Englewood Arts District Feasibility Study - … Englewood Arts District Feasibility Study was co-sponsored by the Independence ... 7780 West 119th Street Overland Park, KS 66213 ...

Englewood Arts District Feasibility Study Independence Council for Economic Development Independence, Missouri

FINAL SUMMARY REPORT August 2009

Sponsoring Agencies

The Englewood Arts District Feasibility Study was co-sponsored by the Independence Council for Economic Development, City of Independence, Englewood Business Association and Truman Heartland Community Foundation.

Local Contacts

Independence Council for Economic Development Tom Lesnak, President 210 W. Truman Road Independence, MO 64050 (816) 463-3510 [email protected] Web: http://www.independencemo.biz

City of Independence Ann Smith-Tate Economic Development Manager 111 E Maple Independence, MO 64050 (816) 325-7796 [email protected] Web: www.ci.independence.mo.us

Consultants

AMS Planning & Research Arthur Greenberg, Director 8147 Delmar, Suite 218 St. Louis, MO 63130 (314) 727-2880 [email protected] Web: www.AMS-Online.com

Berger Devine Yaeger (BDY) Joe Williams, Vice President 7780 West 119th Street Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 742-8037 [email protected] Web: www.bergerdevineyaeger.com

Table of Contents

Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................................1

I. Introduction ...........................................................................................................................................4

II. Study Methodology ...............................................................................................................................5

III. Market Analysis......................................................................................................................................6

IV. Leadership Interviews.........................................................................................................................10

V. Cultural Inventory Analysis ...............................................................................................................12

VI. Model Case Studies .............................................................................................................................16

VII. District Concept ..................................................................................................................................22

VIII. Next Steps.............................................................................................................................................30

Independence Council for Economic Development Englewood Arts District Feasibility Study August 2009

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Executive Summary

The Independence Council for Economic Development (ICED), in a partnership with the City of Independence, Englewood Business Association, and the Truman Heartland Community Foundation, retained AMS Planning & Research (with architects Berger Devine Yaeger) to undertake a Feasibility Study for a potential Arts District in the Englewood neighborhood on the city’s west side. Englewood is a neighborhood retail and entertainment district located at the crossroads of Sterling Avenue and Winner Road. It was established in the early 1900’s to service passengers of the trolley that ran from Independence to Kansas City, and remained a viable commercial district through the 1970s when suburban shopping developments and the trolley’s demise began to affect the neighborhood-scale shopping district.

The four-block commercial strip along Winner Road is home to the Puppetry Arts Institute and the 1940s art deco Englewood Theater (which has not been in operation for the past several years). There is also a hair salon, dry cleaner, restaurant, discount store, and a floral shop. Recently, a new art gallery and studio opened and plans for another are underway. The Englewood Business Association is actively involved in recruiting new businesses and patrons, and each year sponsors two community events: a Flag Day Celebration in June and the Mystic Pumpkin Festival in October.

It is the belief that the potential re-opening of the Englewood Theater, coupled with the existing art gallery and Puppetry Arts Institute, gives the district a firm foundation in which to explore the possibility of creating an arts district. The district would provide local and regional artists a place to not only create and display new work, but also serve as the catalyst to revive the entire surrounding neighborhood.

The consultants undertook a series of interviews with civic and community leaders, a market analysis (demographic and lifestyle segmentation), a cultural inventory analysis (of artist-related districts and programs in the metro area, and of Independence-based arts/cultural groups), model case studies with exemplary arts/cultural districts, and, working with a volunteer Advisory Committee, developed a conceptual approach for the proposed District.

Our research leads to the conclusion that the Englewood neighborhood and commercial district along Winner Road are well positioned to become a successful Arts District, serving residents of west Independence and the overall metro area. A number of key assets and strengths of the envisioned District have been identified:

• Several anchor cultural organizations (i.e., Englewood Theater, Puppetry Arts Institute, Green Dog Gallery) already imbue the Winner Road commercial district with arts/entertainment programming and presence.


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• There are the initial seeds of specialty retail with “a cultural twist” in the Changing Seasons Flower Shop, Three Trails Trading Post, and Sermon-Anderson Decorator showroom.

• The four-block area represents an ideal, pedestrian-friendly scale for creation of a District. (In our previous experience with cultural district planning, we have observed that among the various criteria for success are a physical scale in which patrons can visually see from one end to the other, a positive trait of the Winner Road commercial strip).

• Englewood’s buildings and overall nostalgic character have a clear linkage to the city’s existing historic brand (“An American Original”)

• There are several available buildings (including the 30,000 SF Community Mental Health Services building) and a few vacant lots available for infill development and/or adaptive re-use

• Members of the Englewood Business Association represent strong, committed volunteer leadership

• In the surrounding residential neighborhood there is affordable housing, made more desirable by the high quality Independence School District

In order to achieve success, the consulting team has put forth recommendations in four major categories:

Arts & Culture – involving technical assistance for the Puppetry Arts Institute, potential adaptive re-use of existing buildings to provide additional exhibit/performance venues, cultural programming, public art, and related topics.

The Built Environment – a series of streetscape enhancements, façade improvements, art in public places, artist recruitment, and other strategies to improve the look and feel of the District and neighborhood.

Coordination & Promotion – recommendations regarding management and oversight of the District and marketing/promoting District assets and programs.

Business Development – working to improve the capacity of existing businesses in the District and recruiting new specialty retail, food/beverage, and arts-related businesses to Englewood.

We believe that pursuing many of these efforts (for the most part, concurrently, rather than sequentially) will begin to build a strong base of cultural programming, a more attractive streetscape and building stock, the necessary governance and


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marketing of the District and its programs, and begin the process of recruiting and attracting artists to live in the neighborhood, and specialty retail and arts-related businesses to set up shop on Winner Road.


