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Rose City Renaissance CommitteesDesign and Lifestyle Committee | Economic Development and Finance CommitteePromotion and Tourism Committee | Organizational Development Committee  Design and Lifestyle Committee The Design Committee seeks to increase the physical value of downtown through rehabilitation and construction and through the design of public spaces and amenities that will attract more people to walk and gather on a regular basis. The physical environment of downtown has deteriorated significantly over the past 30 years, as buildings have been poorly maintained and/or inappropriately remodeled, streetscape elements have been neglected and cars have displaced pedestrians. With diminishing character came diminishing foot traffic and diminishing competition. The Design Committee will seek to restore the character and identity of downtown, and serve as a foundation for restoring its commercial competitiveness. It are these physical qualities that differentiate "downtown" from all other commercial districts. Ultimately, downtown's marketability depends on its unique "sense of place." Economic Development and Finance Committee The role of the Economic Restructuring committee is to increase the economic value of downtown by diversifying it with an appropriate mix of current and new uses - business, residential, recreational and institutional. Over the past 30 years, downtowns have become less competitive. Many businesses have closed or moved; rents have decreased and property owners have invested less in upkeep. In this downward spiral, diminishing business activity and decreasing property values have fed on each other until downtown's economy has stagnated. The Economic Development and Finance Committee seeks to change that. The Committee has proposed a comprehensive program of incentive ideas to be used to spur developer interest in the downtown revitalization. The committee is insistent that any incentive program be as relevant to existing investors and property landowners as it would be to businesspeople joining the Norwich economy for the first time. Promotion and Tourism Committee The Promotion Committee focuses on the social value of downtown through branding, retail promotions, and special events. Consumer practices have changed and so has the role of the downtown. This dynamic environment has rendered traditional promotional practices obsolete. In order to stay competitive, downtown must collectively rethink how it defines, attracts and keeps its customers. This committee focuses on developing and implementing a clearly articulated strategy for marketing downtown in much the same fashion as major retailers or shopping malls market themselves. The committee will engage in this by understanding the changing marketplace; identifying downtown assets; defining the appropriate market niche(s); and creating new image campaigns, retail promotions and special events. Throughout the year, the committee will provide promotional support to Rose City Renaissance events and activities, as well as important community events like the Summer Concert Series, First Fridays, and the various holiday activities held during December. Organizational Development Committee The Organizational Development Committee works to increase the civic value of downtown by building consensus and cooperation among groups that play a role in the downtown. In most communities, downtown revitalization has been undertaken as a series of singular, unrelated projects, with a variety of organizations trying to achieve their own objectives instead of working together in a cohesive endeavor. Unfortunately, most of these projects have been limited in scope and duration because no one project or group can address the full range of issues associated with downtown revitalization. Downtown revitalization requires collaboration, focus and continuity. Utilizing a variety of tools and engaging in a specific series of tasks, the Community Relations Committee brings these qualities to our community's downtown revitalization efforts by integrating diverse interests in the community and focusing them on a shared, long-term agenda for restoring downtown's physical beauty and economic viability. |