Downtown Colorado, Inc. (DCI) offers a series of targeted technical assistance, referral and on-site services to local governments, non-profit organizations, community groups, and others working on downtown revitalization. Services are tailored to meet the needs of each request and range from consultant referral, phone consultation, and coordination of panel discussions for public awareness, renderings of improvements to building and streetscape façades, facilitation of local discussions by focus groups, strategic planning with creation of implementation steps, and detailed training. DCI utilizes consultant volunteers to guide communities through the downtown revitalization process so that the community better understands the process to save time and money, and to better achieve the community’s objectives.

• Downtown Revitalization Team Visits: DCI offers one and three-day technical assistance visits to communities involved in downtown revitalization. To assist communities, DCI identifies a team of specialists with skills to address community needs. The team meets with all downtown stakeholders, holds a public presentation of initial recommendations, completes a narrative report of recommendations, and provides a detailed action matrix to walk the community through the implementation process. DCI uses the structure provided by the Main Street Four Point Approach as the basis for identifying and delivering services.

       (1) Community Revitalization Partnership Team Visits: The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and DCI have teamed up to coordinate the Community Revitalization Partnership (CRP) Program providing assistance relating to Colorado’s downtowns. If approved by DOLA, communities receive a 50% reimbursement for services.

      (2) Action Team Visits: Allow communities to develop their own model for downtown revitalization assistance. All communities are welcome regardless of population, location, or issue. DCI will tailor the timeframe and structure to the needs of the community.

      (3) Resource Team Visits: The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and DCI have teamed up to coordinate the Colorado Main Street Resource Team Visit for eligible Colorado Main Street communities. Communities must demonstrate a $10,150 annual investment into a designated Colorado Main Street community to qualify for DOLA funding.

• On-Site Panel Discussions: For communities facing a new issue or question in the community, there is often a lack of information or experience to assist the community members in making a decision based on facts. DCI’s On-site Panel Discussions allow the community to listen and ask questions of a panel of community leaders, business owners, taxing district representatives, or other group from a town that has previously faced this issue. On-Site Discussions have proven useful in gaining consensus for moving forward with planning and financing mechanisms.

• Training of Trainer On-Site Visits: Community Leadership is a concept that often requires cultivation and support. Training of Trainer visits provide downtown stakeholders with talking points, tools, and an approach to developing a specific topic. Community-specific topics are welcome, but interested groups may review the Menu of Technical Assistance for topic ideas.

• Action Plan Implementation Visits: For communities who have received a CRP visit, DOLA and DCI are now offering a limited number of follow up visits to communities who can demonstrate a need for continued training and implementation assistance either to implement recommendations from the CRP Action Plan, or to build on successes already achieved. Follow up on the initial CRP recommendations for the downtown, the second round of technical assistance and training provides opportunities for additional planning to adjust and further develop the action plan for continued downtown revitalization and/or to engage leaders with hand-on training for implementation of recommendations. Each community will receive either an action matrix (updated for those communities which already received one) or a presentation with tools to assist with implementation. Tools may include charts, surveys, or matrices to complete with the larger community as well as referred contacts and programs that will provide targeted assistance to the communities’ issues.

• Energy-Efficiency Tracking and Reduction Training: Communities interested in greening the commercial district and reducing costs of using historic buildings may qualify for training on how to track and reduce energy usage.

A brief synopsis of the issues addressed in Colorado communities highlights the recent work completed by DCI and DOLA staff in 2009-10.

2010 Technical Assistance Visits:

Fort Morgan: The City of Fort Morgan requested technical assistance in the form of a Community Revitalization Partnership (CRP) visit conducted by DCI and partially sponsored by the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and State Historical Fund. The purpose was to assess the downtown Historic Business District and identify projects achievable with existing resources and means for increasing funds available to downtown.

The team included specialists such from the City of Arvada, LM Consultants, Colorado Brownfields Foundation, CSU/DOLA Community Technical Assistance Program, Department of Local Affairs and DCI.

Recommendations centered around formalizing an organization to develop and manage resources for downtown, increasing density and revenue for downtown real estate, and how to link diverse populations into community life and the local economy.

