Street News PDF 2009/12 - National Trust for Historic Preservation

Transcription

No. 266 December
2009
THE MONTHLY Journal of THE NATIONAL TRUST MAIN STREET CENTER
CITY
in this issue
10. What’s Where in
Oklahoma City
Check out our list of cool districts in
Oklahoma City and start planning where
to visit while you’re there for the National
Main Streets Conference, May 2-5, 2010.
11.
A New Streetscape
Lay a firm foundation for your district
through streetscape improvements. Since
2001, Durant, Oklahoma, has been
implementing a multi-phased streetscape
project. See how the new streetscape
has stimulated significant improvements
to this thriving downtown — from new
building façades to improved visual
merchandising.
14.
Profitable Solutions
Many Main Street businesses profess
that their personal touch with customers
is their competitive advantage, but are
their employees working to hone their
sales skills? Find out how a little employee
education can go a long way toward
improving business and bringing
customers back.
© Oklahoma Convention & Visitors Bureau
Oklahoma City:
Bright and Booming in the Heartland
Oklahoma City has been noted in
several national media outlets for its
strong economy and bright future.
By Andrea L. Dono
Oklahoma City has repeatedly
made national news with reports
of economic indicators
showing signs of resisting the
recession. BusinessWeek listed
it third in its “Forty Strongest
U.S. Metropolitan Economies”
released in October 2009,
trailing only San Antonio and
Austin-Round Rock, Texas.
With low unemployment rates,
strong housing market, and
gross metropolitan product,
Oklahoma City’s economy
showed definite signs of stability.
That same month, CNN
Money magazine listed it as the
best large city in which to launch
a small business, calling Oklahoma City stable and affordable
and praising its diverse local
economy and “high concentration of deep-pocket investors”
who are connected to the gas
and oil industry. In 2008, the
city’s housing market was ranked
the most affordable among large
metropolitan areas in the United
States by Bizjournals.com.
You could say that Oklahoma
City has taken off like a shot,
much like the way it was founded.
In 1889, a gun was fired and a
frenzy of about 10,000 homesteaders scrambled in a historic
land grab. Becoming a railway
hub and center of commerce,
the city doubled its population
within 10 years. In 1928, oil was
discovered, bringing prosperity
as well as numerous oil rigs,
one of which was located on the
lawn of the capitol building.
The growth of the suburbs
put an end to Oklahoma City’s
heyday. Population loss led to vacancies that opened the door for
urban renewal demolition. In an
effort to get things back on track,
in 1993 Mayor Ron Norrick
rallied 54 percent of residents
to pass the Metropolitan Area
Projects plan, or MAPS.
Residents voted for a five-year,
one-cent sales tax increase to
fund nine major catalyst projects
downtown, including a new
central library, a new ballpark
and arena, a canal through
Bricktown, a trolley system,
improvements to the North
Canadian River for recreational
uses, and renovations to the
civic center and fairgrounds.
This series of capital improvements helped bring the city a
higher quality of life, new jobs,
residual investment, and a
momentum for growth that led
to other MAPS campaigns. In
2001, voters passed the second
plan, MAPS for Kids, which
channeled around $470 million
in sales tax revenue to Oklahoma
City schools.
The third MAPS plan was
introduced during Mayor Mick
Cornett’s 2007 State of the City
Address when he announced
a survey to get residents’ input
National Main Streets Conference:
Oklahoma City, May 2-5, 2010.
There is only one gathering each year that brings together people who understand exactly
what kind of work you do… the kinds of opportunities specifically available to a community
like yours… the types of challenges you face and the creative ways to overcome them. It’s
the National Main Streets Conference.
For three days, you’ll experience a whirlwind of great ideas, inspiring speakers,
innovative solutions, and thought leaders who are involved in historic preservation-based
economic development. Other conferences may explore community revitalization, but only
our conference frames it within the structure of the proven Main Street Four-Point Approach®
and shows you how to achieve your goals using volunteer teams.
We are pleased this year to showcase the successes and stories of Main Street
communities throughout Oklahoma. This article showcases our host city and its revitalization
story. Case studies from communities throughout Oklahoma highlight what’s been happening
in recent years around this great state to get you amped about joining us in Oklahoma City
for our upcoming conference.
Free Main Street 101 Training from National Experts!
There’s no free lunch anymore, but there is free Main Street 101 training
by National Trust Main Street Center (NTMSC) staff. New directors,
board members, and volunteers are invited to participate in our day-long,
free training on the basics of the Main Street approach on Sunday, May
2 at the 2010 National Main Streets Conference. You don’t have to be
registered for the conference, but we bet the valuable education and the
enthusiastic atmosphere will make you want to stay. If you are a Main
Street executive director from a town near Oklahoma City with board
2.
MAIN STREET NEWS No. 266 December 2009
members and volunteers who plan to experience the conference
vicariously through you, encourage them to come for the day and
attend the free Main Street 101 sessions. NTMSC staff will cover each
point of the Main Street Approach and share inspiring examples so
you’ll know how things should be done.
Main Street 101 Training (free): Sunday, May 2, 8:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m
on future city improvements.
More than 85 percent of
respondents supported a
MAPS 3 and many suggested
that it focus on road and transit
improvements. The plan was
put to a vote on December 8,
2009, and 54 percent of citizens
approved the seven year and
nine month, one-cent sales tax
increase to raise $777 million.
MAPS 3 projects include a
70-acre, amenity-filled park
that will link downtown with
the Oklahoma River, a railbased streetcar system, a new
convention center, biking and
walking trails, Oklahoma River
upgrades for rowing and kayaking courses, health and wellness
senior centers, and more.
Mayor Cornett celebrated
the passage of the MAPS 3 plan
and said that Oklahoma City’s
golden age will continue because
of it. Billions of dollars of private
development resulted from the
first two MAPS, and the hope is
that the trend will continue. A
citizen oversight board will help
determine which of the planned
projects will come first.
Unfortunately, the last time
many Americans checked in
with Oklahoma City was in
2000, when the Oklahoma
City National Memorial and
Museum was unveiled as a
tribute to the victims of
Timothy McVeigh’s attack on
the Alfred P. Murrah Federal
Building in 1995. The largest
domestic terrorist attack on
American land resulted in the
deaths of 168 people, including
the 19 children in the daycare
center. That dark moment in
this city’s recent past failed to
deter the resolve of its citizens.
Revitalization and an eye on
becoming a world-class city
makes Oklahoma City a great
place to live, start a business,
and enjoy an ever-growing
number of amenities.
Bricktown
Bricktown (pictured on the
cover) is the neighborhood
where people come to have
fun. It is a collection of beautiful
historic brick warehouses, new
buildings, and a canal along
which people can stroll as they
choose which restaurant or bar
to visit before catching a movie.
Originally known as the
wholesaler district because large
regional wholesaler and distributor businesses put down roots
here along the Santa Fe Railroad,
the area also became a major
cotton and agricultural hub. In
the 1930s many companies built
brick warehouses and factories,
designed to last the test of time
and stand as a testament to their
stature in the local economy.
Gradually, however, the
markets began to shift and rail
transport lost favor. The large
companies in Bricktown began to
close shop or move away, and the
city began investing in a new part
of Oklahoma City, hoping to attract big businesses that required
more space than Bricktown
could offer. When the interstate
was built, it cut the district off
from the Cotton Exchange; and,
by the 1970s, urban blight had
taken a strong foothold.
continued on page 4.
The East Gate of the Oklahoma City
National Memorial is inscribed with
“9:01” — a symbol of the innocence
of the city the minute before the
bomb exploded.
Planning Your Trip
If you’ve only visited the state capital – Tulsa –
get ready to be wowed. It’s difficult to offer
everything to everyone – but Oklahoma City has
such a wide range of cultural and entertainment
amenities that you’re sure to find something to
do after the conference’s educational sessions.
After you arrive at your hotel, you can unpack
and hop on the trolley to explore.
If you’re bringing the family, check out the
Frontier City Theme Park; sports fans can head
to the Amateur Softball Association’s National
Softball Hall of Fame; if the Old West is your
thing, head over to the National Cowboy and
Western Heritage Museum; and if eclectic is your
favorite adjective, stop by the World Organization of China Painters Museum or the World of
Wings Pigeon Center.
But that’s only scratching the surface. How
is that possible? Well, Oklahoma City is the
second largest city in the continental United
States by geographical size, after all.
Planning an extended trip or curious about
what there is do after hours? Here are a few links:
 Oklahoma City Convention and Visitor’s
Bureau. Tourism videos, visitors’ guides,
and coupons. http://www.okccvb.org/
 Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc. Find
out where to eat, shop, and play.
http://www.downtownokc.com
Metro Transit. Bus and trolley maps and
schedules. http://www.gometro.org
 Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Don’t miss
the Chihuly glass installations in the lobbies.
http://www.okcmoa.com/
Oklahoma River Cruises.
http://www.okrivercruises.com
 Bricktown. Visit this website even if it is just to
check out the really cool interactive map with
360-degree views of the district. Find a place
to hang out or have dinner.
http://www.welcometobricktown.com
Journey back to the Old West with
a visit to the National Cowboy &
Western Heritage Museum.
