Downtown Lexington Partnership (DLP) Working to create a vibrant, economically powerful urban core on behalf of our partners:

July 2019 Activity Report Downtown Celebrated the Fourth of July holiday in style with thousands of residents gathering downtown for seven holiday events over two days culminating with a spectacular fireworks show launched from the RJ Corman train yard. Many thanks to our sponsors including presenting co-sponsors Ball Homes and Central Bank. Thousand continue to come to the weekly Central Bank Thursday Night Live which attracts a diverse group of residents, workers and visitors to enjoy live music at the Fifth Third Pavilion and supports many of our downtown businesses. As the managing organization of the Downtown Lexington Management District (DLMD), DLP worked with Sheriff, K. Witt to launch a new off-duty police patrol staffed by Fayette County sheriff officers. Paid for by DLMD, the new patrol provided for enhanced downtown safety to workers, residents and visitors. Sincerely Terry Sweeney President/CEO

Manage Market

Central Bank TNL

New décor at Central Bank TNL

Fourth of July Fireworks shot from the

R.J. Corman Rail Yard

DEVELOPING AND CREATING AN INSPIRING DOWNTOWN LDDA leads efforts to develop Downtown and enhance placemaking, beautification and accessibility. LDDA has the following goals and priorities. Goal: Attract new businesses, development and residences; increase sales activity and street level occupancy and improve existing buildings and urban design. I. Plan Downtown development in coordination with City of Lexington and

private sector. A. Met with B. Peacher, J. Wuorenmaa, Lexington Fayette Urban

County Government (LFUCG), and G. Means, LEXPARK about planning study and improvements to Short St.

B. Met with N. Albright, LFUCG about infrastructure, traffic, and maintenance downtown.

C. Met with L. Adkins, Blue Grass Community Foundation (BGCF) regarding downtown planning initiatives.

II. Attract new businesses and development and increase street level occupancy A. Met with S. Harrod, LFUCG Permitting and S. Baron, CD Central

about building code requirements for renovation of building. B. Assisted promotion of Railbird as related to downtown partners

in the festival. C. Partnered with Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation, Ethereal

Brewing, Relic, and other Distillery District partners to promote event in the District.

D. Held Property Improvement Grant review and awarded an improvement grant to Sav’s and a lighting grant to McAdams and Morford building.

III. Document and report the economic activity and impact of

Downtown. A. Filmed State of Downtown recap prompts with Michael Breeding. B. Presented downtown information and State of Downtown report

to CPAL. C. Documented new project pipeline.

1. Updated Project Tracking Document. 2. Updated Business Open/Close tracking sheet.

Goal: Create inspiring public places and a Downtown environment that helps attract new businesses, development and customers; increases sales activity and street level occupancy and enhances the Downtown experience. I. Develop and support public art Downtown.

Kentucky Steam at Distillery

District

Pocket Park at Limestone and Maxwell

A. Coordinated installation schedules for traffic box art. 1. Completed Installation of VisitLex traffic box.

II. Improve beautification, public spaces and placemaking. A. Met with M. Ramer, VisitLex, regarding wayfinding. B. Work continues on the pocket park at Maxwell and Limestone.

III. Improve accessibility, infrastructure and connectivity (multi-modal).

A. Met with G. Means, LEXPARK, regarding curb management and future right of way issues.

MANAGE AND MAINTAIN DOWNTOWN: DLMD leads the way in maintaining a clean and safe downtown and providing additional financial support for art projects and economic development programs. Goal: Maintain an environment that helps attract new businesses, development and residences; increases sales activity and street level occupancy and improves existing buildings and urban design. I. Improve Cleanliness and Perceptions of Cleanliness.

A. Downtown Lexington Management District (DLMD) Ambassador Team tracking. DLMD’s four-man cleaning crew recorded the following activity:

1. 1,460 pounds of debris and trash collected. 2. 24 Graffiti sites removed/painted over. 3. 667 Hospitality Assistance 4. 3 Business contacts. 5. 10 Panhandling. 6. 131 Sidewalk drains cleared. 7. 0 Requests for police/fire/EMS. 8. 51 Motorist assists. 9. 383 Block of Weed Abatement.

10. 11 Power Washing Hours. B. Manage the DLMD Ambassador program:

1. Worked with D. Warren, Block by Block to coordinate issues, equipment deployment, etc.

C. Manage DLMD Activities and Administration 1. Worked with PVA on property value and

assessment information. 2. Created priority lists for renewal signatures. 3. Held budget and renewal committee meetings.

DLMD Ambassadors made

great improvements to Morton Alley (before and after).

II. Improve Safety and Perceptions of Safety A. Coordinated meeting with K. Witt, Fayette county Sheriff to provide off-duty police

patrol. B. Launched off-duty sheriff deputy patrols.

MARKET AND PROGRAM DOWNTOWN. ATTRACT RESOURCES AND MOBLIZE BUISNESSES. MANAGE AND BUILD PARTNERSHIPS. DLC leads the effort to attract customers through marketing and programming, and attract resources, mobilize downtown businesses and DLP members and building and manage partnerships. Goal: Increase sales, visitorship and investment in Downtown and DLP and improve DLP/DLMD visibility through strategic marketing, programming and developing/managing events.

I. Market and Promote Downtown and Businesses.

A. Met with M. Martin, TOPS in Lexington to discuss the upcoming marketing partnership which will include 6 months of digital advertising promoting Central Bank Thursday Night Live, Fountain Films on Friday, Bike Lexington, Downtown Merchants, and the Shop & Celebrate Campaign.