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I. Introduction

In early 2009 the Independence Council for Economic Development (ICED), in a partnership with the City of Independence and Englewood Business Association, issued a Request for Proposals to prospective consultants to undertake a Feasibility Study for a potential Arts District in the Englewood neighborhood on the city’s west side. AMS Planning & Research, an arts management consulting firm based in Connecticut with offices in Missouri (St. Louis) and California, formed a team with Berger Devine Yaeger (BDY) architects of Kansas City, and was selected to undertake the feasibility study.

Background1

Englewood Station is a neighborhood retail and entertainment district located at the crossroads of Sterling Avenue and Winner Road in western Independence. Just 20 minutes from downtown Kansas City, the district was established in the early 1900’s to service passengers of the trolley that ran from Independence to Kansas City. While the trolleys did not last, the district began to thrive. The District became home to retail, restaurants and neighborhood services. Englewood Station has been touted as Kansas City’s first suburban shopping district. The post war building booms of the 20’s and the 40’s and 50’s resulted in multiple middle-class neighborhoods that became the committed customer base. The area remained viable through the 60’s and 70’s.

Eventually competition from newer shopping districts contributed to an economic decline over the past 20 years. Today the district struggles to maintain its customer base though many prosperous businesses still exist. The district consists of hair salons, dry cleaner, a restaurant, discount stores, and floral shops. Recently, a new art gallery and studio opened and plans for another are underway. The Englewood Business Association remains committed to the district and is actively involved in identifying opportunities to bring new businesses and patrons to the area. Each year the Association hosts two community events, Flag Day Celebration in June and Mystic Pumpkin Festival in October. These events bring hundreds of individuals to the district.

In addition to the new art gallery, Englewood Station is also home to the Puppetry Arts Institute and the Englewood Theater. The art deco-inspired theater was opened in 1940’s and is the icon of the district and surrounding neighborhood. Due to needed renovations coupled with the challenges of operating a single-screen movie theater, the Englewood Theater has not been operational for the past several years.

1 From the Request for Proposals


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It is the belief that the potential re-opening of the Englewood Theater, coupled with the existing art gallery and Puppetry Arts Institute, gives the district a firm foundation in which to explore the possibility of creating an arts district. The district would provide local and regional artists a place to not only create and display new work, but also serve as the catalyst to revive the entire surrounding neighborhood.

II. Study Methodology

The Feasibility Study was overseen by a volunteer Advisory Committee established by ICED, and consisted of the following tasks:

• Market Analysis – Demographic and lifestyle segmentation data for the Englewood neighborhood, City of Independence, and the Kansas City metropolitan area, along with information on tourism in Independence.

• Leadership Interviews – Individual and small group sessions with civic, arts, and community leaders.

• Cultural Inventory Analysis – Assessment of the arts/cultural scene in Independence and metro Kansas City.

• Model Case Studies – Studies with exemplary arts/cultural districts in peer and benchmark communities.

• District Concept – Development of a conceptual approach to creation of an Arts District in the Englewood business district

It is important to note that throughout this report, the terms Arts District, Cultural District, and Arts/Cultural District are used interchangeably, and in no way imply any particular focus on the “arts” as opposed to “culture” (or entertainment, for that matter).


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VariableIndependence 2-

Mile Radius Independence

Place Kansas City,

MO CBSA 2008 Estimated Population 34,144 116,214 1,996,683 2000 Population 38,767 113,288 1,836,038 Median Age 39.4 39.3 36.6

% Generation Y (9-23 yrs) 16.5% 18.2% 20.0%% Generation X (24-44 yrs) 27.0% 25.7% 28.0%% Baby Boomers (45-65 yrs) 26.1% 27.0% 26.2%% Mature (65+ Yrs) 15.8% 15.2% 11.6%

Median Household Income $35,545 $43,434 $54,193% over $75,000 9.0% 17.8% 28.4%

% with College Degree 10.2% 15.9% 29.2%Households with Children 26.9% 31.1% 36.1%% Black 2.9% 3.0% 12.1%% Asian 1.3% 1.2% 2.1%% Hispanic (all races) 6.3% 5.3% 7.0%

SUMMARY OF KEY DEMOGRAPHICS

III. Market Analysis

Resident Market

As the table below illustrates, there are approximately 34,000 people living within a 2-mile radius of the Englewood business district, and just over 116,000 in the City of Independence. Income and education levels for residents of the Englewood radius are markedly lower than for residents of the city as a whole. Compared to the overall metro area, residents of the Englewood neighborhood and the city of Independence have lower household incomes and education

The MRI Profiles for arts activity in the Englewood 2-mile radius and for the City of Independence (where 100 = average) show that the local population rates lower than the Kansas City metro area as a whole for arts/cultural consumption patterns, as noted in the table below.


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PRIZMNE Percent Composition Top Segments(Sorted by City of Independence)

23%

14%

3%

9%

7% 8%

12%

11%

8%

5% 4% 4%

2% 3% 2% 2% 1% 2% 2%2% 2% 1% 2% 1% 1% 1%

9%

4%

0%

3%

6%

9%

12%

15%

18%

21%

24%

Sunset City Blues MiddleburgManagers

Boomtow n Singles Domestic Duos Park BenchSeniors

Family Thrifts Mobility Blues

% C

ompo

sitio

n

2-Mile RadiusIndependenceKansas City CBSAState

The consultants also analyzed the Prizm lifestyle segmentation of households in the Englewood neighborhood, city of Independence, Kansas City metro area and state of Missouri. According to Prizm, every household in the US is classified into one of 66 distinct segments based on product preferences, leisure activities, and other attributes. Several lower income segments with many seniors and retirees are well-represented in the Englewood/Independence market areas. Brief descriptions of the top seven segments by percentage of population follow the chart below.

