned to Buxton to attract and
expand their retail base We ve helped small communities attract major retailers and helped large cities attract retail

Tourism destinations Buxton and Visa Tourism Insights

is an excellent way to augment your tourism marketing

programs and build out the retail sector near tourist

development to specific neighborhoods

attractions and sports facilities Identify where your tourists are coming from to maximize your marketing budget
Downtown revitalization We can assess the role of retail

Local business retention The leakage surplus data

provided by Buxton can help existing retailers create more

effective merchandising and sales plans

in your downtown development project and strategies to

attract and expand local operations

Transit oriented development Often transit terminals

Rural areas and small cities If your city has real or

perceived disadvantages you need an advanced approach

and neighborhoods surrounding them have the

population densities to support retail and restaurants We can provide the tools you need to demonstrate the

to overcome them By comparing retailers operating in

similar markets nationwide we can reveal unrecognized

viability of these areas

retail opportunities and take advantage of them

College and university towns Retailers are realizing that

campus populations can create profitable opportunities

Buxton can include students in your customer

profile and focus your efforts

To date we ve helped more than 600 communities

nationwide resulting in over 25 million square feet of recruited retail And we re ready to do the same
for you

Find out more

Add the capabilities of Buxton s cloud based platform SCOUT

Contact us today for a consultation and discover how Buxton can help you identify opportunities for
retail growth and expansion

inviting retailers to view your information anytime anywhere

Buton
Toll Free 888 2Buxton

www buxtonco com

@Buxtonco

2651 South Polaris Drive Fort Worth TX 76137

INCREASE TOURISM IN YOUR

COMMUNITY

The dollars that tourists spend within your community are

Enhance the Effectiveness of Your Marketing

a vital component of your local economy Buxton and Visa

Tourism Insights can increase the value of tourism in your

community by identifying WHO your tourists are WHERE

more tourists can be found and how to effectively market

T V Cable

Geographic and programming

optimization using tourist profile

Satellite

directly to your tourists to increase their VALUE to your

community
Online

Geographic ad placement geo fencing

optimization website identification
geographic search advertising
optimization social media content

With Buxton and Visa Tourism Insights you will have

the answers to these important questions
Radio

enhancement

Geographic optimization programming

and scheduling optimization

Who are our tourists

What are their lifestyles how do

Print Public Private
Affiliations

Geographic circulation optimization format selection

they behave as consumers and what are their

media habits

Partnership identification based on your

tourist profiles

What is tourism s economic impact How do tourists

Prospect

Utilizing profile results along with

geographic optimization List rental of
best prospects

spend their money within our community

Marketing

In terms of their local spending which types of tourists have proven to be the best for our community
Which markets do our best tourists and prospective
Tourist Retention and Reactivation

Utilizing knowledge of existing zip 4

tourist database to engage past tourists

and their immediate neighbors

rental of household targets

List

tourists come from

spend for greater ROI

How do we optimize our advertising

Understand the Economic Impact of Tourism

How do we direct market to our best tourists and

prospective tourists at the household level

Apparel

11

Department Stores

4 26
2

See Which Markets Provide Your Tourism

Drug Stores
Electronics

Fast Food

39 42
1

Full Service Restaurants

Home Improvement

Specialty Retail
Sporting Goods

28
9

Burton
888 2BUXTON

www buxtonco com buxton @buxtonco com

PALM SPRINGS

CALIFORNIA

Identifying and prioitizing tourists and tourism markets for better marketing and long term planning

Here s the Situation

In a still recovering economy marketing budgets are tight and every dollar must deliver a measurable return on investment The

City of Palm Springs California

the sun

famous for year round fun in

wanted to make its marketing programs more efficient

and effective through smarter targeting of potential tourists To reach that goal Palm Springs needed to identify who visits the

City where they are coming from and how they are spending their
money

Here s What We Did About It

We captured tourist credit card transactions in selected zip codes in the City over a 12 month period using Zip 4 to preserve
confidentiality The transactions totaled almost 200 million

About Palm Springs

Popular tourist destination for outdoor
activities arts and culture gaming and
entertainment

giving us a significant sample for better identification and

understanding of these tourists
Our analysis revealed

What type of tourist visits Palm Springs According to the data 58

of the City s tourism dollars come from 10 customer market

segments This gives us a detailed profile of people who are most

Business Needs
Idenitfication of tourist types

likely to visit Palm Springs including their lifestyles purchasing

habits media preferences and travel behavior With this information we can search anywhere in the U S for people who
share similar characteristics

Prioritization of key DMAs

More effective targeting for marketing
programs

Where these tourists come from We found that of the 210 Direct

Marketing Areas in the U S 152 DMAs were represented in the City transactions over the 12 month period However 80 of the
sales dollars came from five key tourism markets We used a market
prioritization index to rank the DMAs based on the greatest number

Development of long term strategic

plans

of people with a propensity to visit the City

How they spent their money We broke down the credit card
transactions into nine different categories from specialty retail to
full service restaurants From this analysis we are able to determine

which DMAs are most important to the City within each category of
retail spending

Buxton s data driven approach is a powerful new tool to

Check Out These Results

help tourism focused communities leverage the value of their customers for long term success
Find Out More

With these tourism insights in hand the City knows exactly who its core tourists are and where they come from allowing the development of effective marketing strategies and long term plans

Contact us today for a consultation and discover how

Buxton can help your community increase its tourism

The City Can Optimize each marketing channel Using a highly targeted approach the City can connect with potential tourists in a wide range of mediums from billboards to direct marketing to online
campaigns They can focus on the most profitable markets and send individualized messages directly to people who are most likely to visit

Find co branded partners By knowing who the tourists are and where they spend their money the city can develop co operative

Btraon
Toll Free 888 2BUXTON www buxtonco com
@Buxtonco

marketing campaigns with area hotels restaurants and retailers

For instance the tourist profiles reveal the exact hotels where each

market segment prefers to stay providing new opportunities for

co branded tourism campaigns

2651 South Polaris Drive Fort Worth TX 76137

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RETAIL SHOPPING

Quality retailers line Pasadena s walkable downtown streets making it an ideal location to strolling dining and shopping

RETAIL PERFORMANCE Pasadena s retail performance is anchored in the fact that Pasadena is a regional employment entertainment

and shopping destination set in a stunning architectural and natural environment Combined with quality residential and employee demographics as evidenced by ESRI s Tapestry Segment Profiles Pasadena is an
excellent location for retail

3 BIL

2 5 BIL

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2 7 BILLION IN 2011
1 5 BIL

TAXABLE RETAIL SALES

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RETAILERS OF NOTE WITHIN PASADENA S WALKABLE DOWNTOWN

Abercrombie
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Crate Barrel

Kenneth Cole
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BANANA REPUBLIC

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NEW YORK

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