Main St report - - J. Seaton
Rl
DUBUQUE
\. MaIn Street /
~
We also report the following statistics, as it relates to downtown Dubuque:
I st Quarter - Fiscal 2007
DESIGN
Facade Renovations
Building Rehabilitations
New O:mstruction Projects
Real Estate Sales
Public lmprovement Projects
Total Reported Investments
$15,560
$1,626,068
$6,069,500
$1,958,772
$2.817.050
$12,486,950
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
New Businesses
Relocation to Main Street Districts
Space Expansion
Moved Out afMain Street District
Businesses Closed
Net Business Space to Districts
13
4
2
-3
-3
+13
Net Gain (Loss) In Employees to District
+66
909 Main Street · Suite 22LL. Fischer Building . Dubuque, Iowa 52001
Phone: 563-588-4400 . Fax: 563-588-0645 . E-mail: dbqmalnst@mwcl.net
Dan LoBianco has attended and/or presented at the following meetings at least once this quarter:
. the Downtown MasterPlan Oversight Committee & Economic Development Subcommittee
. City Housing Initiative RFP Review Committee
. City's Economic Development Stakeholder Team
. GDDC's Economic Development/Marketing Coordination Group
. Dubuque Enterprise Zone Commission
. the Warehouse District Planning Committees
. State Human Resources Management ICN Training Session
. the America's River Board & Marketing Committee
. the Downtown Elementary School Oversight & Charter School Administration Team
. Community Leadership Group
. City Council/City of Dubuque
. the Convention & Visitors Bureau's Advisory Board & Festivals Committee
. Main Street Iowa - Marshalltown Main Street Program Annual Visit & Evaluation
. Envision 2010
. the Dubuque Cultural Alliance
. Radio Dubuque Interview
. Downtown Dubuque Program Funding Committee
. Great Places Application Committee & ICN Training
. The Business Accelerator Planning Group
. Mississippi River Commission
. Downtown Pedestrian Way-finding Task Force
. City Hall/Farmers' Market Parking Lot Planning Committee
. Kiwanis Board & Regional Convention Planning Subcommittee Chair
. Art on the River Celebration
. Loras College Media Services Interview
. KCRG & KWWL Interviews
. Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance State Conference
. Leadership Dubuque (Clarke CollegelDubuque Area Chamber of Commerce) Presentation
. All American City Award Community Session
. Chamber Ambassadors Meeting
Dubuque Main Street staff worked/is working on the following initiatives:
. Our New Office Build-out
. Cultural Corridor
. Farmers' Market (First Com & Dog Days) Celebrations
. Dubuque & All That Jazz
. State Of Iowa Downtown Summit
. The Iowa State Main Street Fair Booth
. Voices in the Warehouse
. Faces & Voices
. Flag Poles in Cable Car Square
. Summerfest
. Riverfest
. Regional Chili Cook-off
Existing Business/Retention & Recruitment Calls made by DMS last quarter included:
Accessorize Me, American Tree Service, American Trust, Area Residential Care, Beanie's Cafe,
Berthel Fischer & Company, Bill Soto, Breezy's Cafe, Brew Haus, Bricktown, Bruce Heitz, BT
Office Supply (former Location), Butts Florists, The Business Accelerator, Carlisle-Ryan,
Carnegie-Stout Public Library, Cedar Rapids Warehouse Development Group, Conductive
Music, Crossroads Counseling Center, Davinci's, Daykin Insurance, Democratic Headquarters,
Dog Dirty Grooming, Dream Home Innovations, Dubuque Bank & Trust, Dubuque Pentecostal
Church, Dubuque Regional Airport, Dubuque Supply, Durrant Group, Farley-Loestcher
Development Project, Finley Hospital, The Fischer Arcade, The Fischer Companies, Fleming
Law Office, Friedman Insurance, Gilloon- Wright-Hamel PC, Giggles, Gin Rickies, the Grand
Opera House, the Grand River Center, Gronen Restoration, HHH Enterprises, Heartland
Financial, Higley Chemical, Holiday Inn, Hilton Gardens, Jeld-Wen Fiber Products, Jen Kinzie,
Julien Art Centre (former) Building, Klauer Law Offices, Kurtz Communication, The Law /
Enforcement Center, "Lenore's" Coffee Shop, the Maria House, McCoy Jewelers, McGraw Hill,
Medical Associates, Mercy Housing Apartments, Moo Java, Morton Design, MSC Properties
Inc., Music Conservatory of Dubuque, National Mississippi Museum & Aquarium, NICC,
O'Toole Office Supply, Outside the Lines Gallery, Patrick Sterenchuk, Pickerman's of Dubuque,
Platinum Services, Powers of Communication, Pregler-Belmont, Prescott School, Prudential
Financial, Radio Dubuque, The Red House, Regency Thermographers, Restoration Warehouse,
Second Look, Sedgwick CMS, SGO Designer Glass, Sisters of Saint Francis, SMG/Five Flags,
the Source, Steve Cannon (Developer), Teresa House, Total Chaos, Upper Main Revitalization
Project, Walling Enterprises, White Florists, Wilmac Properties, and the Workforce
Development Center,.