Lifestyle Attribute 2-Mile Radius City CBSA StateBelong to an Arts Association (A) 72 90 102 85

Buy Classical Music (A) 76 89 99 88

Go to Live Theater 1yr (A) 74 92 104 88

Go to Museum 1yr (A) 67 87 104 89

Go to Music/Dance Performance (A) 78 92 103 92

Go to Rock/Pop Concert (A) 75 91 104 90

Interested in the Arts (A) 80 93 101 93

Region Specific Lifestyle AttributesMarket Potential Indices (MPIs)

(National Average = 100)


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• Scattered throughout the older neighborhoods of small cities, Sunset City Blues (Segment #41) consists of lower-middle-class singles and couples who have retired or are getting closed to it. These empty-nesters tend to own their homes but have modest educations and incomes. They maintain a low-key lifestyle filled with newspapers and television by day, and family-style restaurants at night.

• Middleburg Managers (#27) arose when empty-nesters settled in satellite communities which offered a lower cost of living and more relaxed pace. Today, segment residents tend to be middle-class and over 55 years old, with solid managerial jobs and comfortable retirements. In their older homes, they enjoy reading, playing musical instruments, indoor gardening and refinishing furniture.

• Affordable housing, abundant entry-level jobs and a thriving singles scene –all have given rise to the Boomtown Singles (#35) segment in fast-growing satellite cities. Young, single and working-class, these residents pursue active lifestyles amid sprawling apartment complexes, bars, convenience stores and Laundromats.

• Domestic Duos (#39) represents a middle-class mix of mainly over 55 singles and married couples living in older suburban homes. With their high-school educations and fixed incomes, segment residents maintain an easy-going lifestyle. Residents like to socialize by going bowling, seeing a play, meeting at the local fraternal order or going out to eat.

• Park Bench Seniors (#60) typically are retired singles living in the racially mixed neighborhoods of the nation’s satellite cities. With modest educations and incomes, these residents maintain low-key, sedentary lifestyles. Theirs is one of the top-ranked segments for TV viewing, especially daytime soaps and game shows.

• The small-city cousins of inner-city districts, Family Thrifts (#63) contain young, ethnically diverse parents who have lots of children and work entry-level service jobs. In these apartment-filled neighborhoods, visitors find the streets jam-packed with babies and toddlers, tricycles and basketball hoops, Daewoos and Hyundais.

• Young singles and single parents make their way to Mobility Blues (#53), a segment of working-class neighborhoods in America’s satellite cities. Racially mixed and under 25 years old, these transient Americans tend to have modest lifestyles due to their lower-income blue-collar jobs. Surveys show they excel in going to movies, playing basketball and shooting pool.


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Tourism Market

The consultants assessed the existing tourism market within the city, the marketing of which is spearheaded by the City’s Office on Tourism. The focus of the city’s marketing efforts is on group tours and leisure travelers. Secondary tourism markets include sports tournaments and conventions. Among the city’s tourism assets, besides its collection of historic sites and museums, is the Bass Pro Shop and the new (under construction) Events Center which will feature a minor league hockey team.

The city’s most well-known tourist attraction is the Truman Library, drawing approximately 95,000 visitors annually. The LDS church and visitors center also attracts up to 100,000 visitors each year. Combined, historic sites and museums (those for which data are available) attract in the range of 250,000 annual visitors, many of whom are genealogy enthusiasts and Civil War buffs. One of the city’s largest annual special events is Santa Calagon Days, celebrating the city’s importance as the origination point of the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon trails.

It was noted by city officials that the community is seen as lacking in evening entertainment opportunities which otherwise might help it compete for convention and conference business. Tourism staff also made the observation that the city’s numerous attractions (Truman Library, Square, Trails Museum, other historic sites) are quite distant from the concentration of retail stores and restaurants in east Independence. Several members of the community voiced support for some convenient transportation linkage (e.g., a seasonal trolley service) between the various nodes and attractions in Independence (that might, at some point in the future, also link the Englewood district with Independence Square).

Implications

Whereas the population of the Englewood neighborhood (2-mile radius) and City of Independence does not score highly on the measures associated with attendance in traditional mainstream arts activities (as evidenced by the low income and education levels, and the predominant older lower-income lifestyle segments), these data do not suggest that this population is not “culturally inclined.” Rather, arts and cultural activities that would be targeted at local residents need to acknowledge and celebrate the population’s more participatory interests (as suggested by the lifestyle segmentation), such as craft work (woodworking, quilting, beading, etc.), middle-of-the-road (“MOR”) performing arts programming, and ethnic/cultural heritage events with a very low “snob appeal” quotient. Moreover, it is likely that over time the population of west Independence will change, owing largely to the shift in the school district situation and the increasing desirability of the older affordable neighborhood.


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IV. Leadership Interviews

The consultants conducted a series of individual and small-group interviews with representatives of city government, arts/cultural organizations, educational institutions, visitor attractions, local businesses, and other community sectors. The interview protocol focused on strengths and weaknesses of Independence’s cultural “scene” and perceived opportunities for development of an Arts District in Englewood. The following section summarizes the key findings from these leadership interviews.

General

• Among the most notable developments of which people spoke was the recent incorporation of west Independence (in which the Englewood District is situated) into the Independence School District (whereas it had been part of the Kansas City Public Schools). Becoming part of the well-respected Independence District is seen as an important boost for the residential neighborhood around the Englewood commercial district.

• Along with the transition to the Independence School District, it was also noted that the city, having developed major retail centers in east Independence, has recently turned its attention to a series of redevelopment efforts in the city’s western neighborhoods, which would bode well for any future arts district creation in Englewood.

• The city’s current tourism brand, “An American Original,” was cited as being complementary with the Englewood District’s overall nostalgic feel.

Key Issues – Englewood District

• The majority of those interviewed spoke of their desire that the proposed Arts District serve both neighborhood and city residents as well as visitors from the larger metro area and beyond.

• Englewood’s history as a thriving neighborhood was mentioned with interviewees citing the original formation of the Business Association in 1946, the creation of a Neighborhood Improvement District in 1991.

• There is a rich history of cultural activities in the Englewood area, including Halloween window decorating contests held from the 1950s through the 70s.

