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Goal: The quality of life in Burlington is enhanced by a strong,
diverse and vital downtown.
Five-Year Focus:
- Strengthen the institutional capacity to maintain and enhance the downtown
retail environment.
- Work with the Burlington Business Association (BBA) and the Church
Street Marketplace to enhance the capacity to undertake the
planning, advocacy, marketing, and development functions necessary to
maintain the viability of the downtown retail district.
- Maintain and enhance the viability of Burlington's downtown retail sector
by providing local businesses with the assistance necessary to prepare
themselves to compete with suburban malls and mega-retailers.
- Assist retailers to continue examining and adjusting their marketing,
merchandising, and product offerings as necessary to capitalize on the
changing retail environment.
- Enhance job opportunities in the retail sector for Burlington
residents.
- Promote the use of tax incentives available through the Renewal Community
and the Vermont Downtown Programs.
- Support the capital improvements of the Church Street Marketplace.
- Pursue planned and proposed initiatives to enhance the cultural,
recreational, and entertainment amenities in or near downtown.
- Support the development and operation of black box theaters by the
Flynn Theatre and Main Street Landing Company.
- Support the completion of the Firehouse Center for the Visual
Arts.
- Support the development of a new hotel and housing.
- Support the development of new parking opportunities.
- Maintain both a safe, comfortable retail environment and a safe, tolerant
environment for residents, including minorities, youth and persons with
disabilities.
The City will fund the following projects and programs with CDBG funds in program year 2007 to further the
priority of a strong and vital downtown:
| Project Title
|
Relation to Consolidated Plan |
CDBG Funds Budgeted |
Other Funds Budgeted |
Projected Accomplishments |
| Brownfields Redevelopment Initiatives |
Redevelop unused/underutilized sites stigmatized by
real or perceived environmental contamination |
$37,000 |
$95,000 |
Mitigate soil
at the BankNorth site |
| Complete a
Phase II ESA for the downtown "superblock" |
| Construction
completed on hotel
at Cherry and Battery Sts. |
| Burlington Sustainable Economic Development Strategies |
General financial and
technical assistance to small and large businesses; targeted
assistance to employers with livable wage jobs and to businesses
playing a key role to downtown vitality; development of affordable
space for small and micro businesses; waterfront development; and
redevelopment of vacant or abandoned property |
$100,000 |
$34,185,000 |
Provide assistance to 100 businesses in accessing
Renewal Community and
Designated Downtown incentives |
| Attract 2 new retailers
and 2 new sidewalk vendors to
downtown |
| Redevelop 1 inaccessible upper story property |
| Provide
technical assistance for
downtown hotel development, BankNorth, 131 Battery, Federal
Court, CCV and other redevelopment opportunities |
| Create/retain 200 jobs |
| Business Financing & Technical Assistance |
Promote economic independence for entrepreneurs by
providing them technical assistance and access to capital to start
or expand their businesses |
$106,000 |
$56,000 |
Provide
information, financing and/or technical assistance to 195 people |
| Help to start 10 new businesses and retain/expand
10 businesses |
| Create/retain
90 jobs |
| Close 3 loans |
| Promote
Renewal
Community and
Designated Downtown tax incentives |
| Maintain the
Commercial Space database |
| Distribute guide to
Doing Business in Burlington |
| Assist refugee entrepreneurs |
| Promote
Livable
Wage Toolkit |
| Neighborhood
Revitalization
|
Remove blight and
encourage reinvestment in the Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy
Area by rebuilding the physical, social and economic infrastructure. |
$22,000 |
$589,850 |
Apply for and manage Sales Tax Reallocation
Program and Downtown Transportation Grant projects |
| Plan, develop and manage transportation
infrastructure projects |
| Heritage tourism and historic preservation grants
and activities |
Page last updated
April 30, 2007
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