3.
Oklahoma City: Bright and Booming in the Heartland
continued from page 3.
An interesting cast of
characters and a series of fits
and starts brought activity and
investment back to the area in
the 1980s. Inspired by the historic preservation efforts that
transformed Denver’s Larimer
Square, developer Neal Horton
began buying property in the
warehouse district. Although
urban renewal hadn’t left much
to save, the structures that
remained were worth it.
Horton soon teamed up with
Bill Peterson, a local attorney
who shared his vision for a
historic district. They formed
the Warehouse Development
Company and began picking
up property and working out
deals with out-of-state owners.
Another partner was recruited,
© Stockyards City Main Street
By Andrea L. Dono
plans were drawn up, and the
area was branded Bricktown.
The momentum was stalled,
however, by tough economic
breaks in the 1980s. The oil and
banking crash of 1982 brought
an end to Horton’s dream.
Although the Warehouse
Development Company
eventually went bankrupt, two
investors bought two of the
company’s buildings, which
were in the final stages of rehabilitation. Another investor, Jim
Brewer, also purchased some of
Bricktown’s historic buildings
and turned one into an attraction – the Bricktown Haunted
Warehouse. That did the trick.
People began visiting this
previously deserted part of
town, businesses rented office
space, and clubs were recruited
to fill a void in the night life. The
massive Spaghetti Warehouse
opened in 1989 and minor
league basketball and hockey
teams began to play games there,
bringing even bigger crowds.
The MAPS projects, the canal,
and the ballpark, helped seal the
deal. Bricktown was back.
Stockyards City:
as Real as It Gets
© Stockyards City Main Street
A cowboy on horseback and
decorated buffalo statues pay
homage to Stockyards City’s
western heritage.
4.
Stockyards City’s history dates
back to 1910 when a public
livestock market opened, and
quickly sparked a large and
lucrative industry for Oklahoma City. Large meat packing
plants soon began operations
in an area that was dubbed
“Packingtown,” bringing a total
investment in the stockyards of
$3.5 million and creating 2,400
jobs for a city with a population
of 60,000 at that time.
The growth of the industry
was not only important to the
state, but to the nation as well.
Within five years, the volume
of livestock handling rose by
130 percent. Growth continued
and soon a business district
sprang up around the city’s
major employers. A streetcar
line, bank, lodging, eateries,
and cattle-related businesses
moved in to support the burgeoning industry. Today, the
Oklahoma National Stockyards
is known as the world’s largest
stocker and feeder cattle market,
and much of the original business district is still intact.
From the moment you step
into this district, which is
about five miles from downtown Oklahoma City, the new
gateway – an arch decorated
with images of a cowboy, steer,
and horse – makes it clear that
this community’s heritage is
steeped in the Old West. Erin
Karl, executive director of
Stockyards City Main Street,
says that it’s easy to feel like
you’ve stepped back in time.
She points out that in 1979,
the entire district was listed in
the National Register and that
“property owners are truly
interested in keeping the
historic aspects alive.”
Choosing to capitalize on
the district’s western image and
roots was an obvious choice for
the Main Street program. “The
Oklahoma National Stockyards
is still a very active employer in
the district and the backbone of
our community,” says Karl. Even
the Main Street program’s logo
derives from the Stockyards.
A large percentage of the 70
businesses on the main street
offer products and services that
meet the needs of the surrounding agricultural community. “This is the place where
you come to buy what you
need if you are a cowboy or
part of an agricultural business,”
says Karl.
This active industry is what
keeps Stockyards City authentic
and makes it a unique tourist
destination. “As long as we
continue to be a working
community that supports the
Stockyards,” says Karl, “we’ll
maintain the authenticity that
other places tend to lose after
awhile. We are very western
and we do what we claim.”
Leveraging its Old West
theme is making the district a
more widely recognized destination. The low-level buildings,
decorated buffalo statues, the
Stockyards City is the place to come
to buy a custom pair of leather
boots or catch a performance at the
Rodeo Opry (above).
Oklahoma
Main Street
Celebrating a Quarter
Century of Revitalization
Successes
The timing of the 2010 conference couldn’t be better for the
Oklahoma Main Street Center.
The program, which is housed in
the Department of Commerce,
is celebrating its 25th year, and
a lot has changed since the days
when it only had five Main
Street communities. When the
program began, it focused on
communities with populations
ranging from 5,000 to 50,000.
Today, Oklahoma Main Street
serves 42 programs: five are
urban programs and half of
the remaining programs are
in communities with less than
5,000 people. What’s more,
five Oklahoma Main Street
communities have won the
Great American Main Street
Award: El Reno, 2006; Okmulgee,
2002; Enid, 2001; Newkirk,
2000; and Cordell, 1999.
As the program grows,
so does the Oklahoma Main
Street Center’s services and
staff. Many readers know
Architect Ron Frantz, who
started with the program in
1985. He and Director Linda
Barnett have been joined by
Tracey Cox, Lindsey Galloway,
Jim Watters, and Alice Johnson
to bring local programs
innovative services in all four
points. Local programs benefit
Become a Fan of the Main
Streets Conference
Be sure to become a fan of the National Main Streets Conference
on Facebook, where we have been and will continue to post
conference highlights, notices, trivia, restaurant recommendations,
and cool sites and shops in Oklahoma City. During the conference,
we invite you to post comments on our Facebook page so you can
share your experiences and what you are learning. When tweeting
on Twitter, please use the hashtag — #msconf — so people can
easily follow your postings about the conference.
Oklahoma City Hot Spots:
Where to unwind after
educational sessions
The following were provided
by Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc.
• O
ver the Counter Bar in the First • Grab a bowling ball and a great
National Concourse: Grab a cold
martini at the Red Pin on the
one at this blast-from-the-past
Canal in Lower Bricktown.
dive bar. Millions of dollars have • People watch on the deck at the
been made and lost in this secret
Purple Bar at Nonna’s with music
lair of oilies and wheeler dealers.
on the patio and Happy Hour
• In Midtown, enjoy the rooftop
half-price appetizers.
at the popular Bossa Nova Bar at • Cocktails on the Skyline. Thursday
Café do Brazil.
nights on the Oklahoma Museum
• T
wo new party spots in Bricktown: sing at the Dueling Piano
Bar or dance on the bar at Coyote Ugly.
from architectural services,
including interior design; marketing; business development;
and promotional services.
Each year, a local program
can host a training so that program managers from all across
the state can visit a fellow Main
Street community and learn
about revitalization by taking
part in hands-on activities.
Oklahoma Main Street also offers an energy grant program
that is funded through federal
stimulus dollars. “Energy conservation is another way our
small businesses can increase
their profitability and feel good
about their efforts environmentally,” says Barnett.
The Oklahoma Main Street
Center also works to extend its
reach beyond its network. To
help spread the “image message,” its DesignWorks program
brings preservation and design
services to non-Main Street
communities. DesignWorks is a
two-day workshop with design
professionals who help mem-
bers of local communities
identify ways to maximize
their existing assets. Focused
on projecting a positive image
of downtown, the team looks
at everything from sidewalks
to buildings to wayfinding.
DesignWorks was developed
through a partnership among
the Oklahoma Arts Council, the
Oklahoma Main Street Center,
and OSU Cooperative Extension. “We want all Oklahoma
communities to celebrate their
heritage and work toward more
attractive, welcoming environments,” says Barnett.
Oklahoma also has a variety
of online resources that anyone
can access. Its website offers a
number of business assistance
tools that Main Street businesses
and volunteers from any state
can use. Several enhanced
Excel spreadsheets offer
explanations of the tools and
formulas that business owners
can use to plug in information
and get the answers they need
to improve business operations.
The “Break-even Sales Analysis
Tool” helps calculate how much
revenue is needed to pay for
expenses and still yield a profit.
The “How Price Changes
Impact Profit” is a management
tool that estimates how much
a store will need to increase its
business and still make money
when discounting merchandise.
The “Cash Management Tool”
calculates short-term cash flow.
And, finally, the “Company
Pro Forma Tool” helps create
the framework of a good
business plan.
Oklahoma Main Street has
helped change the face of
communities throughout
the state. Cumulatively, Main
Street communities have seen
$707,552,794 in public/private
reinvestment; 3,610 building
rehabilitations; a 3,980 net
gain in new business expansions; a 12,506 net gain in new
jobs; and 763,356 volunteer
hours. Barnett believes that
so many historic buildings are
still in use because of the state
Main Street program.