• Several cultural assets currently exist as potential anchors of an Arts District, including the historic Englewood Theater (not currently in operation at the time of this study), the Puppetry Arts Institute (offering exhibits, classes and workshops/performances), the recently-opened Green Dog Gallery (artist


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studios and gallery), and the neighborhood-scale Botanical Garden. The Englewood Business Association also sponsors two annual events around the holidays of Halloween and Flag Day.

• In addition to arts/cultural activities and venues, two specialty retail businesses were mentioned as additional assets for the District: the Changing Seasons Flower/Gift Shop (unique floral creations and classes in floral design and watercolor), and the Three Trails Trading Post (a full-service bead store offering classes in jewelry, glass lampwork, silversmithing and weaving). The Sermon-Anderson Decorators showroom (notable interior decorator business) is also located within the District.

• Several perceived drawbacks to the vision for an Englewood Arts District were also cited, including the lack of sidewalks in the surrounding residential neighborhood, the high percentage of rental properties (approximately 70%), and the perception that the current “Englewood brand” is embodied by the neighborhood’s only restaurant, the Englewood Café (seen as largely unchanged since the 1950s, and attracting “an older, retired, rural, low-income” clientele).

• On the positive side, many spoke of the neighborhood’s involved and committed volunteer leadership, active through the Englewood Business Association and Neighbors of Winner Road Association.

Local Resources

• The NorthWest Communities Development Corporation (NWCDC) offers a range of community development programs within the Englewood/West Independence area, including the U.S. Department of Justice’s Weed & Seed program, job training in environmental remediation, and is also actively involved in housing development (creating a subdivision of 55 affordable homes). NWCDC also sponsors a Home Repair Program.

• Several civic and community leaders spoke of potential funding sources and technical assistance that might contribute to the District’s creation and development, including the City of Independence’s First-Time Home Buyers Program (providing $5,000 down payment assistance) and Façade Improvement Program (through the Community Development Department) offering matching grants to local businesses (typically under $25,000 each).


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Ideas for Englewood Arts District

Several specific program, service, and infrastructure improvements were recommended for consideration in the future Arts/Cultural District concept:

• Several members of the EBA discussed their interest in an Overlay Ordinance that would restrict or encourage specific types of businesses, window treatments, signage, design guidelines, and so on.

• The potential role for individual artists in the District was also considered. Whereas the buildings along the Winner Road commercial strip are not particularly conducive to artist live/work space, the older and relatively affordable housing in the surrounding residential neighborhood might be attractive to artists.2

• Ideas for streetscape improvements and enhancements and public art installations were also put forth, including a District gateway, decorative planters, landscaping, and curb “bump-outs.” Other desirable public spaces/venues include a permanent outdoor performance pavilion.

V. Cultural Inventory Analysis

The consultants undertook an assessment of arts/cultural resources in the Kansas City metropolitan area with some connection (competitive and/or complementary) to the Arts District concept envisioned for Englewood. The following key organizations and existing cultural districts were researched for this project:

• The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City serves as the regional arts service organization and grantor of funds raised through the city’s first united arts fund. Among its major programs are:

Ovation Grants (70% of united arts fund rants) that support “well-managed, firmly-established groups with broad reach and impact” (a major grant category in which there are no Independence-based groups receiving funds)

Catalyst Grants (25% of granted dollars) support “programs, projects, for youth, families, accessible and inclusive audiences” (the Englewood-based Puppetry Arts Institute received $1,500 in 2008)

2 The School District issue, noted above, may make the Englewood area, described by one interviewee as “new urbanism in an old neighborhood,” attractive to individual artists with families seeking a more suburban lifestyle with high quality schools (as opposed to, say, the more urban Crossroads District in Kansas City). As will be noted later in the report, an effort modeled on the City of Paducah’s (Kentucky) “Artist Relocation Program,” through which artists are recruited to live in the community through a variety of housing and financial incentives, may be relevant and applicable to attract artists to live in the Englewood residential area.


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Inspiration Grants (5% of total dollars) support “Individual artists and arts professionals for projects and career development”

The Council provides Professional Development for Artists with funding from a national artist service organization LINC (Leveraging Investment in Creativity). Specific programs include Creative Capital (Artist “Boot Camp”) and Artist, Inc. (an 8-week Seminar).

• The Cultural Arts Coalition of Eastern Jackson County is a volunteer-coordinated alliance of arts/cultural organizations which holds quarterly meetings (primarily for networking and information sharing) among a diverse membership. It was noted by Coalition representatives that the majority of member groups are from Independence (approximately twenty cultural organizations).

Other Models of Arts & Entrepreneurialism

• The metro area lays claim to a few local resources interested in the intersection of arts and entrepreneurialism, helping individual artists and small organizations build capacity and sales. The UMKC Small Business & Technology Development Center and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s Entrepreneurship programs are active in this relatively new area.

Artist-Focused Venues & Programs in KC

• There are several visual artist-focused programs and venues around the metro area, including:

KCK Artist Studios which sponsor Second Friday ArtWalks under the auspices of the Kaw Valley Arts & Humanities (which operates a gallery, provides workshops and school programs).

The KC Clay Guild (a ceramics center near the Crossroads District) offers a gallery, classes, workshops, and drop-in programs.

Kansas City’s Crossroads District is recognized as the most successful and thriving visual arts district in the region. Overseen by the Crossroads District Association, it exists within an urban geography with buildings seen as conducive for artist living, working and exhibition space. The Association has utilized a range of tools and incentives such as an overlay ordinance (allowing open containers of alcohol during First Fridays gallery walks) and tax abatement (e.g., tax rates are frozen if buildings are used for art purposes) to create the District. It’s First Fridays events were described as “art entertainment.”


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Within the Crossroads District is the Arts Incubator, a 32,000 SF building built in 1903. The building contains 48 artist rental studio spaces (currently at 95% capacity) and a third floor event space (Incubator Event Loft) for private parties and receptions (providing earned income for the complex).

