Vitality, design, promotion: Thomaston gets inspiration for downtown

Written by Christine Schilke on March 20, 2023. Posted in In The News. Leave a Comment

Vitality, design, promotion: Thomaston gets inspiration for downtown

March 15, 2023

CMSC’s Field Services Director, Carl Rosa recently visited member Thomaston to talk with town officials and downtown merchants about how they can take advantage of their current assets while being proactive and strategic in how they grow.

Carl explained CMSC’s Four-Point Approach to revitalizing downtowns: economic vitality, design, organization and promotion, along with specific ways the town take to optimize their own Hall and Thomaston Opera House complex.

Photo Credit: Kurt Moffett, Republican-American

Read the article

About Connecticut Main Street Center

CMSC is the expert resource for developing and sustaining vibrant downtowns that fuel our state’s prosperity. Our mission is to assess, educate, convene, and advocate to develop and grow our traditional downtowns, village centers, and urban mixed-use neighborhoods. We provide education and training, resources and technical assistance, and function as the statewide champion for downtowns and Main Streets of all sizes.

CMSC is supported by its Founding Partners, Eversource Energy and the Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD). CMSC is also supported by its Growth Partners, UIL Holdings and the State Historic Preservation Office. More information is available at www.ctmainstreet.org.

CMSC Webinar: Building Your Volunteer Program

Written by Christine Schilke on March 8, 2023. Posted in Stewardship Webinars. Leave a Comment

CMSC Webinar

Building Your Volunteer Program:
Feeding the HUMAN Machine & Building the HUMAN Capacity

Webinar Summary

In order to drive a community forward, each organization must foster, maintain, and perfect the available human capacity within each community. In this webinar, we dive into strategies for creating a comprehensive volunteer matrix, how to maximize efforts for volunteers, and how appropriate positive (or sometimes negative) feedback should be delivered. Topics include how to create a comprehensive volunteer list, how to partner volunteers together, and where and how to utilize critical volunteers. This webinar is also applicable to those who have volunteer boards and commissions.

Presentation Highlights

The Human Machine
- A community functions like a watch – all the cogs need to work together in the right sequence. The downtown is run by people.
- People need the ability to help, as well as the drive and desire to do it. This human capacity is the driving force behind any volunteer organization, whether it’s a Masonic Lodge, city council or downtown organization.
- It also helps set the expectations for volunteers, what they can give, and what they can expect to get back from their service. Everyone needs to know their role, which will also help you leverage their talents and skills and avoid burnout.
6 Types of Human Capacity
- As a Main Street manager, it’s not your job to do every project. It’s your job to empower people to help you implement the projects. You’re here to guide and provide resources, not do every job that comes up. The process isn’t linear, its cyclical and ongoing and has 6 components:
  1. Community Assessment
  2. Identifying Abilities
  3. Planning Roles
  4. Building a strong “house”
  5. Empowerment through partnership
  6. Implementing projects
Working with your Community as a Machine
- Outlining a 2-way relationship is critical. What is the volunteer getting out of it?
- When you do the Community Assessment, it’s like an audit where you can identify skills gaps. This is a great task for someone joining your Organization board or committee. It helps them understand how you work, while offering a fresh pair of eyes on the data.
- When identifying abilities, you may need to have tough discussions with people because you may not need the skills they’re offering. Also look at when your volunteers are available. Do they have kids in school and so are not available at night? Do they work during the day and are only available on the weekend?
- Many people want to do something different than their day job. You need to help them figure out their role, as well as who to hand off things to. You’re aiming to have seamless transitions between them.
- Build a matrix of skills, availability, etc. Then you can pair people up, creating little “families” of volunteers.
Working With Your Community As A Machine
- Main Street needs to empower through leadership, not by doing everything on their own. Build capacity through responsibility and let people know where they fit into the overall process.
- When you implement the project, this is the time to give positive and constructive criticism. It’s also a time to re-evaluate your volunteer to see if anything’s changed.
Strategies for Improving the Machine
- Create a social network map – Take your 20 core volunteers and map all the different groups in your community – everything from the PTA to the local bank.
- What demographics are represented? Which are missing? What do they love to do and what are they good at? What’s motivating them to volunteer and to be part of the community? Remember, sometimes what people are good at is not what they’re looking to do when they’re volunteering.
- Do an assessment to determine your volunteers’ strengths and weaknesses. Are they introverts or extroverts?
  - Can categorize people by Seer, Feeler, Thinker & Doers
    - Seer – learn or share by showing
    - Feelers – Likes to do something over and over
    - Thinkers – Likes data and putting things on paper
    - Doers – Do whatever needs to be done
  - Create a comprehensive volunteer list. Can be as short as 10 questions asking:
    - What they prefer
    - When they’re available (day, evening)
    - How they would like to volunteer
    - Where they’re comfortable
    - Can then sort the list and use it to ask for targeted help.
  - 2 Way benefit – to the volunteer and to the Main Street organization
    - Benefits to the Volunteer
      