“The Oklahoma Main Street
Center works closely with the
State Historic Preservation
Office and I think we have done
a great deal toward bringing
the preservation message to
the grassroots of Oklahoma,”
says Barnett.
of Art rooftop you can score “$5
after 5:00” deals and enjoy live
music, as well as admission to
the museum.
A Warm Welcome
Hosting the conference in
2010 means a lot to the
Oklahoma people working in
Main Street revitalization,
explains Barnett. “The 2010
National Main Streets Conference coming to Oklahoma
City is a culmination for us.
We have traveled to the Main
Street conference for more
than 20 years and have seen
it grow and become the best
in its field,” she says. “To bring
it to Oklahoma is truly a goal
realized for us. Oklahoma
City has made outstanding
improvements in its downtown
and they are ready to show off
their accomplishments. It’s also
a chance for us to highlight
our many outstanding Main
Street communities.”
The central location of
Oklahoma City also should
make it easy for conferencegoers to travel by car, which
opens up wonderful road trip
and extended stay opportunities. “We work very closely
with our friends at the Department of Tourism and they
would love to help anyone
coming to the conference find
a perfect itinerary for visiting
other parts of our state,” says
Barnett. “We will roll out the
red carpet. I can guarantee
you won’t be disappointed —
our hospitality is well known.”
Oklahoma Main Street Center staff enjoy a ride
on the Water Taxi on the Bricktown Canal.
5.
Live on the Plaza
brings a young,
hip crowd to the
Plaza District every
second Friday.
The Lyric Theater anchors the Plaza
District, an emerging arts district in
Oklahoma City.
“Headin’ to Market” cowboy
sculpture by artist Harold
Holden, and the famous
Cattlemen’s Café steakhouse
are all important elements of
that image.
Special events also communicate the district’s heritage.
For eight years, the community
has been hosting a Run with
the Bulls 5k run. The annual
Cowboy Christmas Parade,
which has been going on for
more than 30 years, attracts
people from all across the state.
This year the parade had 75
entries and was led by 100
marching longhorn cattle. At
the end, a cowboy Santa with
a big hat, belt buckle, and
boots waved to kids along the
parade route before handing
out presents. A large number
of horse- and western-themed
entries filled the parade, including the cavalry, a trick roper,
and a Native American section
coordinated by the owner of a
Native American jewelry store.
Spreading the word about
Stockyards City is an integral
part of sharing the brand with
the larger tourism industry. The
6.
Main Street office essentially
serves as the tourism department
for both the district and the
Oklahoma National Stockyards.
“They know me very well
there. I can walk the catwalk
and bring tours into the auction
barn,” says Karl. “We work
with the Oklahoma Convention Bureau to bring in travel
writers who are looking for a
western experience. Last year
we had writers from Ireland,
England, and Germany.”
The Main Street program
has been spending more time
working with newspapers and
magazines – especially westernfocused magazines – to get
the word out that Stockyards
City is the place to go if you
are looking for the Old West.
With the Oklahoma Centennial coming up, the program
is ramping up its marketing
efforts and looking into commercials, billboards, and other
new opportunities.
In 2010, Karl says, the
program plans to launch
something new each month
to celebrate the Centennial
and show that the past and
future are equally important to
Stockyards City. Developing a
special cookbook, a calendar
featuring district merchants
and their stories, banners,
t-shirts, a special logo that
looks like a cattle brand, an
outdoor Western movie night,
and an Oklahoma wine festival
are currently in the works. Karl
is particularly excited to launch
a sip-and-stroll event that will
place a dozen or so state wineries
in local businesses so people
can taste wine while visiting
businesses in the district.
“Historically, this district was
created to meet the mercantile
needs of people working in the
Stockyards. There were feed
stores, bars, and brothels, as
you can imagine. It catered to
the needs of cowboys,” says
Karl. “One hundred years
later, it has become a tourist
destination with an image that
capitalizes on the Stockyards
that is still up and running.”
And the best part? You can
buy a custom pair of leather
boots, eat a steak at a place that’s
been open since 1910, catch a
performance at the Rodeo Opry,
and even see a real cowboy
walking down the street.
brought to this district through
Oklahoma City incentives,
offers intimate shows and edgy
performances that attract a hip,
urban clientele.
“Before Main Street got started
in 2007, a nonprofit group
working on the area’s revitalization noticed that this area
was where cultures mixed and
would be a great place to recruit artists,” says Kristen Vails,
executive director of the Plaza
District Main Street program.
The district’s Main Street was
a crossroads for the economically depressed Hispanic and
Asian neighborhood to the
south and the more affluent
professional neighborhood to
the north.
Plaza District:
Crossroads for
the Arts
Oklahoma City’s Plaza District
is an emerging arts district
that is trying to combine the
flavor of the diverse residential
neighborhood to its south with
younger, more experimental
artists from the surrounding
community. What once was
a block and a half district of
storage spaces is being transformed into a mixed-use
district anchored by the Lyric
Theater, a performance space
in a rehabbed historic movie
theater. The small theater,
Zoning that allows artist livework spaces keeps rents in the
Plaza District affordable and
attracts new artists.
Artists’ Alley in Mangum brings art, culture, and
economic vitality to a tiny town in Oklahoma.
The area’s low-rise historic
buildings feature a variety of
businesses, including a hair
salon that participates in district
fashion shows, vintage shops,
a gluten-free vegetarian café,
and a tattoo shop. Zoning that
allows artist live-work spaces
was very important to the Plaza
District in order to keep rents
affordable and attract new
artists to the community. Right
now, four arts and handmade
crafts shops have residential
space in the back so the artistsbusiness owners can live where
they work.
“Oklahoma City is getting
too expensive for emerging artists to set up shop or even live,”
says Vails. “We worked with
our property owners to make it
easy for artists to move here. As
property values rise, we hope
that we will still be able to keep
them here.”
As artists moved in and businesses began opening, social
media played a major role in
informing people about activity
in the Plaza District. Social
networking through Facebook
and Twitter was a natural way
to connect with the arts community, university students,
and the young crowd.
“Many of the businesses
that have opened in the Plaza
District are owned by people in
their 20s and 30s,” says Vails.
“Social media was already a part
of their lives. It really helps to
get the word out about what’s
going on here when everyone
talks about it on Facebook and
Twitter at the same time.”
Traditional print marketing
materials and new online
media help spread the word,
but Vails, an artist herself, is
already tapped into the area’s
arts scene. Because she represents
the profile of the shoppers and
artists who the district would like
to attract, she has an insider’s perspective on how to reach people.
Plaza District Main Street is
also using events to build the
buzz. An autumn arts festival
shows people what’s in the
district. It’s also an opportunity
to engage people from diverse
neighborhoods. Volunteers
created flyers promoting the
event in several languages,
worked through the local
schools and churches, and went
door to door to invite people
to the event. Vails said the
festival had a great turnout and
attracted a very diverse crowd.
Located a few miles away is
the established, vibrant Paseo
Arts District, which holds a
first Friday art walk event. The
Plaza District has built on that
momentum by creating its own
art walk − Live on the Plaza −
which takes place every second
Friday. The audience for the
Paseo district tends to be older
and the participating artists are
more traditional. The Paseo and
Plaza Districts work together to
promote each other; together,
they are building a diverse arts
community.
Vails has advice for other Main
Street communities that are
trying to create an arts district.
“You need to be flexible to
attract emerging and younger
artists,” she says. “Work with
your property owners to offer
shorter leases and subleases so
artists can try it out and form
co-ops to make it affordable.
Pricing is so important.”
Vails points out that it is more
difficult to recruit established
artists because they probably
already have gallery space. The
Main Street program should try
to make it as simple for artists
as possible – they just want to
show up and create and work.
And they don’t want to be the
only one there. Be sure to let
them know a plan is in place to
build a critical mass and ensure
that more artists will come.
“I think when people come
to Oklahoma City for the
National Main Streets Conference, they’ll see that the entire
city is being revitalized,” says
Vails. “There is such an incredible
energy here. We are all working
together and getting along. It is
exciting for the city.”
Artists’ Alley:
Putting Mangum
on the Map
The arts cluster that popped
up in Mangum, a tiny town of
about 3,000 people, was the
result of a perfect storm of a
lost lease, a Main Street program,
and a returning resident.
In 2006, a local potter lost
her lease on a building located
just outside downtown. Her
store had become a destination
for tourists visiting the Quartz
Mountain Resort so she really
wanted to open a new location.
Meanwhile, Neil and Greta
Kane had returned to their
hometown of Mangum and
bought a historic building
downtown. The Mangum
Main Street program brought
the two together and Artists’
Alley was born.