Independence Cultural Groups

• The Puppetry Arts Institute (PAI) operates in a storefront on Winner Road and offers performances, workshops, and exhibits a permanent collection of historic and international puppets. PAI has a long-range plan that calls for capacity building and new venues as it currently offers all three activities in a single space, requiring frequent reconfiguration of seating and workshop tables. Its collection is of high quality, but severely limited by its installation and space constraints. PAI is exploring options for a new or renovated black box theater (to allow a more regular performance schedule) and ways to increase capacity beyond its currently all-volunteer status.

• On Winner Road in the Englewood neighborhood is the Green Dog Gallery, an exhibition space with 9 artist “cubicle studios.” The gallery offers a range of special events and informal gatherings such as fashion shows and acoustic jam sessions, and operated a youth arts camp this past summer.

• The “Englewood Botanical Garden” is a small-scale neighborhood lot which provides programming and “exhibits” in addition to its collection of plants. Facilities and programs include the tool shed museum, rose garden, children’s garden, a classroom, with future plans for a “Grasshopper Club” (for HS Seniors).

• One of Independence’s true gems is the Hair Museum on Noland Road, often cited as among the nation’s most unique and quirky museums. Its collection of Victorian-era hair wreaths and hair jewelry is among the largest in the world, but it is poorly situation in a commercial strip within a building housing classrooms for a cosmetology school. (Discussions with the owner/director indicate the Museum is open to a possible relocation to the Englewood District).

• The major cultural asset within the Englewood neighborhood is the historic Englewood Theater, described by its owner as a “Slice of Americana.” The theater has been out of operation for several years owing to the reality of single-screen cinemas in the age of multiplexes, and previous disputes with the city over renovation/expansion plans. The Theater (under new management) has a clear vision for additions and improvements including a new HVAC system for the main screen, and the addition of second and third screens. Its vision for programming hinges on the addition of at least a second screen to allow showings of first-run films within movie studio contract periods. Whereas ownership notes that the Independence market would make the Englewood “not


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as viable as an ‘art house cinema’ as in Johnson County,” they do envision a series of Classic films, Saturday Night Special Features (e.g., “Monster movies at 10 pm”), and specialty festivals (e.g., Science Fiction film fest, etc.).


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VI. Model Case Studies

The consultants analyzed several potential model arts/cultural districts with exemplary programs and/or components that might be useful for the proposed district in Englewood. The following section provides an overview of these case study findings.

General Information on Arts, Cultural, Entertainment Districts

According to Americans for the Arts, the national arts service/advocacy organization, an arts/cultural district is “a well-recognized, labeled, mixed-use area of a city in which a high concentration of cultural facilities serves as the anchor of attraction.” Arts/cultural districts range from the specific/defined to the informal/publicity driven, with nearly 100 officially-designated districts across the U.S. Many of the officially-defined districts have specific zoning and/or development incentives.

Cultural District Monograph

Americans for the Arts published a monograph covering cultural districts in which several key points are discussed:

• Zoning is very important, and can help raise awareness and get elected officials on board. Without zoning changes artists often are priced out.

• Districts without zoning (and/or official designation) can also be effective in terms of public relations and marketing value. Markers, signage, directions to and signs and banners within the district are often the domain of local Chambers of Commerce and/or Downtown Association or Convention & Visitors Bureaus.

• Small spaces in between developed anchor sites are important - “People don’t want to walk by empty lots or vacant buildings.” Some districts have programs such as Tucson’s “Phantom Galleries” in which art displays are installed in empty storefronts to create the sense of continuity on a streetscape.

• It is recommended that small business incentives, not just for arts developments, are also important, for entities such as cafes and bookstores. Rehabilitation tax breaks are often offered; in Providence, Rhode Island, no sales tax is levied on the sale of art work to encourage arts activity.

• Strong leadership and a management organization can be keys to success; arts councils, neighborhood or downtown associations, and other entities pursuing marketing, coordination, programming (gallery hops, festivals) and so on can provide animation to a District.


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• Public or non-profit and/or artist ownership of space can prevents evictions and serve as a foil for rising rents.

Artist Space Development “Making the Case”

Another important study related to artist housing and studio space in cultural districts was published by LINC (Leveraging Investment in Creativity) in 2007. The report notes that while there is little formal documentation of economic impact of artist space developments, there is ample anecdotal evidence that suggests a range of impacts:

• Physical impacts (especially in redevelopment areas) are described that include decreased blight, beautification, animation of vacant property, increase in pedestrian and automotive traffic, and historic preservation of buildings.

• Social impacts often include increased arts-based programming, opportunities for cultural participation, diversification of low income communities, youth development, promotion of ethnic pride, and increased inter-generational interaction.

• Finally, economic impacts might include promotion or formation of creative clusters, increase in real estate values (revitalization, then gentrification), and an increase in job opportunities.

Live-Work space artist developments often increase pedestrian traffic, streetscapes take on a new, lively character, and other neighborhood development typically follows within three years. That development in turn helps generate other cultural activity and creates a general increase in visitors to an area. Cultural district projects often serve as catalysts for overall neighborhood revitalization; the communities that evolve within a project boundary often spread into the surrounding area, breathing new energy and stability into the entire community.


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Selected Case Studies

• Miami Beach’s Cultural Arts Neighborhood District Overlay (“CANDO”) was designated in 2006 by a Blue Ribbon Committee that involved artists, property

owners, and developers. The overlay was launched to prevent the “pricing out” of artists. It consists of tax benefits and zoning incentives for property owners who can rent to artists, writers, musicians, dancers, and designers, and includes zoning incentives for new development,

rehabilitation or new construction with smaller residential units than normally allowed if set asides are made for commercial work space or affordable housing.

