Downtown Assessment Visit
The
following information is provided to communities interested in working with the
Maine Downtown Center to host a Downtown Assessment Visit in their community.
Please contact the Maine Downtown Center for more information (downtown@mdf.org
or 622.6345)
Sample Visit Agenda:
Day
One:
Morning
Early
meeting with community hosts. (7:30 or 8 am) – chamber, development groups
downtown group, city – the group that brought the team to town.
Driving
tour of community with a local guide. (One hour at most) - Include
industrial areas, residential areas, proposed development areas, educational
institutions, other commercial centers and any other areas important to the
assessment of the community
Walking
tour of the downtown with a local guide (1 - 2 hours). - Include time to visit
stores downtown.
Afternoon
Conduct
interviews
30 minutes
per person or group
Schedule a
15 minute break in the middle of the afternoon’s interview schedule
Interviews
can go into the evening, until 7 p.m. if needed
Evening
Debriefing for Team
Identify
major issues and areas of investigation
Pinpoint
specific questions for next day
Day Two
Morning
Breakfast with
community hosts - if requested by Team
Interviews
continue
30 minutes
per person or group
Schedule a
15 minute break in the middle of the morning's interview schedule. Interviews
need to end by 12:30 p.m.
Afternoon
Consultant
Team lunch & work session.
Evening
Presentation to community (7:00
p.m.) – 2 hour meeting
Meeting
with media. The team can meet after the public meeting with local/area
media
End of visit
Suggested List of Persons/ Groups
whom Team might Interview
Individuals:
Major
merchant(s)*
Mayor
and/or City Manager*
Local
chamber manager*
Local
economic development director*
Major
property owner(s)*
Community
development director*
School
representatives
Groups:
Other
merchants and business people
Bankers*
Historical
Society*
Design
review committee
Realtors
Media
representatives (management, not sales staff)*
Contractors
Architects
Local
development groups/committees working on downtown issues*
Arts/Cultural
Groups
Service
organizations
High school
students
Ethnic/minority
residents
Senior
citizens
Community
residents/consumers*
*Strongly
recommended
Local Community Host Responsibilities:
1.
Prepare packet
of current local information for all Team members. Mail information to
Team members, to be received no later than five days before beginning of
team visit. Information that is too bulky or for reference only (such
as comprehensive plans) should be collected and given to the Team for use
during the visit.
Information to be included:
·
Agenda for visit
·
List of
persons/groups to be interviewed
·
List of local
development groups/committees working on downtown issues
·
Any downtown
related design studies or plans (past 5 years)
·
Any recent
market/demographic/feasibility studies
·
Relevant
sections of downtown zoning ordinances and building codes
·
Downtown maps
showing building outlines, store and parking locations
·
Community map
(note location of shopping centers, shopping malls and other significant
features)
·
List of downtown
businesses and brief description of each
·
Current downtown
promotion calendar
·
Description of
financial resources dedicated annually to fund and operate downtown development
programs
2.
Make
recommendations to team for hotels. Team members will make their own lodging
arrangements and pay for their own rooms.
3.
Arrange for
meeting spaces:
·
A moderately
sized room for interviews (to seat 6-12 people) with a comfortable waiting
area. The interview room should be easy to reach for persons being interviewed.
·
A work room for
team work session.
·
One large
gathering space for the public presentation. Comfort is an important
consideration -- comfortable chairs, space for writing, refreshments. If
the space is large enough to require a public address system, arrange for one
to be available and tested before the presentation.
4.
Arrange for all
interviews with individuals and groups (schedule should be set and made
available to Assessment Team at beginning of visit).
·
Schedule should
be made in consultation with assessment team
·
Provide brief
background information on all individuals and groups to be interviewed.
·
Arrange for
coffee in the interview room and for someone to greet persons being
interviewed.
·
Strive to have
at least 50 to 70 people participate in the entire interview process.
5.
Arrange local
publicity:
·
Brief local
media about purpose of Team visit.
·
Arrange for
brief local news conference with Team at end of visit.
·
Arrange proper
pre-meeting publicity and thorough media coverage of Team's public
presentation.
6.
Introduce Team
at public presentation.