“The Kanes came here from
Austin, a city just booming
with arts and humanities work,
and they wanted to support the
arts in their new home,” says
Maxine Thomason, formerly the
executive director of Mangum
Main Street and now the
mayor of Mangum. “They
chose a historic building on the
corner of an alley. The building
had been vacant for so long
they couldn’t find any records
on the structure.”
The Kanes rehabbed the
building, transforming the
upstairs into a loft apartment,
which hasn’t been vacant since
the building was first rented
out in 2006; four gallery spaces
and a coffee shop now occupy
the ground floor. The aforementioned potter was the first
artist to open her studio, and
soon thereafter, artists from the
community and surrounding
area rented the other spaces.
The Kanes are committed to
keeping rents affordable in their
property. Greta even became the
Main Street program’s president,
while Neil joined the board.
Thomason says the Main
Street program didn’t start out
to create an arts niche, but there
were many area artists who had
no place to display their work.
She’s an enthusiastic supporter of
the direction Mangum is taking
because arts programs in the
schools are underfunded, which
she says is typical of many small
communities, and because the
arts improve the town’s quality
of life.
The concentration of studios
and galleries in the alley led to
the city commission to officially
rename the street “Artists’ Alley.”
The arts niche has had a trickledown effect on the whole downtown. The Kanes bought two
more buildings and other people
began investing in downtown
and opening businesses.
Today, Mangum is proud
to boast 24 new businesses.
Thomason says an entire city
block that was vacant for years is
now home to an ice cream shop,
a coffee shop, a newspaper office, and a restaurant. Although
Artists’ Alley is fully occupied,
artists are opening studios in
other spots along the Main
Street district.
“Our sales tax collection has
increased 27 percent from when
Main Street got started in 2004,”
says Thomason. “Artists’ Alley has
been a true economic generator
that benefits everyone.”
Property owners are able to
take advantage of a Main Street
7.
Only in America...
Rural America, That Is
By Linda Barnett
For decades, the Green Frog Café (above left) was the place where many memories were made for residents
and visitors to Wilburton. The Main Street program revives the spirit of the café, which closed in the 1970s,
through an annual festival (above right).
matching grant for facade
renovations and can tap into
the design assistance offered by
Oklahoma Main Street. Several
people, including the Kanes,
took advantage of an energy
audit offered to Main Street
communities through the state’s
Department of Commerce.
They received funding matches
to install energy-efficient heat
and air systems, which allowed
them to channel their money
into other renovation projects.
Each building rehab inspired
another. Thomason says people
became excited about the
transformation in downtown’s
appearance, especially when
aluminum siding or wood
panels were removed to reveal
original brickwork or transoms.
“In one building, they opened
up the transoms to discover
that the light coming through
the window reflected off the
original tin ceiling,” says
Thomason. “That, with the restoration of a skylight that had
been previously covered up,
produced enough natural light
to allow the business owner
to operate with lower energy
costs. It was a great surprise.”
From the zip codes noted in
various studios’ guest books, it is
clear that Mangum is becoming
a tourist destination. The Quartz
Mountain Resort located 10
miles away has a variety of
events that Mangum Main
Street often ties into. During
the summer the resort is home
to the Oklahoma Arts Institute
for high school students.
Mangum produces an art show,
8.
which the children attend, and
local residents can participate
in Institute events that are open
to the public.
In the last few years, Artists’
Alley has received recognition
and accolades from many
groups, including Oklahoma’s
Department of Tourism and
Recreation and Department
of Commerce. It has been
featured in state magazines and
television shows. Its local artists
were asked to exhibit at the
Governor’s Gallery in the state
capitol in 2008; and in 2009,
the Oklahoma Main Street
Center named Neil Kane the
Main Street Hero of the Year.
It just goes to show that one
alley can transform an entire
downtown.
Wilburton: The
Return of the
Green Frog Caf
When the Wilburton Main
Street program was trying to
create the community’s signature
event, they knew it should celebrate local heritage and culture.
They wanted something that
was fun and would show off the
downtown to new customers.
Festival planners honed in on
an aspect of their community
that no other could claim: The
Green Frog Café.
From the 1930s to the 1950s,
everyone gathered at the Green
Frog Café. Maryellen Mooney,
program manager of Wilburton Main Street, Inc., points
out that back then, if you
were looking for the sheriff,
you’d find him there. After
school trips, the buses dropped
students off at the café instead of
the school. The Green Frog Café
embodied all the good feelings
of a close-knit community and
hometown atmosphere − things
worth celebrating through a
signature festival.
“So many people have fond
memories of the Green Frog,”
says Mooney. “People got
married there and had their
first dates there.”
put an ad in the paper asking
people to share their memories
of this beloved neighborhood
institution. “A California man
who used to stop in Wilburton
on his way to visit his grandparents and enjoyed eating
pie at the Green Frog sent us
a letter,” recalls Mooney. “As a
teenager, he and a friend were
hitch hiking on a cold, rainy
night and got picked up by the
sheriff. They spent the night in
jail. Without a word, the sheriff
picked the boys up in the morning and took them to the Green
Frog for breakfast before sending
them back home.”
Although the restaurant closed
in 1975 and the clapboard
building has since been torn
down, the festival brings it back
by setting up a replica with
the original neon sign, which
still lights up. Festival activities
focus on local history. Entertainment includes Native American
dancers and music from the era
when the café was popular.
Storytellers share their tales of
the town and the people who
Laverne, Oklahoma, has a
population of approximately
1,100. It is a new Main Street
community and our smallest, to
date. Laverne, like most small
communities has its struggles
but it also has its charm.
One of the most popular
businesses in town is the Main
Street Soda Fountain. It sells
antiques, gifts, and collectibles,
featured prominently in Wilburton’s heritage. “They talk about
the mining days, the tornadoes,
the railroads – all the things
that impacted or changed Main
Street,” says Mooney.
Old-fashioned games like
sack races and tug-of-war
entertain the children. Local
and American-style crafts fill up
booth space, and a quilt show
demonstrates the handiwork of
folks in the area. Playing up the
frog theme, real frogs are used
in the leapfrog runs, and the
Green Frog Puddle Jump offers
athletes a 5K run and one-mile
fun run. Crafters and vendors
use the opportunity to sell
amphibian-inspired items.
The Green Frog Festival
attracts about 6,500 people,
which is huge for this small
town of approximately 3,000.
attracts a broader audience
from other parts of Oklahoma
and Arkansas by teaming with
Potau, a nearby town that hosts
a motorcycle ride called the Poker
Run. “We tried having a poker
run of our own but realized we
were competing with Potau,
so we partnered with them
instead,” says Mooney. “Wilburton is a stop on their run
and the motorcycle folks love
coming to the festival.”
Planners are constantly evaluating the festival and adding
new activities to make it better
and keep people coming. Newcomers are often surprised to
find a gallery in town and enjoy
antiquing. “One of our goals is
to introduce new people to the
but the biggest draw is lunch. It
has great sandwiches and specials
with dessert. And its milkshakes
are only rivaled by those from
Treats and Treasures in Talihina.
When Oklahoma Main Street
Center staff first lunched at the
Main Street Soda Fountain, we
noticed a sign that read, “Seat
yourself. The hostess has run off
with the UPS man.” We laughed
and were told there was a story
behind that sign. We sat down and
who should bring us our menus,
and eventually our lunches and
take our money at the cash register? The UPS man!
many wonderful things they can
find here,” says Mooney. “We
have a state park nearby and
visitors can enjoy the mountains
and our gorgeous vistas. People
west of here who are used to an
Oklahoma that is flat and dry
without trees can come to
Wilburton and see how
beautiful it is.”
Perry: Main
Street Mercantile
Every year, the Oklahoma
Main Street Center asks a local
community to host a workshop
training that Main Street managers are required to attend.
Last November, Perry hosted a
brand new training called Main
Street Mercantile.
Local Main Street staff and
volunteers spend a lot of their
time assisting businesses, but
many of the them don’t have
any experience running shops.
This interactive training sought
to change that.
The UPS Man
It seems that when Carolyn
Oakley opened her business
she was having trouble serving
everyone during the lunch hour.
She complained one day that she
wished she had some additional
help just during lunch. Her complaint was overheard by the UPS
man, Mike Smith.
The next day he told her he
would help her during the lunch
hour for free sandwiches and
cookies. This is now a tradition in
Laverne. The UPS man has even
brought his boss in for lunch, and
The multi-day workshop
began with educational sessions
on business controls, merchandising, window displays,
entrepreneurship, marketing,
and hosting a grand opening.
All participants were asked
to bring merchandise from
their communities. An empty
storefront in downtown Perry
was turned into an impromptu
shop where the Main Streeters
could practice their new business skills. Participants worked
together to set up displays
and a cashier counter and go
through all the necessary steps
to open a new retail spot.