• The Bradenton Village of the Arts was created in a formerly run-down residential area known for drugs and prostitution problems. The arts district was designated in 2000 with the mission “To build a community where artists live and work while enhancing quality of life and creating a harmonious environment.” Zoning was changed to allow residential and businesses so artists could buy and renovate, live, work and sell from homes/studios. There are now some 275

homes and 40 galleries in the Village; property values have skyrocketed and tax revenues are way up. While the program started with artists it has since expanded to include restaurants, a bookstore, and new retail developments. The City has

programs to encourage development and grants for façade improvement and landscaping. The additional state Enterprise Zone designation allows for state tax incentives. According to representatives of the village, “the zoning change was the key to developing the area. It would still be a slum without the zoning change.” The Overlay Ordinance was designed to “encourage a desired mix of appropriate home occupation and home business uses oriented toward, or supporting a visual or cultural arts theme while maintaining the residential character of the underlying residential neighborhoods.” Any proposed home occupation or home business use related and contributing directly to an arts theme may be approved. Permitted uses include fine arts and crafts creation and sales (painting, sculpture, photography, design, handicrafts, gallery), and Eating/Drinking Establishments


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(cafes, coffee shops, bakeries). Specific issues addressed in the ordinance include parking, storage, signage, live-work space parameters, accessory dwelling units, lot and occupancy standards, etc. (The sample ordinance has been submitted under separate cover).

• There are six formally-designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, overseen by the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission. ICDC partners with the Arts Council of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association, and Indianapolis Downtown, Inc., with funding through the city’s Hotel/Motel Tax. The Cultural Districts Program is managed by Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. with an overall goal “to fully leverage arts and cultural offerings, local restaurants and retail shops in six areas” (Broad Ripple Village, Fountain Square, Indiana Avenue, Mass Ave, The Canal & White River State Park, and the Wholesale District). The overall program focuses on marketing, way-finding, and real estate development, and a Cultural Districts Guide is published that features unique aspects of each District (in categories including Art Galleries, Hotels, Key Organizations, Restaurants, Retail, Services, Taverns/Bars, Theaters, and Worship). AMS explored in depth the Mass Ave district as a potential model for Englewood. There are five specific strategies employed by the cultural district program for Mass Ave, including enhancing the position of Mass Ave as the Arts and Theater District (through logos, street theaters, outdoor galleries, etc.); communicating the Mass Ave Arts and Theater experience to attract more consumer traffic and increase spending (through a calendar of collaborative signature events, website, and targeted advertising); creating a significant and sustainable funding mechanism that derives revenue from the visitor population and funds programs and improvements that support the district vision; creating a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly, arts-oriented environment within the public right-of-way through comprehensive planning strategies and creative, context-sensitive design (e.g., pedestrian continuity and safe crossings, way-finding and improved intersections, connectivity to trails, satellite parking, etc.); and celebrating the history and heritage of the district as both a commercial and residential district and a cultural and entertainment destination. Some more specifics on the Mass Ave Cultural District include:


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The District was provided with funding to develop unique and recognizable identities, resulting in the “Mass Ave Identity Toolkit” which enhances and expands the public’s ability to recognize and respond to district offerings. The Identity Standards Guide provides graphics, art and application standards for design and production of identity products (e.g., graphic elements and templates to incorporate the official District identity into promotional marketing and communications efforts, including taglines and stylized taglines, decorative marks, marketing messages, and so on).

A pilot Retail Branding Program partnership involves funding and assistance from Indianapolis Downtown, Inc., Cultural Development Commission, Riley Area Development Corporation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), with a local firm (Dean Johnson Design, interiors and graphic design) providing design services. With additional funding through the Façade Grant program and other private grants, it consists of coordinated logo, storefront, and packaging approaches.

• There are also six officially-designated cultural districts in Columbus, Ohio (Short North Arts District, Market Exchange Creative Production District, King-Lincoln Arts & Entertainment District, Cap South Downtown Arts & Institutions, German Village Historic District, and Discovery District). The consultants focused on the Short North Arts District:

Administered by Short North Business Association and Short North Special Improvement District, the Short North Arts District has several sources of operating funds including the City of Columbus (5%), special events (25%), memberships (35%), sponsorships (30%), and miscellaneous sources (5%). Short North is billed as “the Art + Soul of Columbus,” and occupies a one-mile stretch of High Street, with 20+ art galleries, pocket parks, public art, 50+ restaurants/taverns, and design/fashion-related retail (60+ boutiques and personal services shops). A series of decorative lit arches help to physically define the district. The District is heavily invested in regular and special event production, including a monthly Gallery Hop drawing more than 100,000 visitors annually (with an estimated $7.5 million impact) and special “destination”


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events such as a Greek Festival, Italian Festival, Doo Dah Parade, Via Coloro (Italian sidewalk art), Pride Festival, Art al Fresco, and High Ball Halloween. Property values in the District have reportedly increased 400% since 1980. Various organizations play a range of roles in administration and marketing of the District: the Short North Business Association (SNBA) focuses on marketing and advocacy while a Special Improvement District is responsible for maintenance, and the non-profit Short North Foundation supports art, diversity and vitality by leveraging local resources, fostering communication with other civic associations, and provides incentives and tax abatements. SNBA’s priorities include merchant education (seminars), proactive recruitment of new merchants, collaborative marketing initiatives, media relations, a way-finding kiosk system, and infrastructure (safety, lighting, parking, public access, signage, holiday season décor, promotion and events).

• In Cleveland’s Detroit Shoreway Neighborhood, where the tagline reads “Cultural, Historic, Urban,” the Gordon Square Arts District is being created, under the auspices of the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization. The District consists of several performing arts facility projects, including renovation of Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT), restoration of the Capitol Theatre, and construction of the Near West Theatre. Along with $3 million in streetscape improvements (e.g., wider sidewalks allowing for street cafes, public art, new street lights, trees and underground utilities), new parking facilities, artist Live/Work Space, and new urbanism-style apartments are being developed. A $10 million capital campaign is leveraging $24 Million in investment, including a three-screen movie theater (focusing on foreign, independent and documentary films), CPT’s performing arts education programs, and a new 300-seat educational theater complex for NWT. Another important component of the Gordon Square District is the City of Cleveland’s Community Development Office Storefront Renovation Program, serving commercial building owners or tenants with technical assistance and financial incentives to restore main façades (through 3% interest loans up to $100,000).


