At first glance, it seems like a simple formula – “A Prosperous Downtown equals A Prosperous Community.”
But for that formula to work, it requires the proper mixture of government, business and community involvement.
That’s where Michelle Bishop and the Oxford Community Development Authority come into play.
Bishop, who serves as executive director of the OCDA, addressed the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerice last week.
She gave an overview of the OCDA, why downtowns are important and how the “Main Street Approach” can help build a successful downtown Oxford.
Bishop began her presentation with a history lesson.
In 1982, the Oxford Village Council created the Downtown Development Authority that we call OCDA.
It’s “main goal was to revitalize downtown Oxford for future economic growth” by acquiring land, developing landscape improvements, constructing parking lots and sidewalks, and performing “various other improvements to reverse the deterioration of the downtown,” she said.
The OCDA’s many responsibilities, purposes and goals include “the reversal of deterioration and then continued prevention of deterioration of the business district; to encourage historic preservation thus maintaining our unique sense of place; to purchase and sell property, at its discretion; to encourage and guide development; to create a plan that will act as a guide toward managing and maintaining the district; and to promote economic growth and vitality of the downtown district.”
But why is it important to invest in downtown Oxford? In addition to being a “unique place, unlike any other,” Bishop told the Chamber “the downtown is one area of the community and its success it an important part of the vibrancy of the entire community.”
“And the OCDA is striving to ensure the livelihood of the downtown as the heart of the community presently and well into the future,” she said. “The importance of the OCDA is to serve as a management system to ensure the maintenance of our past, the application of present objectives and continuing growth in the future.”
Bishop said the OCDA can accomplish these objectives through what’s called the “Main Street Approach.”
“The OCDA currently creates an annual work program utilizing this approach and is currently working towards utilizing this program at its highest and best use which includes community involvement,” she said. “Today, commercial districts and traditional downtowns, like downtown Oxford, must be creative and entrepreneurial by expanding and capitalizing on their unique markets. We work to set ourselves apart. And it takes the entire community’s input and support to make it a success.”
Main Street is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation utilized in more than 2,000 downtowns across the nation. It’s an economic development program, historic preservation strategy and downtown management philosophy. But “most importantly,” according to Bishop, it’s “community driven.”
“It is becoming more and more apparent that people today are looking for that strong sense of place, community pride and value and to become a part of it,” she said. “This approach offers them a means to accomplish just that by allowing them and all of you to get involved.” Main Street utilizes a Four Point Approach, which includes:
n Organization – “Getting everyone working toward the same goal.”
n Promotion – “Selling the image and promise of downtown Oxford by marketing our unique characteristics” through events like Celebrate Oxford and the new Scarecrow Festival and literature like the Shopping & Dining Guide and Fast Facts Guide.
n Design – “Getting our downtown in top physical shape by capitalizing on our best assets to enhance our atmosphere.” This includes encouraging historic preservation through education, developing a cohesive streetscape (sidewalks, lighting, benches and planters), enhancing public spaces (which encompass the efforts of the Beautification Commission and Oxford Garden Club) and public improvements to the downtown parking quadrants.
n Economic Restructuring – “Finding new purposes for Main Street (or as we call it Washington St.) enterprises. This includes business recruitment, business retention and creating and encouraging a “mix” of businesses such as retail, service and entertainment, which leads to “constant activity” in the downtown. “A market analysis, which is a future objective of the OCDA, will help to identify new business opportunities, help existing business understand areas in which to expand and identify new uses for existing buildings,” Bishop said. “A market analysis will ask questions like, ‘Why are people coming to the downtown? Why aren’t they? And what would bring them here?’”
Each of these four points has its own committee, staffed by volunteers, under the Main Street Organizational Structure.
“Everyone who has a stake in the downtown including merchants, property owners, residents, elected officials, bankers, service groups, the chamber of commerce needs to be involved and part of the decision-making process,” Bishop said. “The committee structure allows everyone to do just that. The downtown belongs to and is the responsibility of everyone.”
Bishop told the Chamber that “strong” downtowns “do not happen overnight,” but the hard work and effort involved is worth it because an “alive, healthy, viable downtown” is the “center or heart of the entire community and a source of pride for everyone.” She reminded the audience that, “Downtowns are forever!”