Organization
• Getting Started: Getting people organized, focused and enthused
• Fundraising for downtown organizations
• Board development and facilitation of board of board retreat
• Main Street program feasibility – Are we ready? Will we benefit? What do we need to do?
• Volunteer recruitment, training, retention and reward
• Work plan development
• Visioning and creating a mission statement
• Building effective public and private partnerships
• Public relations & publicity for local programs

Design
• Design and Historic preservation assessment
• Providing local design assistance
• State and National historic designation process
• Certified Local Government
• Streetscape plan review
• Do we need a plan? What type (i.e. design, market-based, etc.)?
• Infill construction
• Parking and traffic strategies
• Creating a façade improvement program
• Creating design guidelines
• Merchandising and window displays 
 
Economic Restructuring
• Understanding the market analysis process and its applications
• Understanding how to develop a marketing plan for downtown
• Business development strategies
• Creating market niche strategies
• Business mix and clusters analysis
• Funding mechanisms for downtown revitalization – alphabet soup
• Project feasibility – right project at the right site?
• Creating economic incentives

Promotion
• Marketing and Branding Review
• Developing marketing and branding strategies
• Review and critique of current event promotions
• Special event development
• Development of appropriate promotions strategies

Visits will vary in length from four hours to two days depending upon the subject matter and needs of the community. Additional time will be added for travel, preparation and report writing. Teams will consist of one to four people. Actual expenses will be added to the quoted cost. Average daily rate per person generally will be in the range of $600 unless the service desired requires hiring a consulting firm. Most of the subjects shown above will require a full-day visit.

Two-Day Visit (Typical Schedule)

Day One
• Orientation Meeting (1 hour)
• Tour of Community (1 hour)
• Focus Groups – groups, individuals (no more than 4 one-hour meetings with 15-minute breaks between each). There may be up to 20 people in each group. (4-6 hours)
• Team work time 1 & 2: brainstorm all observations, impressions.

Day Two 
• Conduct any necessary follow-up meetings
• Team work time: analyze observations and develop recommendations.
• Dry run presentation with key contact. (1 hour-generally at end of afternoon)
• Formal presentation with questions and answers. (2 hours-generally an evening meeting

Notes: One of the interview groups could be conducted at lunch or dinner. All interview groups need to be conducted on day one.

Eligibility
This program is for Colorado communities involved in Downtown Revitalization. The local community is responsible for the entire cost of the assessment visit and DOLA reimburses the community for half the cost of the assessment visit after all work has been completed and paid in full. The local community is also responsible for 100% for the costs associated with team members travel, room and board. The following is a chart of the full cost of assessment visits.

1-day visit = $3,000
1-day visit = $4,500
2-day visit = $6,000

Application
Communities interested in applying for funds should complete and submit a Community Revitalization Partnership Application with a formal letter of interest requesting funds from DOLA to the below address. Please keep your DCI contact informed of your progress to ensure timeliness in scheduling your team.

Mail, E-mail or Fax to:
Christy Culp
Department of Local Affairs
1313 Sherman Street, Room 521
Denver, CO  80203
Phone: 303.866.2369, Fax: 303.866.4819
E-mail: 

To learn more about this program contact your DoLA regional manager. Don’t know who that is? Go to www.dola.state.co.us/fs/index.htm to find out.

Interested in Volunteering? Make an Impact in a Community That Needs Your Expertise

DCI is currently seeking downtown and community development professionals to participate in assessment teams, speaking engagements, and training for communities throughout Colorado. This is a great opportunity to give back to your industry while networking with peers and colleagues around the state. We hope to find professionals with experience in Economic Restructuring and Development, Business Mixes, Market Analysis, Historic Preservation, Design, Management, and Promotions (and a variety of other topics). You and/or your employer must be members of DCI.  If you are interested please review the CRP Team Orientation Materials, then send a resume to: with "VOLUNTEER" in the subject line.

Downtown Colorado, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. DCI employs personnel without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental handicap, veteran status and marital status.