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VII. District Concept

AMS and BDY worked with the Advisory Committee to develop a concept for the proposed Englewood Arts District. An important assumption has helped guide our thinking:

• The District would focus primarily on the four-block commercial district along Winner Road (defined by central parking islands, and encompassing the vacant “brown field” lot as one possible site for a potential park-performance pavilion venue), but could also extend past Northern with a pedestrian linkage to the neighborhood Botanical Garden.

Strengths of the Potential District

The consultants have identified a number of key assets and strengths of the envisioned District:

• Several anchor cultural organizations (i.e., Englewood Theater, Puppetry Arts Institute, Green Dog Gallery) already imbue the Winner Road commercial district with arts/entertainment programming and presence.


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• There are the initial seeds of specialty retail with “a cultural twist” in the Changing Seasons Flower Shop, Three Trails Trading Post, and Sermon-Anderson Decorator showroom.

• The four-block area represents an ideal, pedestrian-friendly scale for creation of a District. (In our previous experience with cultural district planning, we have observed that among the various criteria for success are a physical scale in which patrons can visually see from one end to the other, a positive trait of the Winner Road commercial strip).

• Englewood’s buildings and overall nostalgic character have a clear linkage to the city’s existing historic brand (“An American Original”)

• There are several available buildings (including the 30,000 SF Community Mental Health Services building) and a few vacant lots available for infill development and/or adaptive re-use

• Members of the Englewood Business Association represent strong, committed volunteer leadership

• In the surrounding residential neighborhood there is affordable housing, made more desirable by the high quality Independence School District

An Overall Vision

There is a travel guide, by John Villani, called The 100 Best Art Towns in America (formerly the 100 Best Small Art Towns in America) which has listings of cities and towns with vibrant art scenes, with listing in several categories (Arts Scene, Art Talk, Essentials, Visual Arts Venues, Performing Arts & Events, Wine & Dine, Accommodations, and Information). The consultants wondered how an entry in a similar publication (let’s call it “The 100 Best Art Neighborhoods/Districts in America”) might describe the Englewood Arts District in a few years when it was fully functioning:

Visitors to Independence’s Truman historic sites and other attractions should allow time for the city’s newest addition to the cultural landscape: the Englewood Cultural District features a lively and eclectic mix of galleries, retail shops and eateries, anchored by an historic Art Deco movie theater and the Puppetry Arts Institute. The four-block commercial strip evokes the overall feel of 1950s Americana, brought back to life with an artistic flair. The pedestrian-friendly district, only a mile or so from Independence Square, features regular special events (“Third Thursday Gallery Hops”), film festivals and screenings (Monster Movies at 10 on weekend evenings), and studios-galleries where visitors can meet and observe artists in action. The Changing Seasons flower shop, in an historic 1930s building, is known for its wide array of unique gifts. Free trolley service during the spring-summer tourist season connects Englewood with the city’s other historic sites.


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In order to achieve success, the consulting team has put forth recommendations in four major categories, described below:

• Arts & Culture

• The Built Environment

• Coordination & Promotion

• Business Development

We believe that pursuing many of these efforts (for the most part, concurrently, rather than sequentially) will begin to build a strong base of cultural programming, a more attractive streetscape and building stock, the necessary governance and marketing of the District and its programs, and begin the process of recruiting and attracting artists to live in the neighborhood, and specialty retail and arts-related businesses to set up shop on Winner Road.

Arts & Culture Recommendations

For the District’s anchor cultural institutions:

• In order for the Puppetry Arts Institute to be a sustainable and major player in the District, the all-volunteer group would greatly benefit from an Advancement grant process to build organizational capacity (board development and professional staffing) and address its long-range planning for facilities (to better accommodate exhibition, performance, and workshop spaces). PAI’s world class collection and stellar reputation in the puppetry world need on-going technical assistance and strategic partnerships to help advance it to the next level (i.e., becoming a mid-sized arts organization).

• City and ICED staff should continue working with ownership of the Englewood Theater to detail costs of renovation, potential financing, and possible incentives for creation of the second (and possibly) third screen, and to facilitate the Theater’s other proposed additions (such as a 1920s soda fountain with sidewalk seating).

• Improve pedestrian linkages and signage from the 4-block commercial strip to the public garden (Englewood Botanical Gardens). Consider re-branding the EBG moniker to a more appropriate “neighborhood-scale” (e.g., Community Garden).

• Provide on-going assistance with promotion and special event production to the Green Dog Gallery.


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Regarding Special Events in the District:

• Expand and enhance existing annual events (Flag Day, Halloween) with additional arts/culture activities to provide exposure to other District arts venues, specialty retail businesses, etc.

• Consider adding new regular and frequent events (e.g., monthly art walks, film festivals and series, etc.)

• The two CMHS buildings currently for sale represent an opportunity for further development of cultural venues. Commission a feasibility study to explore adaptive re-use of the 3-story 30,000 SF CMHS building to accommodate potential re-location of the Hair Museum, installation of other collections (e.g., an “Eclectic Museum” of other unique private collections in Independence including Wade Williams’ Science Fiction and/or Movie Memorabilia, Puppetry Arts Institute historic/international puppets, and/or a reported major collection of salt and pepper shakers, etc.). Other uses might include an Arts Incubator (offices, studios, gallery, sales spaces) and/or a Banquet/Event Space (on the 3rd Floor, modeled on the Arts Incubator space in the Crossroads District).

• Explore artist recruitment strategies for housing in the surrounding Englewood residential neighborhood (modeled on the Paducah, Kentucky Artist Relocation Program), that might include provision of tax and rehabilitation incentives and/or future Live/Work space development (working with NWCDC and private/non-profit developers).