In relation to the comprehensive Downtown Master Plan, Dubuque Main Street is involved in
implementing the following initiatives, with most recent work in brackets []: (Not as many
updates this quarter, as task force updates for the September meeting were included in the
previous quarterly report.)
Element la: Commerce - Business
Investigate and pursue grant applications (i.e. EDA) which administer dollars for economic diversity and
sustainability
[Dubuque Main Street has received eight applications for the Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant 2006, maximum
grant increased to S100,000. DMS will interview top two projects in late October, and submit one application to the
state by November 15,2006. City, DMS, ECIA & others have gleaned three potential sources to bring New Market
Tax Credits to one or more downtown Dubuque projects. . . Requests to the Iowa sources wil1 be narrowed by the
end of October.]
Ensure City's enterprise zone boundaries to include key employment areas Downtown in an effort to "level the
playing field" for business growth
[New Enterprise zone application for the expansion and rehabilitation of Cottingham & Butler's Security Building
project approved by the local commission and forwarded to the state in September.]
Establish an organization, or expand an existing one, to market downtown for business location and expansion
Work with Dubuque Main Street Ltd. And Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce to identify key target industries,
which could be accommodated Downtown - develop marketing materials and implement a program for business
attraction
[(See also item 3 above)]
Support (regulations, financial incentives, marketing assistance) signature development and redevelopment projects,
which would promote the attraction of primary and targeted business to Downtown
Promote creation of a Business Accelerator downtown
[Accelerator up and literally running. Many advances have been made with the new director, Brian Dalziel. Several
clients could easily lead to growing businesses in the Dubuque market soon. DMS working with the Accelerator and
Wilmac properties to begin building-out of a five-business Entrepreneurial Neighborhood on one floor of one of the
former Caradco warehouses, with potential occupancy oftwo of these spaces by spring 2007.]
\Vork with local lenders to develop revolving loan funds and various grant programs to strategic downtown
development and redevelopment projects
[DMS still tweaking a hybrid program to target specific areas of development with two local lenders.]
Element Ib: Commerce - Retail
Access/expand fa~ade maintenance program from local, state and federal sources, which offers low-interest loans,
grants, and matching funds for building enhancement
[See Element I a - item #8 of Plan & DMS has scheduled four design assistance drawing visitations in early
November (three in the Upper Main District and one in the Warehouse District) with MSI. Seventeen property
owners now have plans and task force members are encouraging property owners to implement these plans.]
Retain the services of a national retail broker/developer representative to solicit the interest of commercial
businesses, which are consistent with the community's vision for Downtown. Have the individual work with a local
"recruitment team" to fill vacancies and manage retail concentrations
[GDDC is working on this initiative, and DMS is working with two targeted building owners to look to a select
group of successful and esthetically pleasing restaurants in regional areas to model two anchor projects in the Town
Clock & Upper Main Districts.)
Maintain flexibility in City regulations to accommodate commercial businesses - building set-backs; zoning;
landscaping; etc. - ensure quality through design guidelines
Attract and subsidize unique anchor(s) to downtown to draw resident and visitor spending and diversify the exiting
retail base
[See Element lb - item #2 & 3 of Plan]
Work with Dubuque Main St. and Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce to expand programs for small commercial
businesses Downtown - providing funding, training, and marketing support
Maintain flexibility in strategies to encourage development in specific locations - trade properties (land swap) either
currently in public ownership, or which could be acquired; write-down land; assemble strategic parcels; develop
property promotion material; work with local brokers.
[Study of the feasibility of certain properties included in Housing RFP, with a consultant to be hired this month.]
Work with Dubuque Main Street Ltd. to finance preparation ofa tenanting strategy by district in Downtown-
develop supportive policies, which restrict street level service office/incent second floor offices in key locations
Appoint a team of local designers to establish design guidelines for commercial properties Downtown, which are
sensitive to the historic and physical environment. yet, which promote quality and sustainability
Analyze the feasibility of developing a turnkey facility for a mid-size commercial "box" Downtown - developed
publicly and transferred to a private entity
Establish a diverse "tool box" of financial and regulatory incentives for mixed-use projects. Among those resources
to be researched are funds available through the New Markets Tax Credit program
[OMS progressing with Refinery Design & Wallis Photography to develop a digital collateral piece for this purpose,
with publishing scheduled for February 2007.]