      Personal connections
      
      Strengthened and vibrant downtown
      
      Sense of accomplishment and belonging
      
      Vested in the overall community’s health
    - Benefits to the Main Street program
      
      Improved amounts of volunteers and participants
      
      Vested residents or business owners
      
      Increased networking and economic draw
    - These relationships don’t just start on day 1, they need to be cultivated. The Main Street director or manager usually needs to be the first to take the initial step.
    - You need to give continuous and personalized feedback and praise.
    - Conduct anonymous assessments to get feedback from the public.

View the Recording

Additional Resources

Building Your Volunteer Program Presentation-PDF

About Ben Levenger, AICP

Ben Levenger is an AICP planner, registered landscape architect, and Certified Economic Developer. He is the president of Downtown Redevelopment Services, LLC, a planning firm specializing in assisting communities through comprehensive downtown planning. He has worked in over 30 states and consults for federal agencies on economic development best practices.

Contact

Ben Levenger, AICP

Email: Ben@dtredevelopment.com

Cell: 330-212-2260

View Other Webinars

CMSC Webinar: How to Start a Cultural District in Your Town

Written by Christine Schilke on March 8, 2023. Posted in Place Webinars, Stewardship Webinars. Leave a Comment

CMSC Webinar

How to Start a Cultural District in Your Town

Webinar Summary

Join Connecticut Main Street Center, in partnership with the Connecticut Office of the Arts, the Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut, the Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition, and the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council, as we discuss how to start a cultural district with people who’ve already done it!

In this virtual roundtable, we discuss the value of establishing a cultural district, the basics of the program, as well as common challenges and how to overcome them.

Presentation Highlights

What’s a Cultural District?

A Cultural District is a specific area of a city or town identified by the municipality that has a number of cultural facilities, activities and/or assets–both for profit and nonprofit. It is a walkable, compact area that is easy for visitors to recognize. It is a center of cultural activities –artistic and economic. It is a place in your city/town where community members congregate, and visitors may enjoy those places that make a community special.
Discussion Overview
- In this webinar, we interview three communities – Ridgefield, New London and Torrington – that started a Cultural District.
- The discussion is led by the leaders of three of Connecticut’s Designated Regional Service Organizations (DRSO’s), who are available to help communities learn how to form their own cultural districts.
- Joined by Liz Shapiro, Director of the Office of the Arts, this discussion highlights the lived experience of these communities in going through the process, the things they’d do differently, and the ways the Cultural District has energized community collaboration.

View the Recording

Other Resources

View Other Webinars

About the Speakers

Wendy Bury, Executive Director, Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition
Steph Burr, Executive Director, NWCT Arts Council
Lisa Scails, Executive Director, Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut
Rufus de Rham, Executive Director, Warner Theater, Torrington
Eileen Marriott, Director, KidsPlay Museum, Torrington
Rich Martin, Chair of New London Cultural District Council
Glori Norwitt, Commissioner and Chair, Ridgefield Economic & Community Development Commission

Town of Wallingford Hiring Economic Development Specialist

Written by Christine Schilke on February 6, 2023. Posted in In The News. Leave a Comment

Town of Wallingford Hiring Economic Development Specialist

February 6, 2023

The Town of Wallingford is seeking an Economic Development Specialist to help them develop and implement the town’s marketing, business recruitment and retention programs.

