DOWNTOWN VISIONS
Main Street Wilmington
"Making our Downtown better everyday"
The Revitalization of Wilmington
June 20, 2011
Our History
In 1994, Downtown Visions was granted a charter by the State of Delaware and City of Wilmington to manage the “Business Improvement District” of Downtown Wilmington.
This 70 block area consists of 700 commercial buildings, 355 occupied by street level independent businesses and 90 vacant storefronts. Our long-term objective is to achieve full occupancy and a robust downtown environment for Wilmington.
Some 80% of the City’s tax revenues are generated from within the BID, which includes Rodney Square, Market Street, Delaware Tech and most of Wilmington’s major employers.
1st Priority: Clean & Safe
For the past 16 years, Downtown Visions has worked to improve the cleanliness and safety of the business district, an essential first step toward revitalization.
A nonprofit organization, DTV has created a number of small businesses under its umbrella to carry out “clean and safe” functions. Any income realized from these small entities, plus an assessment paid by the owners of each commercial building, provides the revenue that allows DTV to carry out its mission.
DTV employs a workforce of approximately 50 people. We seek committed, hard-working local residents and provide training, support and job promotion opportunities. For many on our staff, this is their first employment.
Our “Bridge Program” within the Safety Division, for example, helps prepare DTV’s Ambassadors for possible subsequent careers with the Wilmington Police Department.
DTV Cleaning Division
Downtown Wilmington’s streets and sidewalks present a clean, neat and welcoming environment every morning, thanks to our Cleaning Division.
DTV deploys 12 uniformed workers in two cleaning squads, seven days a week. Working in 10-hour shifts, they use mechanical sweepers and power washing equipment to clean the entire district’s sidewalks of dirt, gum and grime. Our workers pick up more than 140 tons of rubbish from Downtown Wilmington streets each year.
Our specialized graffiti removal team uses solvents and high-pressure washers to blast graffiti from sidewalks, building walls and signs. Online reporting of graffiti is encouraged via the DTV website.
Cleaning Ambassadors regularly survey the district for such problems as clogged sewers, code violations, illegal trash disposal and non-functioning street lights. Reports are made to the appropriate public agency, after which we follow-up to ensure prompt attention.
DTV Safety Division
The objective of the Safety Division is to aid in crime reduction and thereby enhance public confidence in the security of Downtown Wilmington.
We have 15 uniformed Safety Ambassadors on the street, 16 hours each day, working in concert with 10 Wilmington Police Officers assigned to the District at our request.
Moving about on bicycles, by foot patrol and in vehicles, each Ambassador is equipped with a two-way radio and has undergone training in first-aid, CPR, and public safety.
DTV Safety Ambassadors report nuisance and more serious crimes to City Police for quick response. They also provide directions to visitors and serve as after-hour safety escorts, on request.Another 15 members of our Safety Division spend 17 hours each day monitoring Wilmington’s sophisticated camera surveillance system, installed at 25 key locations across the District.
This has been such an effective deterrent to crime that 48 additional cameras have been installed in other Wilmington neighborhoods. The system allows for live feeding of criminal activity directly to the Wilmington Police.
Since the Downtown Video Partnership Program began in 2001, it has assisted Police and Fire personnel with more than 10,000 incidents – not only criminal acts, but also locating lost children and disoriented adults and discovering early-stage building fires.
DTV also sponsors a series of annual seminars and conferences on public safety; manages an email alert system for key public officials, and hosts a committee to deal with issues of parking safety in the district.
Our Newest Objective: Economic Revitalization
Our earliest new business initiative began in 2005 with the launch of the Wilmington Farmer’s Market at Rodney Square. This popular venue is open every Wednesday from May through October, providing access to reasonably priced access to healthy produce, fruits, home baked goods, plants and flowers, and hand-made products.
More recently, DTV has been actively engaged in encouraging significant private investment in the District, particularly along the Market Street and 9th Street corridors.
The Buccini-Pollin Group, Preservation Initiatives, Pettinaro Enterprises, The Commonwealth Group, McConnell Johnson and Delaware Offices are among a number of developers who have purchased and begun renovations of older historic commercial buildings within the business improvement district. These buildings typically feature retail space on the ground floor, and attractive apartments for rent on the upper levels.
DTV is working closely with these developer-investors, as well as our non-profit affiliates. The Delaware College of Art and Design (DCAD), for example, is well positioned to generate economic activity and renters in the downtown sector, and the Delaware Historical Society provides guidance for restoring many of Downtown Wilmington’s historic buildings.