A chamber of commerce
ribbon-cutting kicked off the
third morning, when the store,
Main Street Mercantile, was
opened to the public for four
hours, during which it grossed
$2,400 in sales. The training
gave participants a better feel
for the challenges retailers face
and gave them experience in
building a business from the
ground up.
As part of the Oklahoma Main Street Center’s annual training, a
temporary shop was opened in Perry to help local managers
throughout the state understand economic development principles.
if you miss the scheduled UPS
pickup at your business or home,
you can always find him on Main
Street during lunch.
So, if you are in Laverne on
Main Street during lunch, stop in
at the Main Street Soda Fountain
and let the man in brown take
your order. While you’re there,
you can also purchase a t-shirt that
reads, “Here’s Laverne. Where’s
Shirley?”
Looking for the UPS man? You can find
him on Lavernes’s Main Street where he
doubles as a waiter at the Main Street
Soda Fountain every day at lunch.
All the Oklahoma Main
Street Center staff had a role to
play. Architect Ron Frantz led
a tour of the square in Perry
and gave a history of retail
storefront design. Jim Watters,
the small business management
consultant, demystified the
pricing of merchandise and
showed participants how to set
up a bookkeeping system.
Tracey Cox, the interior designer,
and her Arkansas counterpart,
Susan Shaddox, taught the
managers how to tell a story
with merchandise displays
and how to build an attractive
window display. Alice Johnson
and Lindsey Galloway, promotion consultants, discussed the
strategy behind naming a business, creating an ad campaign,
building a website, and planning
a grand opening.
The group posted signs in
the windows and created a
Facebook page just for Main
Street Mercantile to build the
buzz. Staci Bolay, executive
director of Main Street Perry,
says the “store” was a big hit.
“People came into the shop and
said, ‘oh, so this is what Main
Street means.’ They could ask
us questions and learn more
about revitalization.”
Main Street Perry also
offered some comic relief for
the hardworking Mercantile
Main Street participants. A
jail-themed reception was held
at the courthouse. Volunteers
dressed up in black-and-white
jail suits and held a mock
trial. Oklahoma Main Street
Center Director Linda Barnett
was “arrested.” Her mug-shot
pictures were taken, and she
was brought up on charges for
crimes such as abuse of power
(because of the mandatory
Main Street trainings).
“Our mayor, city officials,
local merchants, and others in
the community were there,”
says Bolay. “It was a great
awareness tool because our
‘charges’ were based on all the
things Main Street does for the
community. Because the city
was involved, they had the
opportunity to learn what we do.”
Main Street Perry arranged
for a tour of the historic jail
and hosted a lecture with
Charles Hanger, the Oklahoma
state trooper who arrested Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma
City bomber, on the interstate
near Perry. McVeigh was held
in the Perry jail.
Perry Main Street produced
a DVD of the Main Street
Mercantile training as well as
the mock trial and lecture. It
was shown on local television
programs and local newspapers
covered the training and trial.
The video explains what Main
Street does and was produced
to increase awareness about the
program. The program will sell it
for $15. Visit www.perryok.org
for more information.
9.
Oklahoma City: Bright and Booming in the Heartland
By Andrea L. Dono
Here is a list of cool districts in Oklahoma
City. Oklahoma City is one of the three
largest cities in the nation with some 632
square miles within the city limits (this
excludes some 60+ suburbs).
Arts District. Walk to this newly created downtown area. The
Oklahoma City Museum of Art is housed in a recent past architectural gem, the former Centre Theater. Stop at the Museum
Café for drinks and some of the best French fries to be found.
On Thursday evenings, there are cocktails on the rooftop.
Visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum or
stroll through the Myriad Botanical Gardens before visiting the
Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory.
3 http://www.downtownokc.com.
Asian District. The subject of articles in National Geographic,
the Wall Street Journal, and other major publications, this
wonderful area on Classen Boulevard from N.W. 23rd Street to
N.W. 30th Street has many excellent − and inexpensive − restaurants and shops. Enjoy some pho, Vietnamese noodle soup,
along this stretch of historic Route 66. Experience happy hour
at The Prohibition Room in the Gold Dome, a major preservation
victory. This is just a short cab ride from downtown.
3 http://www.okcasiandistrict.com.
Automobile Alley. Directly north of the convention center
is Broadway Avenue, better known as Automobile Alley. This
row of historic car showrooms is the largest concentration of
certified tax credit projects in the state. Coffee Slingers and
Java Dave’s are local gathering spots. Eat at Red Prime, a
contemporary steak house in an old Buick Building. Venture
north along N.E. 9th Street to the Iguana Grill for Mexican
dishes, then hop next door to Sara Sara for cupcakes. While
you walk, look for the historic sidewalk plaques that talk about
the car models of yesteryear that were once sold here.
3 http://www.automobilealley.org.
Visit this district on the 10 years of Tax Credits in Automobile
Alley tour.
Capitol Hill. A short cab ride south of downtown is an emerging Hispanic cultural center that once was a separate little
town. You’ll find small, hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants
sprinkled throughout the area.
3 http://www.capitolhillmainstreet.org.
Visit this district on the Capitol Hill Urban Main Street tour.
Deep Deuce. Originally a hot bed of the 1920s emerging jazz
scene, this once African-American district is now home to
many new residents and businesses. Within walking distance
from the conference site and just over the Walnut Street
Bridge from Bricktown, this area offers the Deep Deuce Grill
− http://www.deepdeucegrillokc.com − and Sage Restaurant
− http://www.sageokc.com.
Downtown Oklahoma City. There is much to do in
downtown Oklahoma City. For a wonderful overview of all the
districts, visit this website:
3 http://www.downtownokc.com
Tours of Art Deco buildings, The Underground, tax credit
projects, Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, a city
overview, and MAPs projects will go through downtown and
the areas around the city’s core.
Eastside Capitol Gateway. This urban Main Street program
is home to some of the greatest Oklahoma landmarks: the
State Capitol, the Oklahoma History Center, and the Governor’s
Mansion. For a good overview of Oklahoma art and history, this
is the gateway. Eastside is a short cab ride from downtown.
3 http://www.ecgmainstreet.com. The Big Bash will be held
at the Oklahoma History Center in this district.
Film Row. Due west of downtown − and within walking
distance of the convention center − is a remake of a classic
show, Film Row. This area of classic Art Deco storefronts is
being reclaimed by professionals, artists, and residents. Public
improvements that are under way will bring Technicolor to the
silver streetscape.
3 http://www.filmrowokc.com/FilmExchange.swf.
MidTown. Just a short cab ride, or hearty walk, from downtown, MidTown is an 81-square block district of rehabilitated
buildings and new construction of all types. For Main Streeters,
there is a super collection of restaurants: Café do Brasil,
Irma’s Burgers, the Grateful Bean, 1492, Midtown Deli, Prairie
Thunder Bakery, and James E. McNellie’s Public House − all
locally owned. Historic eateries include Brown’s Bakery and
The Boulevard Cafeteria.
3 http://www.midtownokc.com/.
Visit this district on the Midtown Urban Neighborhood tour.
Paseo District. Just a short cab ride from downtown, the
Paseo District features two curvilinear blocks of late-1920s
Spanish Revival buildings filled with art galleries, unique shops,
restaurants, and bars. Once billed as the “Haight-Ashbury of
Oklahoma City,” the area retains its counter-culture feel even
though many of the revolutionaries have aged a bit.
3 http://www.thepaseo.com.
Visit this district on the Paseo Artists Colony tour.
Plaza District. This small, two-block district has a concentration of unique live/work businesses that offer merchandise
you can’t find in other parts of town. Several Guatemalan
10. MAIN STREET NEWS No. 266 December 2009
restaurants, as well as other small cafes, dot the district.
3 http://www.urbanpioneers.net.
Route 66. Historic Route 66 meanders through Oklahoma City.
It’s not well marked, but it still has the feel of the open road.
For the most part, take N.W. 23rd Street west from the State
Capitol. Turn north on Classen Boulevard. Turn west on N.W.
39th Street and head west to California, the state. If you want
to say you made a stop on Route 66, here are some historic,
new, and interesting places to visit: Cheever’s (adaptive re-use
in a floral shop), Big Truck Taco (tacos, of course), the Historic
Milk Bottle Building (N.W. 24th and Classen, $1.85 Vietnamese
sandwiches on French baguettes), Grand House (Asian),
Kamp’s (historic neighborhood grocery), Lido (Asian), Fung’s
Kitchen (Asian), Braum’s (local ice cream store chain), Coit’s
Drive-In (burgers and classic cars), Ann’s Chicken Fry (what
else do you need?), and 66 Bowl (burgers, beer, and bowling!). Note: Three tours will be offered during the conference.
One will go west to Weatherford and Clinton, Oklahoma. One
tour will go east to Chandler and Arcadia, Oklahoma. Another
tour will go to El Reno, Oklahoma, a GAMSA town on Route 66.