This is a full-time position working closely with the Economic Development Commission, related town staff and departments for planning and coordinating of community development projects, assisting business applicants with local and State permitting processes and providing research for Town sponsored projects.

Applications are due by February 17, 2023. View the full job posting and find the employment application form on their website.

About Connecticut Main Street Center

WBDC Equity Grants Available for Women-Owned Businesses

Written by Christine Schilke on January 26, 2023. Posted in In The News. Leave a Comment

WBDC Equity Grants Available for Women-Owned Businesses

January 26, 2023

The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) announced the next round of their Equity Match Grant Program is now open.

The program offers grants of up to $10,000 to CT women-owned businesses that have been in business for 2 or more years and have revenues between $25K and $2M.

Since the program launched in late 2020, WBDC has distributed 167 grants totaling over $1.5M to CT women-owned businesses.

Applications available in English & Spanish. The deadline to apply is February 28, 2023.
Learn more & apply

About Connecticut Main Street Center

Higganum Issues RFQ for Real Estate Developers

Written by Christine Schilke on January 25, 2023. Posted in In The News. Leave a Comment

Town of Haddam Issues RFQ Redevelop Higganum Property

January 25, 2023

The Town of Haddam is seeking proposals from qualified real estate developers for the redevelopment of the former Rossi Lumber Company property in the heart of Higganum. The town has acquired the property and received $1.5 million for environmental remediation.

This project is across the street from an exciting mill remediation and renovation project currently underway.

View the full RFQ here. Reponses are due by 3:00 p.m. on March 1st, 2023.

About Connecticut Main Street Center

Colorful Bridgeport Creates Video Series for New Murals

Written by Christine Schilke on January 24, 2023. Posted in In The News. Leave a Comment

Colorful Bridgeport Creates Video Series for New Murals

January 24, 2023

CMSC Member Colorful Bridgeport partnered up with the City of Bridgeport to install a series of murals in their neighborhood that add to the sense of community by celebrating the full spectrum of the Downtown’s people, places, and spaces.

The extremely talented Gary Judkins of Pivot Language Media filmed each artist creating their mural. Follow along as they release the videos series throughout the month of January highlighting the Color It In mural projects and the artists who created them.

Watch Now

About Connecticut Main Street Center

CMSC Adds Voice to Work, Live, Ride Movement

Written by Christine Schilke on January 23, 2023. Posted in In The News. Leave a Comment

CMSC Calls for More Affordable Housing

January 23, 2023

CMSC’s Executive Director, Michelle McCabe, spoke on behalf of downtowns during a recent press conference calling for more affordable housing hosted by Desegregate CT.

“If people are spending all of their money on transportation and on housing, then that means that they have fewer resources to invest back in our communities and invest back in our main streets,” said Michelle McCabe, the Executive Director of the CT Main Street Center.

You can view news articles from this event below:

WTNH Channel 8: Statewide program hopes to increase affordable housing

Hartford Courant: Legislative proposal launched to create CT communities centered on public transit, increase affordable housing

Photo Credit – Steve Smith, Hartford Courant

About Connecticut Main Street Center

CMSC Webinar: Reimagining Communal Spaces to be More Community-Friendly

Written by Christine Schilke on January 23, 2023. Posted in Economic Vitality Webinars, Inclusiveness Webinars, Place Webinars, Stewardship Webinars, Sustainability Webinars. Leave a Comment

CMSC Webinar

Reimagining Communal Spaces to be More Community Friendly

Webinar Summary

Communal spaces play a vital role in every municipality. They bring residents together, provide recreation, boost the economy and even fuel healthier lifestyles.

In this webinar, Celeste Frye, co-founder & CEO of Public Works Partners, LLC, shares strategies for designing communal spaces that proactively and thoughtfully meet the needs of the entire community.

