INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

PDP Board Training Results

Speaking from Downtown

SR 69/SR 89 Construction 

Board Members Meet
Mayor Jack Wilson

2008 Board of Directors
Let us hear from you!

Upcoming Events  
 

PDP Board Training Results

The conclusion of a recently upbeat training session for the PDP Board of Directors stressed the importance of the board’s need to become more responsive to its membership and to assume a more aggressive role in marketing/advertising (branding) downtown, as well as  membership retention and recruitment.

To respond to these needs several committees have been established and task assignments provided to board members. 

Outreach/Membership Committee.  Members of this committee will have the responsibility of establishing short and long-term strategies to retain and increase membership and develop mechanisms through which the board can more effectively communicate with the membership. As with any membership organization, more members results in more resources made available to serve the needs of the membership. 

Marketing and Finance Committee.  Since marketing and advertising are closely intertwined to available dollars, the board felt it appropriate to combine these two efforts.  The committee members will be developing an advertising budget, within the constraints of the funding capacity of the organization,  and identifying advertising/marketing opportunities in conjunction with the Prescott Area Coalition for Tourism.  PDP has already partnered with PACT on one such promotional piece. Opportunities including a co-op advertising effort with downtown merchants will be explored.

Downtown Planning Committee.  The focus of this committee will be to analyze the short and long-term impacts on downtown of suggested code revisions, ensuring that codes appropriately reflect the position of the PDP membership, to encourage residential and office space in upper levels of existing buildings, and other downtown-related issues that periodically come before the city such as new building design. 

Parking Committee.   Picking up the mantle of the on-going hot topic—“fee in lieu of parking”—this committee will look out for the best interests of existing building uses and potential for change of use as it impacts parking requirements.  The committee will be dusting off some of the earlier parking study recommendations pertaining to both on and off-street parking in the downtown with the intent of bringing them back to the forefront of the city council.

Several other priorities set by the board training include identifying approaches to work with downtown merchants in establishing strategies to encourage locals to shop downtown as well as looking at the possibility of merchants remaining open at least one evening per month to appeal to local shoppers.   It has been suggested that this latter opportunity could coincide with the 4th Friday Art Walk, which has already demonstrated success in getting locals into downtown galleries. 

 In an attempt to encourage “feet on the street” several new events for downtown are being considered although final decisions are pending.  They include a downtown Halloween activity in concert with Sharlot Hall Museum and a First Night event on New Year’s Eve in conjunction with the Roughrider’s group.  Anyone interested in getting involved in PDP sponsored special events, please contact the office at 443-5220.

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Speaking from Downtown
Steve Stazenski, President

As you read on the cover page, the board is looking at ways to improve services to the membership while at the same time attempting to increase membership rolls. 

The recently designated Outreach and Membership Committee is already at work looking at the best approach to enhance the membership rolls and encourage new members. I am confident this committee will be successful in bringing new members to the organization. 

In looking at advertising and marketing, I did want to share with you some of the constraints confronting the organization with respect to these endeavors. When the PDP was originally formed it had financial support from the City of Prescott and the Prescott Chamber of Commerce.  That funding ceased after three years.  Through a percentage of the  in lieu of city business tax levied on vendors who participate in the eight major arts and crafts shows on the Plaza, the City of Prescott still provides PDP with financial support.  Current funding also comes from a management contract with Yavapai County to compensate for PDP assuming permitting activities for events on the Plaza for the County.

More than half of the funds for support of PDP administrative functions comes from membership and PDP sponsorship of a number of events downtown.  A large portion of the PDP budget comes from sponsorship of the Rodeo Days Arts & Crafts Show.  Although we do make some money from Old West Oktoberfest, proceeds from this event are earmarked for the Courthouse lighting program—$5,000 annually.  

While PDP sponsors several other events, none represents dollars in the bank—but they do accomplish one of the major objectives of the organization—–feet on the street—a direct benefit to downtown businesses.

Current revenues from membership represent approximately $8,000 annually.  During the course of any given year PDP spends in the neighborhood of $20,000 promoting special events sponsored by the organization—all of which are downtown. 

This past fall PDP, with funding received from the Arizona Department of Commerce, updated the “downtown” billboard located near the Lowe’s entrance, and designed a new welcome banner for the Gurley-Marina intersection.