Stockyards City. Ready for a true western experience?
Founded in 1910 as a commercial district to support meat
packing plants, Stockyards City still retains its western flair.
Shop for just about anything from boots, jeans, and hats to
western décor, saddles, and ranching supplies. Be sure to
have a chicken fried steak at the world-famous Cattlemen’s
Café or Stockyards City Café. This district is about a 10-minute cab ride from downtown.
3 http://www.stockyardscity.org/.
Visit this district on the Historic Stockyards City tour.
Western Avenue. Just a short cab ride from downtown is
the eclectic, rambling, surprising Western Avenue. Beginning
at N.W. 36th Street and heading north to Wilshire Avenue is
a string of wonderful antique stores, vintage clothing shops,
record stores, and restaurants of all types. Guest Room Records,
Cock-of-the-Walk Bar, the 42nd Street Candy Company,
Hideaway Pizza, Atomic Scooters (at N.W. 30th), and the French
Cowgirl are places worth exploring. A core group of restaurants
are within walking distance: Musashi’s, The Lobby, Will’s, The
Will Rogers Center, Sushi Neko, Café Nova, and VZD’s.
3 http://www.visitwesternavenue.com.
w
e
N
A
Streetscape
A Firm Foundation
For
Donna Dow
Durant Main Street
Your District ByCMSM,
D Laying a Firm
Foundation
Following the streetscape construction, downtown Durant
is alive and well. Occupancy in
the district is higher than ever.
Since the Main Street program
began in 1997, the occupancy
rate has hovered between 83
percent and the current 88 percent. The business mix today
is better, and businesses seem
more solid and stable with a
lower rate of turnover.
Another positive economic
indicator is the increase in
rental rates: since 1997, they
have risen $1-1.50 per square
foot. As far as real estate goes, a
building that sold for $70,000
five years ago was resold in
2009 for $170,000. After the
second phase of the streetscape
project, downtown Durant
experienced an average monthly
increase of 2.59 percent in
private reinvestment.
In 2003, Durant had 109
building rehabilitations and 39
facade improvements. Today
those numbers have shot up to
166 and 93, respectively.
Main Street is a comprehensive revitalization approach,
but these economic indicators
can be attributed in part to our
new streetscape, which is creating
an appealing environment in
which businesses can thrive.
While doing a recent interview
for a statewide magazine, I
realized that the new streetscape
has created a snowball effect.
The writer asked questions
that clarified the picture for
me. When asked “What’s the
most important thing that’s
happened in your downtown
since your program began?”
I answered “the streetscape”
without missing a beat.
Of course, the writer didn’t
have the same
background
as those of us
who deal with
commercial
district revitalization everyday,
so he was having trouble seeing
how concrete helped us turn
the corner. Being perceptive, he
figured out that we had literally
“laid a firm foundation.”
Along with pristine new
sidewalks, a new streetscape
normally includes landscaping
and amenities such as benches,
trash receptacles, and bicycle
racks. A more extensive project
might include a one-way street
conversion, traffic-calming
elements, and new parking
schemes. These improvements
make Main Street patrons
feel comfortable visiting the
district. ADA improvements
also make the district safer –
whether they improve accessibility
for a mother pushing a baby
stroller or for an individual
with limited eyesight or mobility.
“Being someone who relies
on a wheelchair to get around, I
very much appreciate the attention the Durant downtown area
is paying to handicap accessibility,” says Robert Howard,
a local resident and employee
of Southeastern Oklahoma
State University. “Wheelchair
patrons, although a small
minority, have special needs,
and I am proud to live in a
community where such strong
efforts have been made to meet
these needs.”
In addition to the visible
infrastructure improvements,
property and business owners
are making their own improvements. It’s like getting new
shoes and then needing a new
dress to go with them. Facade
renovations have increased
since completion of the sidewalk
construction. Building signs
are also being replaced with
signage more appropriate for
the businesses and the district.
The story doesn’t stop with
building exteriors, however.
Stores in Durant have never
had better window displays.
Some business owners were
already creating attractive
windows, but the bar continues
to rise as merchants compete
in a silent but friendly contest
to make their stores as visually
appealing as the street.
Some establishments showed
creativity in ways we had never
seen. Salons and real estate
agents have joined retailers in
the race for the best – one salon
incorporated a tire swing to
capture the summertime spirit. A
furniture store that previously
just stacked mattresses in its
windows was inspired to add
furniture along with photographs,
lamps, books, throws, and
other accents. The transformation created warm, inviting
windows that earned the store
the Best Window Display award
from Oklahoma Main Street.
To build on the momentum
created by vibrant window displays, the Main Street Design
Committee promotes themes
throughout the downtown
to unify local businesses and
show what’s happening around
the community. For example,
to help promote the outdoor
ice skating rink last winter,
businesses adopted displays
with snow, snowflakes, twinkle
lights, and a skater silhouette.
Even service businesses began
supporting the current theme –
including establishments that
don’t rely on retail sales and
had never before decorated
their windows.
A New Streetscape: A Firm Foundation for Your District | By Donna Dow, CMSM, Durant Main Street
A new, improved streetscape
can yield powerful results for
your commercial district. Often
a multiyear, multi-phased endeavor, a new streetscape is the
culmination of a long process
that finally provides visible
results. The ensuing look provides a clean, neat appearance
that exudes pride. Pedestrian
pathways are easily accessible to
everyone, and the stage is set for
success. The business community
renews its own efforts to make
storefronts look as good as the
street does.
Durant, Oklahoma, is
currently in Phase IV of its
downtown streetscape project.
The outcome of Phases I, II,
and III has been instrumental
in stimulating significant
improvements to this thriving
downtown. The district has
new sidewalks and street
amenities, underground utility
wires, a community public
space with a performance stage,
an enhanced parking lot, and
improved rear entrances to
businesses. As a result, the
downtown is seeing more
activities and many more people.
The increased foot traffic is a
result of people feeling comfortable in the heart of the
community again.
I outlined the entire process
of Durant’s streetscape project
in previous Main Street News
articles. I discussed securing
a funding source, selecting a
consultant to design your new
infrastructure, completing the
design phase of your project,
preparing for construction, and
constructing new sidewalks.
To come full circle, the final
article in this series will cover
the results Durant is expecting
after construction is completed.
ays
Pedestrian pathw
11.
Five vacant storefronts (far left) were
rehabbed while the Market Square
streetscape was being completed.
Soon, more than 50 people will work
in these once vacant buildings (left).
The merchandising inside
the stores is terrific as well.
Downtown Durant is becoming
a magnet for owners skilled in
this important aspect of retailing.
Some new businesses have
joined the mix, and their owners
have all realized the importance
of merchandise displays.
Customers don’t have to be
persuaded to come downtown.
Many visit the district to see
what’s new in the ever-changing
window displays. More businesses
are carrying products shoppers
want and are sharing customer
traffic with other stores throughout
the district. Business owners
believe that people who shop in
downtown Durant will visit the
district more often if there is a
cluster of shops in which they
can browse.
Foot traffic is rising and so
are sales. The traffic and resulting
revenue make downtown buildings more marketable to savvy
business owners who want to
locate in an area with a high concentration of potential shoppers.
Gzim Krasniqi, owner of
Roma Italian Restaurant, is
one business owner who took
advantage of the marketability
of the downtown. In December
2004, just as Streetscape Phase
I was completed, he was driving
through Durant on the way to
a nearby community to open
a restaurant. He saw a vacant
building at First and Main, and
the rest is history.
Krasniqi met friendly people
in Durant and liked what he
saw downtown. In the four years
that Roma has been open, it has
transformed nightlife in Durant.
Shops near Roma advertise to
diners through their window
displays, gaining more exposure
to a potentially new clientele.
Durant
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Krasniqi says. “I’ve
had many opportunities to
move my business, but I want
to be in downtown Durant,”
something he has proven by
purchasing and renovating
neighboring buildings to expand
the restaurant. In 2008, Krasniqi
received the Oklahoma Main
Street New Business of the Year
award for the impact Roma has
had on Durant’s downtown.
D Removal of
Sky Trash
The elimination of “sky trash”
– overhead electrical wires
– has dramatically changed
Durant. Downtown is cleaner
and more attractive, for both
shoppers and photographers.
Originally, we were told that
removal of the electrical lines
and transformers would be
cost prohibitive. Wanting to be
sure all options were explored,
streetscape project coordinators
obtained a price tag for this
part of the project, and fortunately it proved affordable.
Burying overhead electrical
lines was quite an undertaking,
but well worth the effort. The
plan was to bring the utility
lines to the meter box, but this
left a gap between the overhead
and underground service. This
would leave the businesses
without electricity. To fix the
problem, some work had to
be done on private property.