Façade Improvements
A pleasing external appearance for a commercial or retail building is essential in attracting potential customers.
A block-by-block inventory completed by DTV in 2011 shows that 78% of the 355 current Downtown businesses would benefit from façade treatments. In addition there are 90 vacant storefront properties in need of renovation.
DTV’s Façade Improvement Program offers matching grants of up to $25,000 per facade to increase the appeal of downtown buildings and storefronts.
These matching funds are most often used for improvements to facades, signs, awnings and display windows. They help pay for the removal of security gates and the installation of security glass. Grants are also used to illuminate facades and improve pedestrian-level lighting.
Over the coming years, DTV seeks to enable façade improvements at some 276 downtown commercial buildings, at a matching cost to DTV of $7 million which will produce $189 million in re-investment by individual property owners and developers. Many of these properties will undergo complete restoration to include residential space on the upper floors, creating hundreds of new apartments on Market Street alone. With that in mind, DTV is collaborating with the City of Wilmington on the Upstairs Fund Program which may be used for complete building restoration.
Business Recruitment
Having added a Director of Economic Restructuring and by working with a consultant, Retail Marketing Answers, DTV has identified specific types of small businesses that would fit and be successful within each commercial block, beginning with Market Street.
This has helped us recruit a host of new retailers to the District, and gives us block-by-block objectives to reference when meeting with new business prospects. Some new businesses in progress include a flower shop, bakery, men’s apparel, delicatessen, coffee shop with gaming, destination restaurants, and small entertainment venues.
Wilmington Welcomes New Businesses
2010-2011
Loma Coffee, Rat Pack Café, Vinoteca 902, 2 Fish Group, World Café Live, The Bus Stop Corner Store, Paradise Palms, Shenanigans Irish Pub & Grill, Extreme Pizza, Film Bros. Movie Co-Op, Photography Studio on Market, Vultran Creative Marketing Group, Element Design Group, T Mobile Wireless Central, Cool Water Mind & Body Connection, Market Street Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, Primo Hoagies, Virtuous Transitions Hair Boutique, The Bike Boutique, Salon Studio International, Brew Ha Ha!, The Nomad Jazz Bar, Dimensions & Co.by Ace, NOSO Boutique, Terra Café, Homme Male Salon, Bloomsberry Flowers.
#Be Here Wilmington
DTV doesn’t just recruit businesses; we endeavor to retain our quality businesses through joint marketing initiatives, social media, networking and the latest innovations in communication technology. DTV also works at creating new business opportunities through referrals and educational opportunities.
Urban Planning
Successful economic revitalization is done best within the context of a compelling overall plan. A great urban plan acknowledges that more residents are essential in order to fuel business growth; and that green spaces, entertainment and recreational opportunities are needed to attract those residents and provide a high quality of living.
During 2012, DTV will sponsor the creation of Downtown Wilmington’s first comprehensive urban plan, guided by a coalition of interested and committed local businesses and non-profit leaders.
This plan will provide the blueprint for Wilmington’s full revitalization, creating a new “vision” for Downtown, while laying out the necessary steps for facilitation.
Main Street Wilmington
In 2007 DTV established Main Street Wilmington, a program certified by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Delaware Economic Development Office. The Main Street methodology of revitalization is based on a comprehensive yet incremental strategy. As we engage in planning for Downtown Wilmington’s future, we must not forget its glorious past. Main Street communities embody the qualities DTV seeks for Downtown Wilmington: pedestrian friendly, service oriented, and community based, with a distinctive historic flavor.
Downtown Visions
Attn: Will Minster
P O Box 2000
Wilmington, DE 19899
Be Part of the Revitalization of Wilmington
For more information, please call 302-425-5373 or visit our web site at www.downtownvisions.org. High visibility opportunities for corporate sponsors are also available.
Support Downtown Wilmington
Your donation helps Downtown Visions & Main Street Wilmington to create, manage and promote a quality environment for people who live, work and visit Downtown Wilmington.
PO Box 2000
Wilmington, DE 19899
Thank you for your interest in the revitalization of Wilmington.
Downtown Visions is a 501 C (3) non-profit # 51-0362299.
All contributions are completely tax deductible and qualify for community reinvestment. A receipt for your donation will be sent to the above address.
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Support Main Street Projects
Support Downtown Wilmington
Your donation helps Downtown Visions & Main Street Wilmington to create, manage and promote a quality environment for people who live, work and visit Downtown Wilmington.
Downtown Visions is a 501 C (3) non-profit # 51-0362299.
All contributions are completely tax deductible and qualify for community reinvestment. A receipt for your donation will be sent to the above address.