Element 2: Culture, Education, and Entertainment
Work with Arts and Culture Advisory Commission, merchants, Leisure Services Department and other groups
coordinating community events planning - institute streamlined permitting processes
Identify and formally designate a cultural/artisan district - growing on the current concentration of art venues in
central Downtown
[Second-intern hired by DMS for work now - 151 semester 06/07 - Student is measuring specific sales at more than a
dozen brick and mortar businesses downtown to see how special cultural events impact 365-day-a-year businesses
downtown.]
Coordinate efforts of arts groups and leisure services organizations to make cultural arts activities part of a
comprehensive package for tourism
[(As encouraged by Cultural Commission) Chamber, OMS, Dubuque Cultural Alliance, SMG & Dubuque 365
working on enhanced long-range calendar coordination between arts organizations. The CVB may be able to host
this site. or Dubuque 365 assistance will be pursued.]
Encourage creation of an arts program (support designation as a magnet art school) within the Downtown schools -
strengthening their appeal to a larger market and supporting art training at a young age
[Partnerships with the new Prescott ARTs "charter school" are forming quickly with OMS assisting school faculty
on ARTs and non-ARTs expeditionary learning opportunities for the downtown schools students.]
Establish Dubuque Arts and Culture Advisory Commission; during the interim work with one of several existing
organizations (Dubuque Cultural Al1iance, Dubuque Arts Council, Chamber Festivals Committee, Dubuque Fine
Arts Society)
Support (subsidize) the residential portion of live/work signature project to control sale prices and appreciation
Solicit the interest of national and local experts in the development and redevelopment of a demonstration live/work
project Downtown
Develop a strategy to maintain an inventory of attainable artisan housing - involving corporate partners and local
developers where feasible .
[See Element 1.5 of Plan. Warehouse district condo concepts are being further developed, with a feasibility study to
occur in early 2007]
Adjust landscaping requirements (under current regulations) to include green space and public art
Element 3: Historical Features
Expand the dollar amount and number of existing facade improvement grants and low-interest loans to promote
redevelopment preservation (keep this money separate from larger sources)
[TIF funding expansion again being pursued in City budget process for fiscal 2008, and see element I of Plan for
new programs.]
Encourage the reuse of historically significant buildings for residential use -lofts. condominium, row house;
streamline the process and create financial incentives for restoration where feasible
(Plans beginning for the grant-funded annual Architectural Days in March or April 2007. Expansion of
"celebration/educational" opportunities for this annual event received $2,000 from the City Cultural Commission.]
Complete the formal designation of properties identified as part of the City's historic inventory
[List and mapping continues, as we head toward a national histone Millwork/Warehouse District. . . No design
review will be required, unless building developer is looking for historic tax credits. Entities, such as Jeld-Wen, will
be allowed to opt-out of the district even though there is no apparent drawback to this designation and most of the
other building owners are strongly in favor of the district.)
Initiate a lobbying effort (at the state level) to increase state historic tax credit pool
[As stated previously, tax credits did fall to the state budget fight, and now the state department will not encumber
any state credits into the future until 2010. This could dramatically impact development of major projects in
downtown Dubuque. . .Two projects (German Bank/Silver Dollar & Star Brewery) are "in line," but others, such as
the Fischer Companies 900 Main Street buildings, seem to be on hold. At the Iowa Historic Preservation Al1iance
annual conference held in Dubuque in September, a very fruitful panel discussion occurred, including
representatives from the Iowa legislature, and a new direction for pursuing the expansion of state historic credits is
being formulated. Statistics will also be gathered thru the Housing Catalyst project consultant, as one of the
principals for the recommended firm has studied state credits in a number of states, including Missouri - a state with
no cap. OMS and the Chamber Alliance endorse immediate advocacy for the legislature to raise the credits to $20
million per year.]
Identify/designate specialist (either within the City or as consultants to the City) who can assist applicants with state
and federal tax credit applications
Establish a Downtown Design Guidelines Task Force of local design, development and business owner
professionals (including representatives ofDMSL) to prepare design guidelines for Downtown character districts
[No action taken by Planning Services yet, due to time frame.]
Element 4: Public Space and Open Areas
Continue to encourage and support areas for outdoor dining
Work with property owners, DMSL and neighborhood organizations to create/expand the formal district designation
(SSMID) to address maintenance of Downtown streetscape and other public space improvements. (This could
include sidewalk snow removal, litter removal, repairs to streetscape furnishings, and seasonal flower plantings and
maintenance)
Work with Downtown advocacy entity to develop/coordinate a loan pool for higher risk and public good projects
(pledges can be loans, letters of commitment and stock purchases)
[See info under element la, #8 of Plan.]