Spending public funds and
working on private property
are not allowed for city-funded
projects. Project personnel had
to contact each owner for his
or her consent and financial
participation so the city could
complete this phase of the project.
was able to fill a financial gap
as well as obtain approval and
limited financial participation
by owners of 20 properties surrounding the square. The average conversion cost $1,255 per
meter. Fortunately, the Main
Street program had money in
the bank for a special purpose
after an extremely successful
bull-riding fund raiser. Otherwise, the conversion would not
have been possible. It’s been
said that the best thing about
the Phase II Streetscape is what
you don’t see.
D Creating a
Sense of Place
The entire process from streetscape
construction to merchandising
has helped create a sense of
place. History can be accessed
24 hours a day, 365 days a year
on Market Square. A four-sided
monument and eight pavers tell
the story of important people,
facts, events, and places in
Durant’s history. The Red
River Arts Council paid for
half the cost of the monument
in their first effort at public art.
Since that time, a centennial
clock celebrating the State of
Oklahoma’s first hundred years
(1907-2007) has been added.
In July 2009, the Red River
Arts Council put five painted
horses in the downtown; the
group hopes this will lead to
the placement of many other
horses throughout the city.
Another important aspect of
Phase II was construction of
a stage, which enabled us able
to launch Music on Market
Square the summer after Phase II
was completed. This free weekly
concert series held on Thursday
nights during the summer has
attracted audiences of approximately 100 people. The concert
venue resembles an old drive-in
theater where people sit on
the grass, on benches, in lawn
chairs, in the car, or in the back
of their pickup truck.
The setting seems appropriate
as Market Square has always
been a parking lot. In early days,
people pulled up in wagons led
by teams of mules. Others rode
up on horses. The lot has always
been a gathering spot, and
Durant Main Street is ensuring
that it stays that way.
Skating on the Square was
launched last year when Durant
Main Street hosted it during
the Christmas holiday. Skaters
came from 96 Oklahoma cities
and 106 other cities throughout
the United States. People came
from as far away as Africa,
London, Canada, and Mexico,
and locals chose the spot to
celebrate occasions ranging from
company parties to birthday
celebrations.
Market Square offers a special
venue for events and community
gatherings. In the year after we
completed it, 50 events were
held there. It’s a place where
memories are made and bonds
are formed between downtown
and the younger generation.
For this reason, even though
a streetscape project focuses
primarily on the design aspect
of the Main Street Four-Point
Approach®, it also affects the
goals of the Promotion Committee. When more events are
held downtown, more people
d
you undecide
To those of
:
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rtak
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- Donna Dow
Construction of a stage in Market Square led Durant Main Street to launch
“Music on Market Square” the summer after Phase II was completed (left).
D Unavoidable
Rough Spots
In fairness, a rosy picture can’t
be painted for all aspects of a
streetscape project. Previous
articles have discussed issues
encountered during planning
and construction. With proper
planning and an understanding
of what to expect, you can be
better prepared to deal with
what comes your way. But,
some things are inevitable:
Business turnover will always
occur. A Main Street manager
must realize that businesses will
come and go. While we must
do our best to ensure that they
all have the tools necessary to
survive, marginal businesses will
eventually close and generally
aren’t a strong part of a commercial district’s business mix.
Some owners may claim that
sidewalk construction drove
them out of business. Although
there is no way to determine
the true reason in such cases,
it’s unlikely that the streetscape
project will be the only cause.
Many businesses may not
stock their shelves properly,
and this could affect them
afterward. The owner of
Marie’s, a ladies apparel store
in Durant, stresses that retailers
must buy inventory during
construction as they normally
would. Retail consultant Rick
Segel agrees. “A telltale sign
that a business is in trouble is
lack of merchandise. Does the
store look like it’s closing? Is it
full of merchandise?”
Accidents are likely to occur
while people are getting familiar
with the new sidewalks. Even
people who are well aware of and
excited about the new sidewalks
tend to step off or trip on the
new curbs – even with orange
cones, yellow paint, and railings
everywhere. However, accidents also happen on the old
sidewalks; people just don’t talk
about them as much. You can
use cones and markers to
pinpoint problem areas.
Remember, even when there
are problems, things tend to even
out after a while. Keep the end
goal in mind and the positive
results other communities have
experienced.
D Buzz Throughout
the Community
The buzz about downtown
Durant continues to grow. The
use of online tools such as Facebook and Twitter have helped
tremendously. People returning
to Durant after years away are
always surprised and pleased
at the growth, strength, and
appearance of the downtown.
Positive results have come
out of the streetscape project.
People were encouraged to use
rear entrances during construction. Shoppers continue
to access businesses this way
because of the convenience.
Traffic on Main can be heavy,
and parking spots difficult to
locate. Customers now use offstreet parking lots more often
because business owners have
realized the value of having
two entrances and have made
improvements to encourage
shoppers to use both.
and occupancy rate. Durant is still
in the running as a potential
location for this industrial client.
D Light at the End
of the Tunnel
As a sympathetic Main Street
manager, it can be difficult to
endure the construction project
just as it is a challenge for the
business owners to keep smiling.
Always keep in mind that the
success of your business district
is likely to skyrocket once the
orange cones and workers have
moved on. By maintaining focus
and perspective, everyone can
come out on the winning side.
Of course, sidewalks alone
cannot make the difference − a
comprehensive revitalization
program that utilizes the Main
Street Four-Point Approach®
is needed to set the scene for
success. Working on all four
points in collaboration with
partners, volunteers, property
owners, and business owners,
Durant Main Street is determined to make downtown
Durant the best it can be. The
new look and the enthusiasm it
creates provide an environment
where businesses can thrive.
Donna Dow, the program
manager of Durant Main
Street, has been with the
organization since it began in
1997. She received the Oklahoma Manager of the Year
award in 2001 and became a
Certified Main Street Manager
in February 2002.
During her tenure, the downtown has been listed in the
National Register of Historic
Places, and the Main Street
district was selected as one of
the top three in Oklahoma in a
statewide poll in 2006.
Donna coordinated her first
streetscape project for downtown Durant from July 2001
to December 2004. Phase I
was three blocks along Main
Street (a state highway). Phase
II, which was completed in
December 2006, encompassed
service entrances and putting
electrical lines underground.
Phase III was completed in
December 2008. Phases I, II,
and III cost approximately $2
million. Phase IV is currently
under way.
A New Streetscape: A Firm Foundation for Your District | By Donna Dow, CMSM, Durant Main Street
are exposed to local businesses
and make visiting the district
part of their normal routines.
The Organization Committee
is also involved because volunteers
are necessary to run the events
in Market Square. And the
Economic Restructuring Committee’s work is brought into
the equation to strengthen local
businesses and ensure the
marketability of buildings
lining the new streetscape.
District
Community leaders and residents recognize and appreciate
downtown’s new look. Kathy
Hendrick, a Durant Main Street
board member, points out
that the “streetscape created an
ambience and feel that downtown hasn’t had in many years.
Now people are raving about
the [district]. Market Square
provides activities for citizens
and tourists. Downtown is the
heartbeat of the community,
and Market Square gives downtown a focus. It is embraced
and people are proud.”
Ingrid Cole has two restaurants: the Roadhouse Bar and
Grill and a steakhouse that
opened recently for holiday
parties and will be fully operational in early 2010. The
restaurants are in buildings
bordering Market Square.
“I just love being by Market
Square,” says Cole. “I wouldn’t
want to be anywhere else.”
The Roadhouse is moving
to new quarters after being
displaced by a highway bypass.
Ingrid and her husband Adam
purchased five storefronts that
were vacant before the Market
Square redevelopment. Two local
businessmen purchased and
rehabbed the dilapidated buildings while Market Square was
being completed. Soon more
than 50 employees will work in
these once-vacant buildings.
The benefits of the new
streetscape are not limited to
the downtown area. Durant’s
Economic Development Director
Tommy Kramer believes that
it is “important to have a clean
community and a vibrant
downtown. It is critical. The
streetscape has helped the image
of downtown so much.”
Kramer describes the visit
of an international site locator
group that toured five southern
Oklahoma cities, including
Durant, last September. After
touring the industrial site, they
wanted to see the downtown.
This is a common request by
most companies, especially
national and international locators. Kramer gave the visitors a
tour of downtown to show off
the new streetscape and Market
Square as well as local businesses.
The site selectors were impressed
by the downtown’s appearance
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A Little Employee
Education Goes a Long Way
By Tom Shay
During the holiday season
last year, I was listening to a
radio newscast that was trying
to illustrate the depth of the
recession with an example from
a mass merchant. The retailer
anticipated hiring 24,000 seasonal employees who would
become the stores’ frontline
customer service at its locations
all across the country. Their
employment would start in
mid-November and terminate
at Christmas. The big hook of
this news item was that this
retailer received more than one
million applications for the
24,000 positions.