The Built Environment

• Pursue streetscape enhancements (through a conceptual planning/design charette process) to include entry gateways, way-finding and decorative signage/banners, sidewalk and curb improvements, landscaping, planters, paver detailing, median parking, and other elements.

• Explore opportunities for development of public gathering spaces such as a pocket park and/or a performance pavilion.

• Develop a plan for Art in Public Places in the District to include murals, sculpture, public works projects (e.g., sewer hole covers, decorative grates, etc.), temporary exhibitions (e.g., Phantom Gallery), and so on.

The illustrations below provide an overview of possible approaches in this category.


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Coordination and Promotion

• Develop an Action/Implementation Plan that includes formulation of an Advisory body to encompass representatives of related public agencies and private organizations, each of which might play various roles in implementing the Arts District vision, including:

NWCDC could play roles in recruitment of artists for new and rehabilitated housing, and working with developers for future live/work space developments

Englewood Business Association (EBA) should continue and expand its role as a coalition of business and property owners

ICED, with expertise in economic development, could fulfill the need for a Local Area Development Corporation function, and provide on-going technical assistance and support

Fairmount Carlisle Redevelopment Corporation might be involved in parcel specific tax abatement programs and other potential funding/incentives

Explore the creation of a Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to serve Independence, involving a coalition of funders providing investment capital on a matching grant basis

The City of Independence could employ resources from its Neighborhood services office, Tourism Department, public works and public safety staff

There still remains an unmet need for an entity to fill the role of an Arts Council to provide funding, technical assistance, leadership and promotion for the District’s (and city’s) non-profit cultural groups.

• Pursue branding of the Arts/Cultural District by capitalizing on the city’s “An American Original” theme, and showcasing history and nostalgia in Englewood. (One possible brand might be “Englewood Eclectic”). Branding should include logo and copy development, distribution to area merchants of design templates, etc.

• Work with the City’s Department of Tourism to feature the Englewood District in promotional materials, feature it on tour bus routes, and to pursue other cultural tourism efforts such as event packaging, special events and promotions, and so on.


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Business Development

• Pursue the drafting and adoption of a District Overlay Ordinance to address facades, signage, artist live-work-exhibit-sales-production issues, parking, “cottage industry” issues, and so on.

• Explore development of incentive packages for business recruitment, tax abatements, etc.

• Enhance the city’s existing Façade Improvement Program to potentially focus on Englewood District businesses (e.g., pilot program of focused façade improvements), and additional small business improvements (such as retail branding modeled on the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission example, that might include logos, awnings, window clings, etc.).

• Pursue business recruitment strategies to attract new specialty retail (e.g., an artisan bakery) and food/beverage establishments (café) to the District.

• Explore the creation of a “Mercados” marketplace with permanent sales spaces for “transient” food/arts/crafts vendors.

• Pursue a potential linkage with the Independence Regional Entrepreneurship Center’s Kitchen Incubator, with possible market-testing sites in Englewood storefront(s).

Potential Funding & Incentives

A number of potential funding sources and District incentives were identified during the research, and noted here for reference and potential future research/action in a subsequent second phase of planning.

Existing Programs/Funding

• NWCDC Home Repair Program • City’s First-Time Home Buyers Program • Façade Improvement Program (Community Dev’t) • Fairmount Carlisle Redevelopment

Corporation Parcel specific tax abatement


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Potential Programs/Funding

• Historic District designation o 20% Federal tax credit if on National Register o 25% State historic tax credit

• Creation of Tax Abatement Area in Englewood • State Transportation District Fund • Develop a Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) for Englewood/West

Independence

LISC

Through our case study research we identified the role played by LISC in some of Indianapolis’s six cultural districts. LISC, a national non-profit organization, is dedicated to helping community residents transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy and sustainable communities of choice and opportunity — good places to work, do business and raise children. LISC mobilizes corporate, government and philanthropic support to provide local community development organizations with loans, grants and equity investments, local, statewide and national policy support, technical and management assistance. It has five primary goals:

• Expanding Investment in Housing and Other Real Estate

• Increasing Family Income and Wealth

• Stimulating Economic Development

• Improving Access to Quality Education

• Supporting Healthy Environments and Lifestyles

There is a LISC partner in Kansas City serving the neighborhoods of Douglass-Sumner (KCK), Downtown KCK, St. Peter/Waterway (KCK), Blue Hills (Wabash Village Expansion Area) (KCMO), Ivanhoe Northwest (KCMO), and Scarritt Renaissance (KCMO). Its specific programs include recoverable grants (2 years, <$50,000, 0% interest, unsecured), Short-Term Loans (up to 3 years, up to $1 million at 6.75%, secured), Longer-Term Loans (Up to 7 years, up to $1 million at 7.25%, secured), and Loan Guarantees (annual fee of 1%). There are numerous corporate, philanthropic, and private investors in the Kansas City LISC, and its structure and programmatic support for neighborhood development should be further explored as a model for a prospective partner in development of the Englewood Cultural District and neighborhood.


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VIII. Next Steps

Based on this first phase of research and planning and the positive conclusions regarding the potential for a successful cultural district in Englewood, a number of additional tasks should be pursued to continue momentum toward creation of the proposed District.

1. Undertake a Feasibility Study on the potential for adaptive re-use of one or both CMHS buildings currently for sale, with a focus on the large 30,000 SF main building on Winner Road. Include an exploration of a partial interim phase and complete re-use.

2. Conduct Primary Market Research with neighborhood residents and potential visitors to the Englewood District through visitor intercept surveys (at other sites/attractions in Independence and Kansas City) and a West Side resident survey.

3. Develop a Streetscape Schematic Plan to address urban design and public art opportunities including a neighborhood planning charette.

4. Formalize an Implementation Plan that addresses budgets and timelines, identification of specific incentives and funding partners.

Englewood Arts District Feasibility Study - … Englewood Arts District Feasibility Study was co-sponsored by the Independence ... 7780 West 119th Street Overland Park, KS 66213 ...

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