Making Business Districts Work
Leadership and Management of Downtown, Main Street, Business District, and Community Development Org
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Book Description
Unprecedented, broad coverage of downtown and community development topics from a practitioner’s viewpoint!
Making Business Districts Work: Leadership and Management of Downtown, Main Street, Business District, and Community Development Organizations is the essential desk reference for downtown and community business district professionals and board members. It’s also a complete survey of all the skills and information students will need as they emerge from school and begin work in this challenging profession. The book covers nearly all aspects of leading and managing downtown and community development organizations, from planning and implementing programs and policies, to evaluating successes and failures. Charts, tables, photographs, chapter analyses, and Web resources make this vital text even more essential.
An unprecedented diversity of perspectives makes this book unique, with contributions from the United States, Canada, and Portugal, and from small, medium, and large cities. Case studies provide a sharp focus on events that have something to teach every student and professional in the field. These include a look at how Lower Manhattan dealt with the crisis during and after September 11, 2001, how Los Angeles deals with an overwhelming homelessness crisis, and the 20-year planning and development of a major revitalization project in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In addition, Making Business Districts Work covers:
- downtown/business district management—an essential state-of-the-art overview plus examinations of developing leadership roles, vision-driven organizations, and the leadership versus management debate
- organization—structures, governance, human resources, staffing structure, finance, and fundraising
- operations—strategic planning, diversity, and advocacy
- marketing and communicating—with downtown, shopping, and electronic applications
- management of a downtown district—safety and cleanliness, urban design, hospitality, transportation, parking, social atmosphere, and hiring consultants
- development secrets for downtown districts—economic and residential development, attracting the right retailers and a solid retail base, regional attractions, and political considerations
- international perspectives from Canada and Portugal
- a look at how the field has evolved—and where it is likely to go in the near future
Table of Contents
- About the Editors
- Contributors
- Introduction
- PART I: THE FIELD OF DOWNTOWN AND BUSINESS DISTRICT MANAGEMENT
- Chapter 1. The State of Business District Revitalization (Brad Segal)
- Chapter 2. Leading the Downtown (Richard Bradley)
- A Long History of Leadership
- Continuous Demands for Leadership
- Leadership As a Collective and Cooperative Undertaking
- Leadership As Initiating and Managing Change
- Chapter 3. The New Role of Downtown Leaders (Richard T. Reinhard)
- Comparing Past and Present
- Some Specific Causes of Change
- Reality of Today
- Spectrum of Changes
- Conclusion
- Chapter 4. The Vision-Driven Downtown Organization (David Feehan)
- Creating a Shared Vision
- The Vision Statement
- Past Experience, Future Vision
- PART II: ORGANIZING THE DOWNTOWN CORPORATION
- Chapter 5. Complex Organizational Structures (James A. Cloar)
- Background
- Simple Structures
- Evolving Responses
- Expanded Missions
- Complex Structure Models
- Case Study: Downtown St. Louis
- Points to Consider
- Chapter 6. Boards and Committees—Goverance (Kate Joncas)
- Introduction
- Conflicts of Interest
- Achieving Consensus
- Successful Relationships with Organizations
- Too Many Issues, Too Little Time
- The New Reality: Local Business Leadership Is No Longer Local
- Chapter 7. Making the Most of Human Resources (Catherine Coleman)
- Introduction
- Who’s the Boss?
- Good Management Begins with Good Employees
- Motivating Employees and Building the Team
- Know the Law and Follow the Rules
- A Bad Apple Can Spoil the Bunch
- No Need to Reinvent the Wheel
- Chapter 8. Financial Management—Keeping the Numbers Straight (Michael Weiss)
- Getting Started
- Assessments and Revenue
- Preparing a Budget
- Revenue
- Cash Flow
- Expenses
- Financial Records and Reports
- Expense Monitoring
- Internal Controls
- Audits
- Reporting to Your Board and Others
- Staffing and Skills Required
- Conclusion
- Chapter 9. Staffing Structure and Compensation Management (Dong Soo Kim, David Feehan, and Sarah Rose)
- Introduction
- About the Survey
- CEO Characteristics
- Downtown Organizations
- Compensation
- Staffing
- Funding
- Conclusion
- Chapter 10. Resource Raising As a Downtown Management and Revitalization Strategy (Tom Verploegen)
- Quality, Quality, Quality
- Defining Resource Raising
- Three Resource-Raising Categories
- Resource Raising General Examples
- Resource Raising Specific Examples
- The 5 Ws and H
- How to Close the Deal
- PART III: OPERATING IN A COMPLEX ENVIRONMENT
- Chapter 11. Strategic Planning—Charting the Course (Sandra Goldstein)
- Introduction
- What Is Strategic Planning?
- What Are the Benefits of Strategic Planning?
- What Are the Steps in the Strategic Planning Process?
- How Is a Work Plan Created Through the Strategic Planning Process?
- Where Do You Start?
- What Is the SWOT Analysis?
- Outcomes
- How Is the Work Plan Reinforced?
- Conclusion
- Appendix A: Stamford Downtown Special Services District
- Chapter 12. Diversity: Incorporating and Benefiting from Differences (Barbara Askins)
- Introduction
- What Does Diversity Mean for Downtown Organizations?
- Benefits of Inclusion
- Tools and Strategies
- Goals and Objectives
- Actions of the Board of Dire