PDP has made considerable strides financially.  Presuming our financial support remains solid, it is the hope of the board of directors that a  more direct focus can be placed on services to membership; i.e., financially supporting a cooperative approach to advertising/marketing designed specifically for downtown; a strategy to encourage locals to return to downtown; looking at the possibility of late retail closings at least one night a month; and making available the resources of the National Main Street program for downtown merchants. 

To accomplish these efforts your continued support is essential—working in concert each of us can be successful!  

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SR 69/SR 89 Construction
Work Begins on New Traffic Interchange*

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will begin improving the traffic interchange where State Route (SR) 89 meets SR69 near downtown Prescott. Scheduled to be completed by fall 2009, the improvements will increase safety and increase vehicular capacity through the interchange.  A signalized entrance to the VA hospital, a multi-use pedestrian trail which connects Gurley Street with SR 69, and drainage improvements are other notable benefits this project will have for the Prescott community.  Access to the affected businesses will be maintained at all times.   Advance notice of traffic impacts will be provided to any and all interested parties. 

ADOT recognized the need for infrastructure improvements in the growing Prescott community, and is proud to partner with the City of Prescott to meet future traffic capacity needs. 

ADOT has established a project hotline to address questions and concerns regarding the project.  Please call a project team member for information on this project, other area projects, or to sign up for regular email notifications of construction activity. 

Project HOTLINE      1-888-236-4374

For additional information or to receive project updates on the web, please visit ADOT Prescott District Website for more information:

www.sr89corridor.com

*Reprinted  with permission from ADOT informational brochure dated January 2008.

Contact the PDP office at 928-443-5220 if you would like to receive a copy of the construction activity map.

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Board Members Meet Mayor Jack Wilson

Mayor Jack Wilson was the invited guest of the board at it’s regular meeting on January 23rd to talk about his outlook on downtown.  At the outset, the Mayor indicated he looks forward to a strong collaborative relationship with the Prescott Downtown Partnership, Inc.

The Mayor perceives downtown ripe with opportunity and cited the need for an overall plan for downtown redevelopment which would present an opportunity for collaboration between the private sector and the City of Prescott. 

Long term planning for the rodeo grounds is underway and needs to include specific recommendations for increased utilization of the property.  Seen by the Mayor as a “sterling opportunity”, the Elks Opera House will serve as a downtown business magnet. 

Other areas where the Mayor envisions opportunities include the Granite Creek greenways—in need of more signage; exploring residential living in the downtown; analyzing  current traffic circulation, looking perhaps at the potential for one-way streets; attempting to ascertain what businesses are needed in the downtown; linking greater downtown to the square; and of course, parking! 

Looking to the future of Prescott, the Mayor is embarking upon a Prescott 2050 Visioning process, a volunteer effort to plan what Prescott would like to be in 2050.  Described by the Mayor as a “general plan on steroids”, such a strategic vision would look at  maintaining and enhancing Prescott’s “reputation capital”—what the Mayor refers to as the unique ambiance which Prescott affords to residents and visitors—that needs to be jealously guarded and enhanced.  

Other areas the Mayor would like to be considered in the Prescott 2050 visioning process include entrance signage standards, architectural design standards, a public arts policy, and ridgeline protection.  

Among the items foremost on the Mayor’s agenda is the need to cooperate regionally, stating that Prescott “...cannot go on the old model of being the biggest, Prescott needs to be the best”.  This latter statement recognizing that the population of adjoining municipalities will in the near future out-number  the population of Prescott.

Summing up his comments, the Mayor indicated that in the near term the most important issue confronting the city and downtown would be surviving the current economic downturn—already dramatically impacting the city’s revenue stream.  However, he stressed that without a plan such as Prescott 2050, the community lacks cohesive defined objectives and an approach for achieving them.  The rewards from a Prescott 2050 Vision are many:  a roadmap for what is most important; a 30,000 foot view of where we need to go with ground-level plans to get there, and the reality that community participation brings built-in support as recommendations go forward.  

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2008 Board of Directors
Let us hear from you!
 

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March 22
Easter Egg Hunt

April 19
Wildlife Expo

May 3
Whiskey Row Marathon
Taste of Salsa
Cinco de Mayo

May 10-11
Mountain Artists Guild Arts & Craft Show

May 24-26
Phippen Fine Art Show & Sale

June 1
Antiques on the Square

June 7
Prescott Auto Enthusiasts

June 7-8
Territorial Days Arts & Crafts Show

June 14
Tsunami on the Square

June 21-22
Bluegrass Festival

June 30-July 5
World’s Oldest Rodeo

July 4-6
Rodeo Days Arts & Crafts Show

 
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