Enhance Downtown surface parking lots with internal and perimeter shade trees, low hedges, seasonal flowers,
security lighting and decorative metal fencing
[Plans for an overhaul oflhe "City Hall Parking lot" between Iowa & Central- Ith & 13" Street are progressing,
with OMS's Farmers' Market Committee endorsing the concept of the renovation and pledging to shift market
booths to this area to enhance safety and the market's ability to expand products with the availability of electricity.]
Enhance Iowa Street between 14th and 3rd Streets as a heavily landscaped greenway with wide grass boulevards,
sidewalks, striped bike lanes and pedestrian lighting and specialty banners
Continue the implementation of Downtown gateway enhancements and wayfinding projects
[Meetings continue with Mission Creative for the pedestrian wayfinding sign system. The goal for completion is
May I, 2007]
Complete the implementation of the Downtown streetscape improvements along the remainder of Main Street from
1st to 14th Streets
[City slaffworking with DMS and property owners toward a construction schedule in Spring of Calendar 2007.)
Element 5: Residential Living
Actively maintain the critical elements of the Downtown neighborhood - schools (Prescott School), churches-
through advocacy, education and financing
Pass an ordinance enabling the Housing Trust Fund Committee to make decisions related to housing policy in order
to qualify for state funding
[Gronen Restoration use of IF A LIHTC award of $2.6 mlllion for the historic restoration of the fonner Dubuque
Casket Factory continues to progress. Thls adaptive re-use will create 3S apartments and a 16,000 square foot first
floor for office uses, including the new Community Health Care Center.]
PreNnegotiate lender participation including subordination
(On.going: With cooperative nature of this effort, Master Plan task force stiB questioning need for a formal
procedure here, until a specific project/need is evident.]
Encourage the reuse ofhistoricaJly significant buildings for residential use - lofts, condominiums, row houses;
stream line the process and create financial incentives for restoration where feasible
[Gronen affordable housing (moderate income) are now all occupied. Storefronts are close to completion, with a
majority occupied soon.]
Provide education for property owners who don't know there is a residential market, or how to access funds and
redevelop projects
[See Element 3 - item #2 of Plan, and note new housing-preference study being conducted in partnership between
DMS & Dubuque 365.]
Provide predevelopment assistance - manpower, financial, legal, and organizational resources in order to streamline
and reduce costs
(Goal of resource center now opening ~ October or November 2006, with heavy construction underway.]
Complete initiatives under Green space Evolution catalyst concept and continually improve the livability of
Downtown
Work with property owners to establish appropriate improvements district mechanisms (SSMID) to assist in the cost
of delivering a livable environment downtown
[See Element 4 - item #3 of Plan]
Promote the advantages of living Downtown to the local market.
[See item #7 in Plan, and DMS applied for and received DRA funding for print collateral materials for this initiative.
Completion by February 2007 is goal.]
Establish a diverse "tool box" of financial and regulatory incentives for Downtown housing projects. Among those
resources to be researched are funds available through the New Markets Tax Credit Program
[See Element Ia - item #1 and Element lb - item #12 ofplanJ
Element 6: Transportation
Work with merchants and City to coordinate transit operations and levels of service on roads, promoting mobility
and connectivity
Consider a range of methods to promote the pedestrian environment - linking parking lots; coordinating traffic
signals; widening sidewalks; adding street furniture and lighting; and. coordinating future transit stops
[See various items in element #4 of Plan.]
Commit to participation by merchants in all downtown transit planning projects
[DMS is to be made aware of all going on and will coordinate appropriate meetings.]
Strengthen the connectivity between the Port of Dubuque and the Central Business District including the Cable Car
Square shopping area
[See element 4 for details on Pedestrian wayfinding system implementation.]
Improve vehicular accessibility to the Port of Dubuque
Complete a parking management strategy and establish parking districts downtown wherein parking design,
development and management issued among multiple facilities are controlled by a single entity
[Town Clock area commercial managers joined Upper Main district stakeholders and City Parking Department
personnel in a meeting on future expanded parking needs due to expanded employment in the area. A few
alternatives were discussed and seemed acceptable to all parties at the initial meeting. Employers will be getting
longer term employment projections to Mike Steele, who will formulate a report for the City.]
Improve pedestrian accessibility to the Port of Dubuque
[5ee Element 6.3 & 6.7 of Plan]
We value the opportunity to support the efforts of the City of Dubuque in downtown and
riverfront development through our four points of emphasis. If you have questions, please give
me a call at (563) 588-4400.
Sincerely,
Dan LoBianco
Executive Director