If your downtown is revitalized, it says to residents, visitors, and potential investors, “This place has its act together!” Conversely, if a downtown is dead after 5:00 PM, has empty sidewalks and boarded-up buildings, and shows other signs of neglect and decay… it says, “This place hasn’t figured out how to focus, work together, or develop the leadership to make things happen.”
No one person can revitalize a downtown. There are a variety of stakeholders:
- Community/customers
- Downtown business owners
- Media
- Elected leaders
- City
- County
- State
- Federal
- Special districts
- Property owners
- Government employees
- Planners
- Public works
- Social services
- Police
- Health department
- Alcohol control
- Fire department
- Transit
- Building inspectors
- Code enforcement
- Parks department
- Lenders
- Downtown and surrounding area residents
- Developers
- Downtown employees
- Investors
- Faith community
- Entrepreneurs
- Nonprofits
- Education/schools/colleges