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Alliance with the Community Development
<br /> ' Department It is essential to build and continuously nurture strong lines of
<br /> DSCP has maintained a formidable alliance with communication with the multitude of players who comprise city
<br /> the city's Community Development Department,
<br /> dwhich includes planning, zoning and economic government city administrator, mayor, members of city council
<br /> evelopment. For instance, DSCP Executive and hey city department heads (i.e., planning, economic devel
<br /> Director Neil Smith sits on the City Planning opment, engineering). Because the players change frequently
<br /> Commission to ensure linkages and communication.
<br /> Two recent projects illustrate the strength of this due to elections and job turnover, the communication must be an
<br /> relationship. ongoing effort. Having the city on board'helps tremendously in
<br /> First,the department worked together with DSCP convincing others in the community of the value and merit of
<br /> to produce a downtown strategy plan in 2000. This specific downtown projects.
<br /> document contains goals and strategies for many
<br /> aspects of downtown St. Charles and has served the
<br /> planning and development process admirably since
<br /> its completion. PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE DOWNTOWN
<br /> Second, and a direct result of the strategy plan, is PARTNERING
<br /> the current efforts to enhance the Fox River river- Based on these two case studies plus numerous
<br /> front and the adjacent 1st Street corridor. Both of other communities that the author has worked with
<br /> these areas are dominated by surface parking lots in recent years, a number of principles emerge that
<br /> and therefore are tremendously underutilized. A underscore successful downtown partnerships.
<br /> special committee, consisting of representatives Establish strong interconnections with City Hall.
<br /> from DSCP, the Community Development Having the city government committed to a healthy
<br /> Department and the Park District, has been estab- downtown is an invaluable asset for a downtown
<br /> lished to work on implementing some of the ideas organization, as well as the overall community, to
<br /> set forth in the strategy plan. These include making possess. The establishment of a reliable funding
<br /> improvements on shoreline restoration,connectivity source is one obvious benefit. Ina national survey
<br /> between downtown buildings and the river's edge, of Main Street programs conducted by the author in
<br /> economic development along 1st Street and contin 2001, 33 of the 39 programs received annual fund
<br /> uous river access. This is a long-term effort that may ing from the city, accounting for an average of 33
<br /> ake up to 20 years to complete,but the foundation percent of their total budget. But a formidable part-
<br /> as been established. nership goes much deeper than funding.
<br /> It is essential to build and continuously nurture
<br /> Maintaining Effective Linkages strong lines of communication with the multitude of
<br /> Two mechanisms help to maintain effective link-
<br /> ages players who comprise city govemment—city admin
<br /> with other organizations in St. Charles that istrator,mayor,members of city council and key city
<br /> share goals with DSCP. One mechanism is the DSCP
<br /> bylaws that require the following individuals to
<br /> serve as ex-officio members of the DSCP Board of � k�;�� ' 4 ' i -` � "
<br /> Directors: Chamber of Commerce president, direc- < " �' ",,•tor of the Convention &Visitors Bureau (CVB), the " l '
<br /> city administrator and two city alderman. This °` ��o a
<br /> te
<br /> helps to bring key players to the DSCP table on a 1 � �
<br /> regular basis and to ensure steady level of commu g%
<br /> nrication regarding downtown issues. "This is the A e ' 1 � ,
<br /> one piece of advice I ive to any new Main Street � �; t : �.
<br /> program," said Kaye Siblik, DSCP president, under- , � �r -scoring the importance of having representation of Y '
<br /> other organizations and the city on your board. 3 � 1:.!:1'.,17:1111:-:47,. ..7,71:4. �'
<br /> A second mechanism is the existence
<br /> Community Promotions Alliance that includes
<br /> DSCP, Chamber of Commerce, school district, CVB,
<br /> —�
<br /> library Park District, and city government.
<br /> Representatives from these organizations meet t :,,,t,monthly to coordinate event and promotion en ,, ,. . y,r
<br /> dars and to share resources for community events. �' � ��
<br /> he enhanced communications and organizational
<br /> lationships that are nurtured yield benefits that
<br /> extend far beyond events and promotions. Heavy traffic along Main Street(Illinois Highway 64)is commonplace in downtown St.Charles.
<br /> 57
<br /> Economic Development Journal / Fall 2002
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