The Downtowners’
City Center Newsletter
April 21, 2011
What You Will Find…
□ Business Improvement Districts (BID)
□ Downtown Updates
□ Upcoming Events
□ Ribfest BBQ is Back!
□ DBA Association News/Mixer Photos
Business Improvement Districts
Bismarck could now be eligible…
Cities have many different neighborhoods, and they all have different needs, heavier roads, better lighting, etc. Much like children of the same family. Your daughter may require braces or dance lessons; her brother may need sports equipment or glasses. Each child’s needs and development interests are different.
The Downtown neighborhood’s needs, development interests, and healthy sustainability are also unique. Like a family banning together to support a member, downtown businesses are also able to ban together for common causes. And that is where Business Improvement Districts (BID) and Senate Bill 2356 come into play.
BIDS are utilized to protect private investment, provide a higher level of maintenance, promote your interested neighborhood, and help it’s continued healthy development. For example, Downtown areas are pedestrian zones, everything is geared toward and scaled to a person on the ground. Lighting is lower, additional foliage, public art, decorative sidewalks, etc. These pedestrian necessities require a great deal more care and maintenance.
Property owners can petition the city to start a BID and contribute to the district. It is then used to provide ongoing maintenance of infrastructure, plant materials, advertising, pedestrian scaled aesthetics, holiday decorations, special event considerations, and a whole host of other needs unique to Downtowns.
BIDs need a large majority to be started; three-quarters of the property owners need to approve the district. Conversely, a small minority of property owners are needed to stop a districts formation, one-third. In short, if there isn’t overwhelming support for the district, it will not be approved.
Until now, BIDs in North Dakota were limited to cities with a population of 10,000 or less. SB2356 seeks to remove that population requirement. The Fargo Downtown Community Partnership, The Downtown Business Association of Bismarck and city staff of Fargo and Bismarck have testified in support of this bill.
With the help of Rep. Kaiser of Bismarck and Sen. Flakoll of Fargo, the bill was approved and has been sent to the Governor’s desk. The signature would open up BIDs to cities like Bismarck, Fargo, Minot, Dickinson, and any others over 10,000. Places like Billings MT and Rapid City SD alredy have successful BIDs in place. Do Downtown Bismarck property owners feel a BID is something to have? Time will tell, for now, we may have added one more tool for Downtown Bismarck to protect its investments.
Downtown updates
Cowan Buiding, Available Downtown Space, Parking Ramps…
-One project was approved by the Renaissance Zone Authority at the April Meeting. Loran Galpin submitted an application to renovate the Cowan Building on 4th and Broadway. The project application stated a cost of over a million dollars to renovate the building with retail, commercial, and residential in the form of apartments. The application will now go to the City Commission for consideration.
-Anyone interested in spaces for purchase or lease downtown can check out our website’s Real Estate Section. www.downtownbismarck.com/realestate.aspx
-With the continued growth downtown, we’d like to remind everyone how to use the 3 public Parking Ramps. Visit www.bismarckparkingauthority.com for the how-to’s, rates, and usage.
Upcoming events
What’s Shakin?
April 22
Earth Day
April 24
Easter Sunday
April 28
Bis/Man Chamber’s Spring Mixer
Ramkota Hotel
May 5
1st Thursdays: Alive After 5!
Downtown Bismarck
May 13
Band Night Parade
May 12-15, 18-22
Dakota Stage Presents:
“Forever Plaid”
May 14-15
Central Dakota Children’s Choir
Spring Concert
Belle Mehus Auditorium
May 20-21
Northern Plains Dance
“Snow White”
Belle Mehus Auditorium
Capitol to Civic Center
4th Annual Downtowners’ Rip Roarin’ Ribfest
BBQ June 16-18…!
BBQ is coming back to Bismarck June 16-18! National “Ribbers” are traveling to Bismarck to cook up some awarding BBQ. There will be live music, kid’s games, beer tent, VIP tent, vendor booths, and much more! Sample the Ribbers sauce at the Downtowners booth on April 28 at the Chamber’s Spring Mixer. Register to win Ribfest VIP Tickets at the Mixer too!
Visit www.bismarckribfest.com for more info!
Downtowners’ Association News
Organization and member news …
□ The Downtown Business Association would like to welcome our newest member!
The Bismarck Elks Lodge 1199. You can find all of their information on our website www.downtownbismarck.com.
□ The Downtowner’s will have a booth at the Chamber’s Spring Mixer April 28. Come by and say hi to Dawn and Kate! Register to win Ribfest Tickets and other great stuff. We like to thank
J2 Studios Architecture+ Design for sponsoring the Downtowners’ booth! Thank you!
□ The next 1st Thursdays Downtown- Alive After 5 will be May 5 from 5pm-8pm. Cinco Style! Please come out and support our Downtown Businesses!
□ Early Registration Street Fair Applications are due on April 22, this Friday!
□ The Bismarck Cancer Center invites all downtown businesses to join project HOPE, a new 5-day community wellness event from May 16-20 to educate employees about healthy lifestyles, cancer prevention, and early detection. Employees can donate $10 to the Bismarck Cancer Foundation and dress casual in colors representing the top four cancers diagnosed in ND. If employees are not able to dress casual, they can still wear colors representing the top four cancers.
The BCC will provide everything you need to participate including: fact sheets, paycheck inserts, daily stickers, posters, wellness seminars and more.
Please go to bismarckcancercenter.com and click on project HOPE for more information or call 222-6100.
□ Membership Renewal Notices were mailed out in late December. Please contact the Downtowners’ office if you haven’t received your renewal notice or if you have run out of spaces on your membership plaque for your 2011 tag.
Please send all member business news and events to: kate@downtownbismarck.com. Check the Downtown Business Association’s websites for updated news and events www.downtownbismarck.com or www.bismarckribfest.com
Please forward this on to people interested in Downtown news!
Mixer Pictures Below!
We had a great turn out for the Spring Downtowners’ Mixer @ First Community Credit Union.