Presentation Highlights

What is a Communal Space?
The question of where people congregate in your town should be approached sensitively and take into consideration all the different people who live in your community. This is important because it has repercussions regarding class, race, ethnic backgrounds and ability to access spaces (ability, age, etc.) When we’re designing communal places, they need to be truly welcoming inclusiveness of all community members.

What is a Communal Space?
- The purpose of a communal space is to be activated and invite people in to gather and connect. From an urban planning perspective, activating a place means the use of a public space to advance community building and social interaction, using strategies to proactively bring people into a space. This can be a simple as free wi-fi or tables and chairs.
- It’s important to acknowledge that you may have different spaces for different groups within your town and that some spaces may feel hostile to different groups, for instance to those that are unhoused (homeless) or disabled.
Benefits of Communal Spaces
There are 3 main benefits of communal spaces:
- Build social networks by encouraging people to grow their personal networks
  - Communal spaces provide infrastructure and a setting for people to gather and share experiences, and to safely interact with others who they may not see or interact with otherwise – for instance, those of differing gender identities or religious affiliation.
- Spur economic growth both in the space and in nearby neighborhoods
  - Attracting people to a space can encourage patronage of local businesses through design and use improvements.
  - Brick and mortar stores, façade improvements, and venues for food trucks can all help small businesses thrive.
  - Communal spaces can also draw people to different neighborhoods
  - Adaptive reuse of historic buildings can give them uses that match the current residents and their needs, for instance converting old schools into community or recreational centers.
- Improve health and wellbeing through facilitating physical and social activity
  - Can include things like parks with walking trails or game spaces, but also downtowns with walkable streets.
  - Can use design elements that encourage people to move from space to space which can improve health and wellbeing, especially in places that have historically lacked them. Examples include wide sidewalks, protected bike lanes, public transit access
  - Examples of Communal Spaces
    - Parks – Green spaces that are visually attractive and allow for physical and social interactions
    - Markets – Vacant lots can be used for pop up markets or food trucks
    - Downtowns – in addition to commercial areas, they also house government buildings, libraries and social events like parades
How to Be Truly Community-Friendly
To create places that are welcoming to the entire community, it’s imperative to incorporate key elements:
- Accessibility – go above and beyond ADA requirements
  - The community’s ADA needs should be discussed at the beginning stages of planning, not at the end
  - ADA mostly focuses on physical accessibility but we should broaden our understanding of ADA or “universal” design to include mental cognitive ability and life cycle (i.e. kids, pregnant women or older people). For example, signage should be clear and easy to understand. Use multi-sensory signals, such as auditory signals at crosswalks. Haptic, or touch-based signals, (such as braille), help as well.
  - It’s also important to make sure access is continuous. Common obstacles are curb cuts that don’t connect to cross walks or protected bike lanes that end suddenly.
  - Incorporating accessibility elements creates an equitable opportunity for people to participate in these spaces.
- Transportation
  - Active transportation gives people more ways to traverse a space. Think of protected bike lanes (and bike parking), protected bike lanes and wide sidewalks in addition to lanes for cars. Bollards and islands can be used to help separate lanes.
- Green space
  - A community friendly space incorporates the natural environment for recreation, play and learning. Thoughtfully plan for and maximize green space – think about things like where you’ll you put it. What will it be like in real life? For instance, will trees work in the space or are planters better?
- Safety & Comfort
  - This makes the place approachable and can include things like awnings over shops to provide shelter from the rain, trees for shade, human-scaled lighting, slower speed limits, and permanent and movable street seating.
Making It Happen
- Begin by doing robust research
  - How do people use the space? How do they want to access it? What’s the history of the neighborhood? Is it changing? What are the community demographics? Why is the project happening here, now?
  - Talk to the community and observe how the space is currently used.
- Make Your Plan
  - Once you have the research you can create your plan, laying out your goals and strategies. Include key milestones and successes, timeline, communication protocols, incorporate the community into the implementation, etc.
- Implement Your Plan
  - Utilize connections made with businesses and community members to create some shared decision-making frameworks.
  - Bring the larger community in and get them excited about the project. While you’ll likely engage contractors for big changes, you might be able incorporate the community by doing site tours or things like group planting projects, ribbon cuttings, etc.
  - Clear communication will also help mitigate issues like construction noise or access. It’ll let you get feedback so you can respond to issues in a timely manner. Downtown managers are often key liaisons between the different stakeholders.
- Manage Your Space
  - Discuss funding for maintenance and who will manage the space, have strategies to evaluate the space such as who’s using it at what time of day, then you can make changes as necessary.
- Maintain Your Space
  - Weather and use can impact your space. What’s needed for maintenance on a seasonal basis? After a year or five years?
  - Report out to the community on your successes and efforts.
Real Life Examples
- Syracuse Downtown Revitalization Initiative – Public Works was engaged to support the creation of a final strategic investment plan that’s directing $10m worth of state funding to select real estate and public infrastructure investments.
  - In this project they were reconnecting two different parts of the downtown to work against the affects of population decline and the legacy of urban renewal.
  - They facilitated a series of in person and virtual charrettes focused on things the community already said was important to them – pedestrian friendly streets, trees and green infrastructure, making streetscape and building improvements and preserving the cultural heritage of this neighborhood.
    - Their recommendations included improving sidewalks and streetscapes, adding lighting and wayfinding to encourage people to traverse the area, redeveloping certain properties to create commercial and pedestrian activity, and supporting outdoor vendor spaces.
  - Lessons learned
    - Important to reach out to people in a variety of way to meet people where they are.
    - Build on what’s already working and let community members easily identify what they already like, in this case a popular community center
    - Choose and incorporate elements that fit with the community.
- NYC Streets Plan – Public Works led the NYC Streets Plan (NSP) Public Engagement Process (PEP) to support a NSP that would include the safety of all street users, the use of multi-modal mass transit, the reduction of vehicle emissions, and access for individuals with disabilities.
  - In many communities the most publicly owned land is actually the streets, so it’s beneficial to think how they can be utilized by all users, not just cars.
  - This purpose of this program was primarily to improve the safety of non-car users.
    - Had a online engagement platform, did phone surveys targeted to non-English speakers and people who traditionally didn’t participate, which allowed for a deeper reach into the community.
  - Lessons Learned
    - Defined the accessibility need for the engagement process and the plan up front
    - Provided flexibility around the times people could engage
    - Did a mix of small group engagement so everyone felt comfortable participating

