Understanding the Municipal Role in Main Street Revitalization

CT Main StreetApril 24, 2009

William Warner, AICPDirector of Planning, Conservation & DevelopmentMiddletown, 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

•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.

Getting the Ball Rolling Early Projects

3 New Homes in Village District

NorthEnd Artists Co-opArtists in residence

BEFOREAFTER

Green Street Arts Center

Holiday on MainSponsored by the

Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce

Photo courtesy of The Boston Globe

CommunityEvents

Cruise Night

CommunityEvents

Sponsored by the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce

Motorcycle ManiaMotorcycle ManiaSponsored by the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce

CommunityEvents

Other Community Events

�Head of CT River Regatta�July 4th Celebration on the River�5 K Road Race right in the downtown

Downtowns “Homerun” Projects and the City’s Role

�New Police Station�Kid City Children’s Museum�Destinta Theaters�The Inn at Middletown�Liberty Square�Landmark Square�Proposed Community Health Center

•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

Police Department & First & Last Tavern

� Award winning design reminiscent of Old City Hall� First floor retail attracts pedestrian foot traffic

•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

Kidcity Children’s Museum

•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

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

LibertySquare

•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

Vacant gas station and4 family on Main St.

LibertySquare

Photo courtesy of: The Middletown Press

LibertySquare

Before LibertySquare

LibertySquare

LibertySquare

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

� Fast track – stimulus funds� City parking lot� Retail on Main� Great design� LEED certified� Green roof, geothermal wells� Huge investment in north end

Proposed Community Health Center

Proposed Community Health Center

Proposed Community Health Center

Lighting the Arrigoni BridgeVision

“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

Main Street’s “Restaurant Row” “…the small City of Middletown, Connecticut, packs more international flavor on its Main Street than places four times its size.”

Yankee Magazine, November 2005

“Middletown continues to surprise as it evolves into an interesting restaurant town with a wide choice of cuisines,consistently better than average food and the only known Tibetan restaurantin the state.”

New York TimesJune 2006

Middletown ranks #6 in the “Top Ten of New England Main Streets”

Boston Globe’s ExploreNewEngland.com

“Middletown boasts the most robust community arts programming I’ve seen in this state…there’s something about being within walking distance of 5 to 10 separate, simultaneous performances that makes you feel like you’re in the middle ofsomething hot.”

Dan Barry – Hartford AdvocateDecember 2007

“The comeback of Main Street is a victory of both

good sense and good planning; Good sense for emphasizing public safety

first; good planning for picking a viable goal,

sticking with it and using a lot of imagination to make it

happen.”

Tom CondonHartford Courant

October 2006

Great Press and Recognition