Five months after Annapolis was accepted into a Maryland revitalization program, organizers of the city's new Main Street initiative are outlining a blueprint to better market downtown as new retail options loom ever larger just outside the state capital.
The program - the Downtown Annapolis Partnership - is recruiting prominent local business owners to its new board of directors, working to attain nonprofit status and recently rolled out a new logo featuring a skyline of the city.
The goal is "relaunch" downtown by spring, said Mary Giannini, a city official who serves as the Main Street program's director.
"We want to look at new projects, new creative things that will put downtown back on the map," said Ms. Giannini, who plans to hold her first board meeting in January.
She is leading a program that aims to become a long-term economic tool for the city and create a common vision among Annapolis' various business associations.
Annapolis business owners, including Zachary's Jewelers owner Steve Samaras, said they hope the program will serve as the "collective glue" that brings these groups together.
"It's incumbent upon business people in our community to become involved," he said. "We have something in downtown Annapolis that few can boast."
Others say the Main Street program will play an essential role in strengthening the city as it confronts competition from nearby retail developments including the new $400 million Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole, home to a Target and various upscale shops and restaurants.
"I think the downtown is realizing that things are changing and the downtown is going to have to adapt to those changes and if possible get ahead of the wave if you will," said Bob Burdon, president and chief executive officer of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, who also plans to serve on the Main Street board.
Ms. Giannini said she has several ideas to promote downtown. Among them are new festivals, a user-friendly shopping guide covering the program's designated area and a downtown Annapolis gift card shoppers can use at downtown businesses, she said.
Funds from the card initiative would be poured back into "marketing downtown, branding downtown back into the community, and more festivals toward family," she said.
"It's our re-creation of the town," Ms. Giannini said. "We would love to have a music series down at City Dock. Why not?"
Additionally, Ms. Giannini said she's developing a Web site that will serve as a resource for all business organizations.
Favorable reaction
Several members of the local business community have responded favorably to the program.
Gary Amoth, owner of Hard Bean Coffee & BookSellers in Annapolis who also has committed to serving as a board member, said the Main Street program will embrace a "global view" to promoting the city. "It's no secret what a fun area Annapolis is," he said. "There really is a lot you can do there. It's got a sunrise everyday that most people would kill to see."
Zia Boccaccio, owner of Alpaca International on Main Street, also was enthusiastic about the program, saying she'd be willing to accept a board position.
"There's no way I could say no," she said. "I believe all these organizations should work together in unison."
Clare Vanderbeek, executive director of the Annapolis Business Association, which has its own slogan, "Small City Big Style," said the Main Street program will be a complementary initiative to her organization. The Main Street program is necessary to focus on downtown needs, she said.
"This will make everybody more successful," she said.
Meanwhile, the association will continue promoting downtown businesses and "making more people aware of what we have to offer," she said. "We are still carrying on our programs very aggressively."
Getting started
The Main Street program stems from the National Trust Main Street Center established in 1980 and has been adopted by states across the country. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development founded the Main Street Maryland program in 1998. It has a four-point approach to revitalization: design, organization, promotion and economic restructuring. A fifth "Clean, Safe and Green" point was added to promote smart growth.
Annapolis officials lobbied the state to re-open the program, which hadn't seen new members since 2005.
In June, Gov. Martin O'Malley named Annapolis one of five designated downtowns in the Main Street Maryland program, also including Berlin and Chestertown.
Mike Miron, director of the city Department of Economic Affairs, said the city is funding the position of Ms. Giannini - who also handles the city's arts and entertainment district, as well as its Sister Cities program - for $50,000 each year.
Tim Elliott, director of the city Finance Department, said the hope is that the Main Street program will raise additional money on its own. In September, the city passed legislation to allow Annapolis to accept $12,000 in Main Street funds from the state Department of Housing and Community Development.
Amy Seitz, statewide coordinator of the Maryland Main Street program, said she expects the agreement to be finalized early next month.
Because there was a quick turnaround for the Main Street program, Annapolis and other towns that were accepted weren't required to provide supporting documentation before the application deadline, he said. But the documents had to be submitted for the grant to be signed off on, Ms. Seitz said.
She said $10,000 is earmarked for a facade improvement program and the remaining $2,000 will be for a green initiative in Annapolis. Mr. Miron's office is sending out a letter this week to city merchants about the Main Street program's new facade-improvement program.
Ms. Seitz said Annapolis was "well poised" to submit its Main Street application.
"You guys were ready for it," she said. "Designation or not, you are going to move forward with a lot of activities."
She added that Ms. Giannini is the right person to lead Annapolis' program.
"I think Mary will be good in that capacity," she said. "You have to have someone to bring all the stakeholders together."
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