B. Finalized and printed Fourth of July promotional materials. C. Met with Heritage Highball members to discuss promotion of

the steam engine event. D. Executed marketing/communications plans for Fourth of July,

Fountain Films including press releases, social media promotion, etc.

E. Sent five electronic newsletters to mailing list of more than four thousand people promoting DLP events, downtown business, and downtown development activities.

F. Attended Over The Table seminar by WLEX. G. Social Media logged the following benchmarks:

1. 13,117 users on the Downtown Lexington Partnership website.

2. 22 posts on Facebook with an organic reach of 38,161. 3. 23 Tweets, 45,900 impressions. 4. 8 posts on Instagram, 256 likes.

II. Create and manage DLP events to increase Downtown

visitorship, event attendance and revenue and sales of our businesses. A. Central Bank Thursday Night Live.

1. Produced three events. (No TNL was held on Thursday, July 4)

2. Recorded $11,738 in beverage sales.

B. Fourth of July Festival. 1. Produced six successful, safe events including: Great

American Pie Contest & Ice Cream Social, Patriotic Concert, Downtown Street Festival, Parade, July Fourth Live! and Fireworks Display. Assisted Parks & Recreation staff with Bluegrass 10,000 road race.

2. Outcomes included:

Recruited 44 pie contest participants.

Recruited 65 vendors for the street festival.

Provided 14 live entertainment performances during the Street Festival.

Fourth of July Live featured a performance by The Ranahans at the Fifth Bank Pavilion from 7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Recruited 42 parade entries.

Launched fireworks display from a proven and beloved site – the RJ Corman Rail Yard in downtown Lexington.

Improved VIP areas for Patriotic Concert.

The festival featured 25 concessions vendors (including 10 brick & mortar business from Downtown/Distillery district) and 40 “general” vendors (arts/crafts, political, commercial, etc.).

C. Bike Lexington. 1. Met with UK staff, S. Broadus & S. Tedder, to discuss

including UK campus on the route.

III. Support and promote other Downtown events and improve programming in public spaces. A. Media interviews to promote downtown events.

1. Participated in two radio interviews with T. Longo, Cumulus Media. 2. Participated in two television interviews to promote Fourth of July Festival

(Fox56 & Midday Kentucky – ABC36).

Goal: Increase sales, visitorship and investment in Downtown and DLP and improve DLP/DLMD visibility through strategic marketing, programming and developing/managing events.

I. Grow and activate DLP membership.

A. Entered membership forms into the Neon CRM. B. Hosted a DLP Member Meet & Greet at Relic Lexington in the Distillery District.

1. Hosted 15 guests. Recruited C. Harpole, Kentucky Steam Heritage as key note speaker, promoting the Historic Locomotive Display on Manchester Street for the following weekend.

Great American Pie Contest

DLP Selfie Station

C. Continued to recruit 2019 members. 1. Met with N. Wiser, Wiser Strategies, D. Bohannon, Limestone Bank, J. Drennan,

Field and Main Bank, M. Hord, Distillery Heights. 2. Followed up with pending Leader and Advisor level members.

II. Grow DLP sponsorships.

A. Updated fundraising database. B. Secured magnet sponsor for TNL. C. Worked E. Marcum to finalize Pepsi TNL stage signage. D. Completed State of Downtown stewardship reports. E. Attended various networking events. F. Met with J. Drennan, Field & Main Bank to explore sponsorship opportunities. G. Continued to work with S. Allen, Pedal Power about Bike Lexington. H. Continued to contact 2018 ice rink sponsors to see if they would like to renew.

Goal: Develop strong, effective partnerships with collaborating organizations by aligning missions and priorities and leveraging resources to create a vibrant Downtown.

I. DLMD A. Hosted combined Budget and Renewal Committee meetings. B. Developed draft budget. C. Updated levy stats and devleoped renewal strategy and timeline. D. Wroked with J. Walburn, MacBrayer to beginning developing petition language and

coordianting with city administrtions. E. Developed draft petition brochure. F. Managed Property Improvement Grant Program.

II. City. A. Completed LUFUCG PSA documentation. B. Signed FY2019-2020 PSA contract.

III. DLP Advisory Board A. Planned August meeting and secured Field and Main bank location.

Goal: Develop and manage an organization that has a cultural of achievement and capacity, funding, information and technology to successfully pursue its comprehensive mission and achieve the Downtown vision and demonstrate our relevance and positive tangible results.

I. Build DLP’s organizational capacity. A. DLP Board Management:

1. Convened DLP Executive Committee and Board of Directors meetings. 2. Revised yearend budget projections based on reduced City funding.

B. Staff Management. 1. Conducted mid-year staff evaluations in conjunction with executive committee. 2. Developed and began implementing transition plan for new Membership and

Marketing Coordinator.

II. Network and support collaborating organizations A. Attended Dinsmore open house and Distillery Heights ribbon cutting ceremony. B. Made downtown update presentation to CPAL.

III. Human Resource Management A. Began updating employee manual. B. Arranged staff outing to Mill Ridge Farms.

IV. Financial and Office Management: A. Prepared monthly financial reports. B. Processed invoices and checks. C. Coordinated payroll. D. Reconciled bank accounts. E. Finalized monthly projections for the remainder of 2019.