Report Components Introduction 3 Executive Summary 3 Background Information and Historic Context 3-4 Focus Group Observations 4 Assessment Team Recommendations 5 Management 5-8 Marketing & Promotion 8- Economic Development & Restructuring 10-12 Design 12-14 Funding Mechanisms 15 Team Member Bios 16-17 Appendices and Action Matrix Team Members The Georgetown assessment team appreciates the invitation to get to know the town and to assist the community to maximize its considerable assets. The volunteers worked diligently, pre- and post- visit to provide relevant and realistic input towards the betterment of your commercial district. Steve Art, Economic Development and Urban Renewal Manager, City of Wheat Ridge Katherine Correll, Executive Director, Downtown Colorado, Inc. Bailey Haines, Graphic Designer, DHM Design Michael Hussey, Manager of Planning and Landscape Architecture, Nolte Vertical Five Shay Ives, Community Revitalization Specialist, Colorado Department of Local Affairs Will Kerns, Principal Consultant, Open Plan Consultants, LLC Nathan Owens, APA- CO Volunteer Beth A. Parish, John J. Sullivan Endowed Chair for Free Enterprise, Regis University Jamie Shapiro, OSM/VISTA, Downtown Colorado, Inc. Tim Stroh, Main Street Architect, Colorado Department of Local Affairs Stephanie Troller, Main Street Coordinator, Colorado Department of Local Affairs Isabel Waldman, Membership and Outreach Coordinator, Downtown Colorado, Inc. 2 Introduction Executive Summary Welcome to the downtown assessment for In the summer of 2013, Georgetown requested the Colorado community of Georgetown. a downtown assessment from Downtown Downtown Colorado, Inc. (DCI) is proud to offer Colorado, Inc. (DCI) for October 7-8, 2013. The assessments for all member communities to purpose of an assessment visit is for a team of build and maintain vibrant commercial districts, consultants who specialize in downtown and town centers, and downtowns in our state. community revitalization to identify community Qualifying communities in Colorado have the issues and opportunities, as well as to provide Georgetown opportunity to apply for assistance through DCI tools, insights and direction to help the host in a downtown assessment process partially community achieve its community revitalization sponsored by the USDA Rural Development goals. Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) and is completed in collaboration and Prior to this visit, the Town of Georgetown sponsorship with the Department of Local Affairs identified key stakeholders for focus groups (DOLA) Main Street Program, and the Office of and provided extensive background information Economic Development and International Trade about the history and status of Georgetown’s (OEDIT). downtown revitalization efforts and the issues facing the community. The DCI downtown assessment gathers community leaders and stakeholders to develop Upon arrival in the community, team members a structure and process for the community were given a presentation on the community to support local businesses and maintain a history and current issues as well as a tour vibrant commercial district. The process results of the town. Afterward, the team conducted in a road map to guide community leaders in focus groups with elected officials, town providing services and training to help local staff, community organizations, community businesses thrive and stimulate a healthy stakeholders, and interested citizens. The downtown. focus groups allowed the team to hear directly from stakeholders about the issues facing the DCI works with member volunteers to assemble downtown and the community as a whole. It also a team of professional consultants experienced provided a chance for team members to ask the in their discipline, including designers and community about the perceptions, strengths, architects, marketing and branding specialists, weaknesses, and opportunities related to land use and urban planners, redevelopment downtown Georgetown. and real estate specialists, economic developers, and finance experts, to work in On the second day of the assessment, team communities over the course of two days to members gathered to discuss their observations contribute to this final report. The assessment and formulate recommendations. That evening, team members value the invitation to learn team members presented their findings, about and assist your community, and worked followed by a question-and-answer session, diligently to provide relevant and realistic input open to the community-at-large. The following toward the betterment of your community. report provides a brief history of the community, an overview of the downtown assessment process, a list of observations gathered from the community, and provides recommendations for short and long-term implementation. 3 Background Information and Historical Context The Town of Georgetown is located along Interstate 70, West of Denver and Idaho Springs and East of the Eisenhower Tunnel. Georgetown is in Clear Creek Valley in the Central Colorado Rocky Mountains and is the county seat of Clear Creek County. The town has a population of 1,088 (according to 2000 census data). Georgetown is the only municipality in Colorado that still operates under a charter from the Territory of Colorado. Georgetown was established in 1859 and incorporated in 1863. Silver was discovered in the area in 1864 and the town became one of Focus Group Observations the state’s first silver mining boomtowns.1 After US Congress began large scale silver purchases The following observations were made in the in 1878, the Colorado Silver Boom, centered in four focus groups held on the first day of the Leadville and Georgetown, began in earnest. At downtown assessment. that time, Georgetown rivaled Leadville as the • Georgetown has great assets! The lake, silver mining capitol of Colorado.1 historic district, Loop Railroad, mountains, and big horn sheep. After the collapse of the silver mining industry • Georgetown is a great community that and a period of economic difficulty, the celebrates Colorado’s history. Georgetown economy began to revive as the • There is a desire to get visitors and locals Colorado outdoor tourism industry took hold in downtown to support local businesses year- the 1950s and beyond. In 1976, the Henderson round. molybdenum mine opened just west of Empire in • The offseason is a major challenge for Clear Creek County, providing a new economic downtown merchants. force for the region. The mine now has profits of over a billion dollars annually and is the Assessment Team largest economic driver for Clear Creek County, Recommendations though the Georgetown Loop Railroad creates 2 This assessment focuses on activating the strongest economic impact on Georgetown. stakeholders and resources in a comprehensive Because of Georgetown’s Loop Railroad, approach to capture and direct existing activities fantastic outdoor recreation, beautiful historic into four main topic areas that are vital to architecture and rich history, the town draws revitalizing downtowns. These four topic areas many day visitors from the Front Range. Due include: to Georgetown’s location along I-70, between Denver and the hiking and ski resorts of Summit Management: Primarily focused on resource County, the most visited rest stop in the state management, including human resources, (with about 400,000 visitors a year) is located partnerships, and finances. at the entrance to Georgetown. Georgetown • Priorities: Developing a clear and cohesive benefits from a beautiful location, access to a community vision for the community to rally major interstate, a strong community, and a rich behind and adding another staff member history. through the VISTA, Best and Brightest 1Crofutt’s Grip-Sack Guide of Colorado, George A. Crofutt, 1881 2Town of Georgetown Website: http://www.town.georgetown.co.us/ program. HistoryOfGeorgetown.htm 3Historical Geography of the Georgetown, Colorado, Silver Mining Area, James Biggins, 1973 4 Marketing and Promotions: Primarily Management focused on branding and messaging, The first section of this report focuses on the communication, and events. topic area of Management, which includes • Priorities: Creation of a unified Marketing collaboration efforts, volunteer recruitment and Taskforce to bring together the promotions management, fundraising, and development of efforts, Tourism Board, Economic operational strategies. Management involves Development, and individual private entities getting everyone working toward the same goal, marketing and branding initiatives and and assembling the appropriate human and Georgetown materials, with input from all stakeholders. financial resources to implement a downtown Spend more time, money, and focus revitalization and restoration program. The three in getting the people already visiting principal components of management are: Georgetown into your downtown. Give the 1. Public and media relations consumer a unified message of Georgetown 2. Volunteer development on the internet, in brochures and in other 3. Fundraising materials. Management Structures: A governing Economic Development and board and standing committees make up the Restructuring: Primarily looks at fundamental organizational structure of a opportunities to collect data, enhance services volunteer-driven program. Volunteers are best for business, and identify and catalyze coordinated and supported by a paid, full-time underutilized assets. or part-time program director. This structure not • Priorities: Creation of