View the Recording

Other Resources

Communal Spaces Presentation – PDF
Webinar Chat Log – Communal Spaces
Accessibility principles from the American Society of Landscape Architects
Learn more about the Syracuse Downtown Revitalization Initiative
Learn more about the NYC Streets Plan

View Other Webinars

About Celeste Frye

Co-Founder and CEO, Public Works Partners

An AICP-certified planner, Celeste Frye co-founded Public Works Partners more than a decade ago out of a passion to help mission-driven organizations increase their positive impact on local communities. She is a known expert in designing and implementing multi-stakeholder initiatives, building strong connections across the nonprofit, government and private sectors. Celeste is a member of the Regional Plan Association’s Connecticut Committee and the Coro New York Leadership Center’s Alumni Advisory Board. She was recognized with City & State’s 2021 Community Engagement Power 50 and Crain’s New York’s 2021 Notable Women Business Owners. Celeste received a M.S. in Regional Planning from Cornell University and a B.A. in International Studies & French from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Press Release: CMSC Launches New Downtown Assessment Tool

Written by Christine Schilke on January 23, 2023. Posted in In The News. Leave a Comment

Press Release: CMSC Launches New Downtown Assessment Tool

For Immediate Release – January 23, 2023

Innovative scoring matrix to provide metrics on downtown successes,
offer customized recommendations

(Hartford, CT) – Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC) is pleased to announce the launch of a new Annual Assessment tool for CMSC member communities. This metric-based scoring system will provide CMSC’s 80+ members across the state with a way to measure the success of their initiatives, allowing them to benchmark their downtown management efforts, in addition to offering customized recommendations and resources for strengthening key areas as needed.

