FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date of Release: July 11, 2023
Media Contact –
Lauren Barnett
Director of Marketing and Communications
laurenbarnett@downtownraleigh.org
(919) 821-6976
Economic Development Strategy for Downtown Raleigh Kicks Off with Consultant Selection
Interface Studio announced as the lead consultant for strategy
RALEIGH, NC – Downtown Raleigh Alliance (DRA) and the City of Raleigh are excited to announce the kick-off of the Economic Development Strategy for Downtown Raleigh with the selection of Interface Studio to lead project work. Interface Studio will work with DRA and the City over the next 12 months to analyze the downtown market, convene downtown stakeholders, and identify and implement opportunities for catalytic growth in our urban market. This strategy is intended to provide recommendations on revitalizing Fayetteville Street, re-positioning the downtown office market, improving diverse business opportunities, and developing the next big ideas for Downtown Raleigh.
“The City of Raleigh is excited to be working with Downtown Raleigh Alliance to create a new vision for our downtown – the heart of our community,” said Raleigh Mayor, Mary-Ann Baldwin. “As we all know, central business districts are struggling throughout the country due to the impact of COVID-19. Our goal is to move downtown into a much brighter future. This project will help us envision new opportunities for economic development and residential growth, and encourage innovation. I am excited for the big ideas that will help revitalize our main street and create a thriving downtown.”
”This strategy is needed to set Downtown Raleigh on a new course after the impact and changes from COVID-19 to our downtown economy. Additionally, many of the economic development recommendations from the Downtown Plan adopted in 2015 have been accomplished or no longer apply, thus necessitating the need for a strategy that gives us new ideas,” said DRA President and CEO, Bill King. “The Economic Development Strategy will help us revitalize our main street, navigate the new frontier of office utilization, create new tools for increasing the diversity of our businesses and generate the next catalytic ideas for Downtown Raleigh’s future.”
The main objective of this work is to craft an economic development strategy for Downtown Raleigh that positions our market in a way that both builds off Downtown Raleigh’s unique strengths and is responsive to the new economic realities of central business districts.
Key project focus areas include:
- Providing a retail strategy for downtown with a focus on the Fayetteville Street corridor
- Examination and strategic positioning of the downtown office market
- Defining opportunities to support a thriving Minority and Women Owned Business community
- Identification of catalytic projects to stimulate and grow the Downtown Raleigh economy
Working closely with the consultant, DRA will host ongoing opportunities for stakeholder feedback and ideation. Key stakeholders and leaders within the downtown community will guide project deliverables and efforts. Over the next twelve months, DRA and Interface Studio will create a detailed strategy, with recommendations specific to the Fayetteville Street corridor to be produced within the next six months.
Interface Studio, the selected project consultant, is a planning and urban design practice that blends research and analytical thinking with design and public visioning. Interface has been recognized with multiple national awards for work spanning downtown planning, equitable parks investment, sustainability, neighborhood planning, and community outreach. DRA and the City selected Interface Studio from among several detailed and qualified proposals after an extensive request for proposal (RFP) process that received national interest.
Among its wide-ranging project experience, Interface has successfully led downtown plans in cities of all sizes across the country, including Atlanta, Grand Rapids, Fort Worth and Montgomery. Sub-consultants for this project include &Access and Ninigret Partners, which will assist with strategy related to Minority and Women Owned Businesses, retail market analysis, and office market positioning.
Scott Page, founder of Interface Studio notes, “We are thrilled to be working in Raleigh with the goal of creating a vibrant and inclusive downtown. The pandemic hit downtowns across the country particularly hard, but Downtown Raleigh is poised to recover stronger by building on its unique character and local job growth.”
This project is made possible with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding appropriated through the City of Raleigh, with DRA acting as the project manager. The total budget for the project is set at $250,000.
Detailed project information on this effort can be referenced on the project webpage:
https://downtownraleigh.org/ed-strategy
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About Downtown Raleigh Alliance
DRA’s mission is advancing the vitality of Downtown Raleigh for everyone. DRA facilitates this mission through five goals: 1.) Improve downtown economy through recruitment, pop-ups, financial support, research, marketing & promotions. 2.) Advocate to make downtown a place for everyone that reflects evolving needs and interests of the community and lessons learned from the recent past. 3.) Make downtown an engaging place to live, work, and visit through safe activations that appeal to a wide variety of stakeholders. 4.) Improve and maintain the sense of safety and security in downtown through our Ambassador program, Social Services and work with RPD. 5.) Elevate and improve DRA's internal organization and processes through improved database, project management, communication, financial stewardship, and planning.
About Interface Studio
Interface Studio LLC is a full-service planning and urban design practice based in Philadelphia. Founded in 2004 with the intention to start as a small, collaborative office and remain so, they are today a successful company of 11 professional planners working together on a diverse array of projects including neighborhood plans, corridor studies, citywide comprehensive plans, strategic plans, and economic development studies.