12-04-2006 DTMIN - Laserfiche WebLink

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Task Force Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) Analysis STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS  Neighborhood Schools  Small and limited geographic area  New retail and business uses  Competing retail both locally (internal) and from surrounding communities (external)  River  Small critical mass  New customer base  Lack of commuter rail stop in Downtown  Businesses that are easily accessible  Limited interest in going Downtown  Rehabilitation of existing buildings by people  Possible bypass of Highway 10  Nice homes  More public gathering spaces for social  Everyone knows your name  Continued expansion of Otsego/Highway 101 area activities  Churches  Age of existing real estate  Outdoor dining  Traffic issues (congestion, increased traffic,  Authentic small town character crossing Highway 10, etc)  Lack of reinvestment  Blank slate north of railroad tracks (buildings)  Value of housing stock going down  Opportunity for individually owned  Highway 10 and railroad divides area  More riverfront development  Land speculators (buying homes and renting them until businesses (affordable and non and people don’t want to cross  More access to River national chain) they can put together large enough parcel to develop  Limited access to River on)  Tie north and south areas together  Personal Touch – Everyone knows  Parking your name  Economic fluctuations in general  More residential development  No grocery store  Nostalgia/sentiment  Noise (Highway 10 and railroad)  Moving west of Downtown to develop  Lack of variety in businesses  Identifiable location  Not leasing out existing retail in new redevelopment  Enhance Heinke Center projects  Not pedestrian friendly (snow issues,  Variety of services  Current redevelopment efforts lend biking, etc)  Land locked for River access/trail credibility  Charm/Character (lights, streets,  Traffic congestion etc.)  Market saturation  to outside investors  Delivery trucks  Local financial institutions  Raising rents for existing businesses  North Star Rail and depot location (anchors)  Lack of fine dining  Through traffic  Screen railroad tracks and create buffers  Safe environment  Lack of benches or places to sit outside  Increasing land acquisition costs  Put in trail system along the River  Public gathering places (new  New residents have an unfamiliarity with  Changes in eminent domain laws park)  Promote an authentic Downtown Downtown  Fear of change  Proximity to Otsego retail  Incubator businesses  Limited connectivity of north and  Construction stress on existing businesses south areas  Heritage/history  Corridor to cross Highway 10 and railroad tracks  Market saturation  Lifestyle to support Downtown (convenience, price vs.  Connectivity (Highway 10, rail nostalgia, lack of interest and lack of wanted/needed road and transportation)  Attract more residents to live Downtown services)  Public facilities in close proximity  Cost to upkeep aging real estate (City Hall, Library, future YMCA)  Interest in viable business that wants to expand (no are to expand to Downtown or viability is no longer there since interest has moved elsewhere in the community) Note: Items highlighted in bold under Strengths are things we need to really build upon as we move forward. Items highlighted in bold under Weaknesses are things we need to be aware of and not ignore as we move forward. Items highlighted in bold under Opportunities are things we need to look to do in the future and takes into account our strengths and weaknesses as we move forward. Items highlighted in bold under Threats are things we need to address to stay competitive.