“We expect the new Annual Assessment to be transformational for our members,” said Michelle McCabe, CMSC Executive Director. “The information gathered will be a powerful tool for our members to see what’s working, opportunities for improvement, and where to target their efforts. From CMSC’s perspective, it helps us pinpoint with more accuracy what resources and guidance our members need, so it’s really a win-win.”

The Assessment matrix was developed over several months and measures the two overarching approaches CMSC espouses for cultivating healthy downtowns: the Four Point Approach to Main Street Management and the Six Core Components of a Vibrant Main Street. The Four Point Approach – the how – is a nationally recognized model for managing a Main Street. The Six Core Components are the what – the foundational elements CMSC has identified as critical to a vibrant Main Street, such as lighting, public art and local businesses. CMSC’s new Assessment tool measures both, ensuring its members are taking a comprehensive approach to their downtowns and Main Streets.

“I give a lot of credit to my colleague, Kristen Lopez, our Education & Training Director, who was instrumental in creating the matrix, and to our former Senior Director of Main Street Services & Projects, Kimberley Parsons Whitaker, who provided a lot of input and experience from her years working with our members,” said Carl Rosa, CMSC Field Services Director. “Together we created something really special that’s going to help our members and their downtowns, and I’m really pleased with the experiences I’ve had so far testing it.”

CMSC piloted the Assessment tool in three communities, New Britain, Simsbury and Westville Village (New Haven), in December. “We loved working with Carl on the new Assessment Tool. It’s really great from our perspective because now we have concrete data to go back to our Board and the city and show them what’s working and what our impact is, and we can see how our numbers go up or down each year,” said Lizzy Donius, Executive Director of Westville Village Renaissance Alliance. “Carl came out and met with us and within a few days we had a comprehensive report with dozens of data points and helpful recommendations and resources for how we can improve.”

CMSC will undertake an Annual Assessment for all its members in good standing that would like one on a rolling basis over the course of the year.

You can find information about CMSC, its members, and the Annual Assessment tool on their website.

###

Media Contact
Christine Schilke
Communications & Strategy Director
860-280.2356
christine@ctmainstreet.org

About Connecticut Main Street Center

CMSC is supported by its Founding Sponsors, the Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD) and Eversource Energy. CMSC is also supported by its Growth Sponsors, UIL Holdings and the State Historic Preservation Office. More information is available at www.ctmainstreet.org.

Author: Christine Schilke

Vitality, design, promotion: Thomaston gets inspiration for downtown

About Connecticut Main Street Center

CMSC Webinar

Building Your Volunteer Program: Feeding the HUMAN Machine & Building the HUMAN Capacity

Webinar Summary

The Human Machine

6 Types of Human Capacity

Working with your Community as a Machine

Strategies for Improving the Machine

About Ben Levenger, AICP

Contact

CMSC Webinar

How to Start a Cultural District in Your Town

Webinar Summary

What’s a Cultural District?

Discussion Overview

About the Speakers

Town of Wallingford Hiring Economic Development Specialist

About Connecticut Main Street Center

WBDC Equity Grants Available for Women-Owned Businesses

About Connecticut Main Street Center

Town of Haddam Issues RFQ Redevelop Higganum Property

About Connecticut Main Street Center

Colorful Bridgeport Creates Video Series for New Murals

About Connecticut Main Street Center

CMSC Calls for More Affordable Housing

About Connecticut Main Street Center

CMSC Webinar

Reimagining Communal Spaces to be More Community Friendly

Webinar Summary

What is a Communal Space?

Benefits of Communal Spaces

How to Be Truly Community-Friendly

Making It Happen

Real Life Examples

About Celeste Frye

Press Release: CMSC Launches New Downtown Assessment Tool

Innovative scoring matrix to provide metrics on downtown successes, offer customized recommendations

About Connecticut Main Street Center

founding sponsors

Growth partners

Connecticut Main Street Center

Building Your Volunteer Program:
Feeding the HUMAN Machine & Building the HUMAN Capacity

Innovative scoring matrix to provide metrics on downtown successes,
offer customized recommendations