A representative for the
retailer explained that the
employees would be part time
and that they would receive
sales training before being
placed in the stores to interact
with customers. As many
newscasts do, this one included
a sound bite of the interaction
between a customer and one
of these new salespeople at the
check-out counter. The sales
clerk first stated the amount of
the purchase to the customer
and then asked, “do you have
a [name of store] purchase
rewards card?”
The customer responded
with a simple, “no.”
The employee then asked,
“do you want one?” and the
sound bite ended shortly after
that. Listening to the words of
the sales clerk, I realized that
the person had no sales skills
whatsoever.
Curious to see if this radio
broadcast was only a fluke, I
visited several locations of this
mass merchant. Each time, I
made a small purchase so that I
could interact with the cashier.
My first customer service interaction was with the greeter just
inside the store. Their job was to
watch for people bringing any
merchandise into the store so
they could be directed to the
return counter.
Detective Work
Having made a decision about
what I would purchase before
I went in, I wandered around
looking for the item. Not once
did a sales clerk approach me.
My only other encounter with
an employee was at the cash
register. My experience could
have easily been substituted for
the one I heard on the radio.
Each cashier asked if I had
a store card and each time I
responded that I did not. Sometimes the cashier offered a card
like the cashier in the sound
bite, and other times the cashier
said nothing more and simply
completed the transaction.
What I learned from all of
my visits to the stores was that
the first person (the greeter)
and the last person (the cashier)
with whom a customer would
interact demonstrated the least
amount of customer skills. The
philosophy of the mass merchant
seems to go against the thinking
of what many of us who grew
up in retailing were taught.
Perhaps that thinking is best
summarized by one of the old
adages of retailing found in
the acronym ”ACES,” which
stands for “Around Customers
Everybody Sells.”
“Around Customers Everybody Sells” means that all of
your employees understand
that they are the face of the
store to your customer. For
example, when the people
working in your back office
are approached by a customer
while on the sales floor, they
can’t tell the customer to find
someone else to wait on them.
The same is true for the person
who is checking in merchandise
or stocking a shelf. Whatever
their task at hand, it can –
and must wait – because the
customer in the store at the
moment should be served.
Of course, the office person
might not know where an item
is displayed or the answer to
the customer’s question. But,
he or she can make sure the
customer is introduced to a
salesperson who can provide
the necessary assistance.
My observation is not meant
to condemn the mass merchant.
The scenario I witnessed in those
stores should not be surprising to
most readers of this column. All
of us have had similar experiences. My concern is how often
that situation occurs in Main
Street businesses.
Many Main Street businesses
profess that their personal touch
with customers is their competitive advantage, but the question
asked today is: how can that be
an advantage if employees aren’t
constantly working to hone
their sales skills? Are your local
business owners taking the
opportunity to improve the
quality of the salespeople
working in their stores?
In the case of the mass
merchant in this newscast, let’s
take a look at the math behind
the scenario of its hiring plan.
More than one million people
applied for 24,000 jobs; that
means approximately 42 people
applied for each opening. Is
the most surprising component
who was hired by the mass
merchant? Were they the most
qualified people for each job?
Did the mass merchant spend
more time teaching the new
employees how to perform
certain tasks than on providing
quality customer service?
I use the example of how
a mass merchant approached
hiring holiday help to accent a
point: there are a lot of people
out there who are looking for
work. But a large number of
applicants does not ensure that
you will always get qualified
people.
Commit to
Improving Staff
There are two lessons to be
taken from this story.
The first is that you can, and
should, always be looking for
people who could be better
employees than some of those
you currently have. This is
not to suggest that you should
adopt a mercenary attitude
for your business. Instead, you
have an obligation to yourself
and to your business to hire the
best employees available, and
an obligation to your
customers, especially, to have
the best possible business.
When you have employees
who aren’t meeting your stan-
Main Street News is published 11
times a year as a benefit of membership
in the National Main Street Network,
an organizational membership program
of the National Trust Main Street Center,
National Trust for Historic Preservation,
1785 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, DC 20036.
Tel: 202-588-6219 Fax: 202-588-6050
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.mainstreet.org
Annual dues are $250.
©2009 National Trust for
Historic Preservation
Retailers should teach
their staff how to sell
merchandise (right), how
to maintain the store’s
appearance (above), and
even how to stock shelves
properly (below).
Linda S. Glisson
Managing Editor
National Trust Main Street Center
“In today’s ever-challenging marketplace, your
competitive advantage has to be more than a
statement. It must be something you can
demonstrate to both your staff and customers.”
dards, those employees are not
doing their best to help make
your business profitable; they
are not placing the importance
of your business first.
What’s more, in this scenario
the employees who are doing
what is asked of them may be
wondering how long you as an
owner or manager are going
to tolerate underperforming
employees.
For all of these reasons, it
becomes your obligation and
opportunity to improve the
quality of your staff by finding
a new employee.
The other lesson is that as
a Main Street business owner
you have an opportunity to
improve employee performance
by creating and maintaining a
staff education program.
From my many years of
experience as a retailer, I found
that the best employees are those
I continually taught how to
sell, how to perform various
tasks, and how to understand all
about the products and services
that the business offers.
Providing this education
to your employees is neither
expensive nor labor intensive.
It simply requires meeting with
your entire staff on a regular
basis. A one-hour staff meeting
held every other week, before
or after business hours, is sufficient to provide your staff with
the education that will make
great customer service more
than a claim—it will become a
reality and one of the main
reasons why customers return
to your business. These staff
meetings could include techniques on how to sell; how to
answer the telephone; or how
to stock shelves and maintain
the appearance of the store.
In today’s ever-challenging
marketplace, given your competition from mass retailers’
longer hours and greater selection of products and services,
your competitive advantage has
to be more than a statement.
It has to be something that
you can demonstrate to your
customers and to your staff.
As you begin a new business
year in 2010, differentiating
your business may be one of
your New Year’s resolutions.
Make a commitment to
yourself and your business by
ensuring that you have the best
DESIGN, Main Street News
Frank. Strategic Marketing.
National Trust for
Historic Preservation:
Richard Moe
President
Lauri Michel
Vice President,
Community Revitalization
employees possible and
maintaining an education
program in your business to
make sure that resolution is
carried out.
Tom can be reached at
727-823-7205, by e-mail at
[email protected], or
by visiting his website,
www.profitplus.org.
Doug Loescher
Director
Lauren Adkins
Assistant Director, Field Services
Molly Park
Membership Coordinator
Andrea L. Dono
Associate Editor
The National Trust for Historic
Preservation is the only national,
private organization chartered by
Congress to encourage public
participation in the preservation of
sites, buildings, and objects significant
in American history. The National Trust
Main Street Center provides
technical assistance in downtown
and neighborhood commercial district
revitalization to communities
throughout the nation.
15.
National Trust Main Street Center®
National Trust for Historic Preservation
1785 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Washington, DC
Permit No. 8803
calendar of events
HAPPY
.
S
Y
A
HOLID
January 27-29, 2010
North Carolina Main Street Center,
North Carolina Main Street Conference Downtown: The Key to Recovery
New Bern, N.C., 919-733-2850
Website: http://www.nccommerce.com/en/
CommunityServices/CommunityPlanning
Assistance/NCMainStreetCenter/
February 3-5, 2010
Colorado Preservation, Inc.,
Saving Places 2010
Denver, Colo., 303-893-4260
Website: http://www.coloradopreservation.org
February 4-6, 2010
Local Government Commission, 9th
Annual New Partners for Smart Growth:
Building Safe, Healthy and Livable
Communities
Seattle, Wash., 916-448-1198 x 327
Website: http://www.NewPartners.org
February 22-24, 2010
California Main Street Alliance, 2010
California Winter Network Meeting:
Main Street Excellence
Coronado, Calif., 707-631-5029
Website: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_
id=23484
April 10-13, 2010
APA, National Planning Conference
New Orleans, La., 312-431-9985 or 202872-0611
Website: http://www.planning.org/conference/
May 2-5, 2010
NTMSC, 2010 National Main Streets
Conference: The Power of Main Street
Oklahoma City, Okla., 202-588-6219
Website: http://www.preservationnation.
org/main-street/training/conference/2010/
From all of us at the National Trust
Main Street Center, we wish all of you a
positive and prosperous year in 2010.
May 19-21, 2010
Washington Main Street Program,
Washington State 24th Annual Downtown
Revitalization Training Institute
Port Townsend, Wash., 360-725-4056
Website: http://www.downtown.wa.gov
Calendar entries of state, regional, and
national interest may be submitted in
writing by the fifth of each month for the
following month’s newsletter. We reserve
the right to edit all entries based on
appropriateness and space.

Street News PDF 2009/12 - National Trust for Historic Preservation

Transcription

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