Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown Connecticut Main Street Center Connecticut Main Street Center Mixed-use/Mixed-Income Development
Dec 22, 2015
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Connecticut Main Street Center
Mixed-use/Mixed-Income
Development
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Connecticut Main Street Center, a statewide nonprofit corporation, is dedicated to
economic and community development within the context of historic preservation.
CMSC is committed to bringing Connecticut’s commercial districts back to life socially and economically by providing
education and training, resources and technical assistance, and advocacy.
MISSION STATEMENT
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
History of the Decline of Downtowns
Until the 1950’s, America’s downtowns were the center of:
- commerce
- government
- culture
- entertainment
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Forces & Trends that Changed the Character of
Downtowns:• Advent of the federal highway system
after WWII• “June Cleaver went to work”• Change in shopping patterns –
downtown stores moved to the suburbs
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
The National Trust for Historic Preservation
developed the first
Pilot Main Street Program
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
The Main Street 4-Point Approach
Increases the:• Civic value – through Organization• Economic value – through
Economic Restructuring• Physical value – through Design• Social value – through Promotion
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
PartnershipsOur Key
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Main Street is Community & Economic Development within the context of Historic Preservation.
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Benefits of a Main Street Program
Supports one of your community’s largest employers and
taxpayers:
Downtown!
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
National Main Street Network - 1980National Main Street Network - 1980
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
National Main Street Network - 1985National Main Street Network - 1985
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
National Main Street Network - 1990National Main Street Network - 1990
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
National Main Street Network - 1995National Main Street Network - 1995
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
National Main Street Network - 2000National Main Street Network - 2000
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
National Main Street Network - 2005
Programs Launched To-Date: 1,877!!!
National Main Street Network - 2005
Programs Launched To Date: 1,877!!!
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Pendulum of Development is Swinging
• Downtown housing demand will increase
• Supply will not keep up with demand driving prices higher
• Affordable programs must be developed from the beginning
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Increasing Demand for Choices
• Losing young adults• 83% of National Realtors’ survey listed
“shorten commute time” as no. 1 criteria for choosing a home
• Growing population wants range of housing types and costs
• 67% of all US households do not have school-age children
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Downtown Housing• Downtown residents spend 3 to 4
times what a downtown employees spends
• Residents inject 24/7 life• Market segments vulnerable to
affordability issue are targets for downtown living – young adults, seniors, artists
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Downtown Housing
• Current senior housing is isolated forcing people to drive for every need
• Seniors living downtown are healthier from walking more
• Close proximity to jobs, goods and services reduces traffic
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Mixed-use Development• Importance of first floor retail• Residential development – retail
follows people• Bringing upper floors to life• Embodies best principles of community
& economic development, smart growth and historic preservation
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Mixed-use Development• Promotes density• Multi-modal transportation options• Developing w/existing infrastructure• Developing integrated projects• Need to put all the tools in place
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Barriers to Downtown Housing
• Mixed-use development is hard• Land assembly is difficult• Financing gap• Local property owners have no
redevelopment expertise• Density is a dirty word
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Declare your Vision -Your Intent
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
Make the Right Thing Easy• New and/or more friendly codes• Historic tax credits for mixed uses• Streamlined permitting process• TA for mom & pop property owners• Patient capital
Charting Your Course to a Vibrant Downtown
Connecticut Main Street Center
www.ctmainstreet.org