Understanding the Municipal Role in Main Street Revitalization
CT Main Street April 24, 2009
William Warner, AICP Director of Planning, Conservation & Development Middletown, CT Early 1990’s
•Severe downturn • Years of de-institutionalization at CVH •Proliferation of Social Services •Tragedy at annual sidewalk sale •Mass closings Sears, Woolworth's, Food Mart, Kabachnicks, LaBoca and many smaller stores • Over 60% vacancy rate on Main St. •No one downtown at night or weekends •Very low income census tract •No connection between college / downtown / river Setting the Stage
•Established a Downtown Planning Sub- Committee in 1993 •Created Downtown Visions: 2000 and Beyond – the first Downtown Plan •Conducted a Downtown Market Analysis •Instituted a Design Review and Preservation Board Vision “A thriving college town on the banks of the CT River” Setting the Stage
Zone Changes •Required retail frontage on Main Street •Established maximum and minimum building heights and setbacks, new signage regulations •Prohibited new curb cuts, free standing signs, drive thru’s, adult uses, pawn shops, check cashing, tattoo and body piercing •Prohibited new social services and store front churches •Lots of flexibility in parking Setting the Stage
•Successful application to Connecticut Main Street Program •True Public/Private Partnership •Established Main Street Board of Directors / 4 committees •Hired a Main Street Manager •Established Facade Improvement Program •Created a Business Improvement District for ongoing funding Getting the Ball Rolling Small Victories
•Conducted a Slogan & Logo Contest and Main Street banners •Planted over 500 trees along the gateways into Middletown •Cleaned windows / sidewalks •Repaired Public Clocks Getting the Ball Rolling Early Projects
•Created a “Village District” between downtown and Wesleyan. •To reinforce the Village District – demolished former Police Station and constructed 3 single family homes •Approved and funded a 9 unit artist cooperative with retail and gallery space on Main Street •Worked with Wesleyan to establish the $2 million Green Street Art Center. 3 New Homes in Village District NorthEnd Artists Co-op Artists in residence
AFTER BEFORE Green Street Arts Center Community Holiday on Main Sponsored by the Events Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce
Photo courtesy of The Boston Globe Community Events Cruise Night
Sponsored by the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce MMoottoorrccyyccllee MMaanniiaa Community Sponsored by the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Events Other Community Events
òHead of CT River Regatta òJuly 4th Celebration on the River ò5 K Road Race right in the downtown Downtowns “Homerun” Projects and the City’s Role òNew Police Station òKid City Children’s Museum òDestinta Theaters òThe Inn at Middletown òLiberty Square òLandmark Square òProposed Community Health Center Police Department & First & Last Tavern
•Site search committee •Police presence on Main Street 24 / 7 •Retail on first floor as stimulus to further downtown investment •State of Art Police Station / Great building •Overwhelming voter approval in city wide referendum Police Department & First & Last Tavern Police Department & First & Last Tavern ò Award winning design reminiscent of Old City Hall ò First floor retail attracts pedestrian foot traffic Kidcity Children’s Museum
•Provided CDBG funding and land to move and rehab historic building, creating Kid City Children’s Museum •Supported $2 million state grant for expansion with local match •Over 100,000 people every year from all over New England and beyond. Kidcity Children’s Museum Destinta Theaters
•Former grocery store •Complex bankruptcy issues •Tax abatement and flexible parking •12 screens, 2,000 seats, stadium seating •Huge Success 400,000 tickets sold in one year, close to 8,000 tickets per week Destinta Theaters The Inn at Middletown
•In 1994 hotel consultant concluded insufficient market for hotel. •“Hotel Committee” established – City / Wesleyan • 1999 brought back hotel consultant. They conclude market can support 100 room hotel in downtown. •Consultant amazed at downtown’s turnaround! •Selected a designated developer to construct a new 100 room hotel at the Armory site. •Post 9/11 financing from City, Wesleyan, four banks and private investors required. The Inn at Middletown International Dining
American Chinese Indian Italian Jamaican Japanese Mexican Thai Vegetarian Sidewalk Dining Liberty Square
•Vacant gas station and vacant 4 family at prominent corner on Main Street •Gas Station was acquired for 24/7 convenience store / gas station •City acquired both parcels •Local developer •Historic Preservation, environmental clean up, economic / community development, tax abatement, great design. •Land to developer for $1 in exchange for public parking lot •Flexible parking requirements. •CCAPA award for physical development Liberty Square
Vacant gas station and 4 family on Main St. Liberty Square
Photo courtesy of: The Middletown Press Before Liberty Square Liberty Square Liberty Square Landmark Square
• Much more prosperous south end of Main Street •Bidding war between developers, no abatements/no city investment •Power of Zoning and Design Review •Main tenant Rite-Aid – huge departure from prototype store •Compromise - great building with drive thru in back •Less parking than required •Mixed use – 1st floor pharmacy and restaurant, 2nd floor office Landmark Square - Before Landmark Square - After Proposed Community Health Center
ò Fast track – stimulus funds ò City parking lot ò Retail on Main ò Great design ò LEED certified ò Green roof, geothermal wells ò Huge investment in north end Proposed Community Health Center Proposed Community Health Center Proposed Community Health Center Lighting the Arrigoni Bridge Vision “A thriving college town on the banks of the CT River” “We may be biased but we think downtown Middletown is the place to be. The city we affectionately refer to as “mini New Haven” has everything the bigger cities have to offer – culture, dining, shopping, luxury accommodations, a high ranking university.” Connecticut Magazine April 2009 Great Press and Recognition
Middletown ranks #6 in the Main Street’s “Restaurant Row” “…the small “Top Ten of New England Main Streets” City of Middletown, Connecticut, packs more international flavor on its Main Street than Boston Globe’s ExploreNewEngland.com places four times its size.”
“Middletown boasts the Yankee Magazine, November 2005 most robust community arts programming I’ve “The comeback of Main Street is a victory of both seen in this state… “Middletown continues there’s something about good sense and good planning; Good sense for to surprise as it evolves being within walking into an interesting distance of 5 to 10 emphasizing public safety first; good planning for restaurant town with a separate, simultaneous wide choice of cuisines, performances that picking a viable goal, sticking with it and using a consistently better than makes you feel like average food and the you’re in the middle of lot of imagination to make it happen.” only known Tibetan something hot.” restaurant in the state.” Dan Barry – Hartford Tom Condon Advocate Hartford Courant New York Times December 2007 October 2006 June 2006