- the main street training programme - an annotated bibliography...

MAIN STREET PROGRAMME:

RECENT REPORTS

on,

- THE MAIN STREET TRAINING PROGRAMME

- AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY and- SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MAIN STREET REVITALIZATION LITERATURE

— A SURVEY OF COURSES RELATED TO THE MAIN STREET TRAINING PROGRAMME

- .MAIN STREET PROGRAMMES ACROSS CANADA

March 1984

MAIN STREET REVITALIZATION

TRAINING PROGRAMME

The Canadian Heritage InstituteMarch 1984

MAIN STREET REVITALIZATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction „

Course Outlines

Management of the Downtown3001 Introduction to Main Street3002 Getting Organized for Change3003 Packaging Individual Business3004 Downtown Marketing Strategy3005 Economic Restructuring I3006 Economic Restructuring II3007 Building Maintenance3008 Maintenance Management for Streets and Buildings


INTRODUCTION TO MAIN STREET TRAINING PROGRAMME

The following Main Street course outline is a slightly modified versionof the one presented at the end of 1983. The latter contained the descriptionof six major courses. As the delivery structure for these courses becameclearer, the course outline had to be rearranged. Two courses have beenbroken down into two distinct packages: Economic Restructuring and Taking Careof Buildings and Streets, thus making a new total of eight courses.

PHILOSOPHY" AND OBJECTIVE

For the first time in recent memory, census figures indicate that smallcities and towns are no longer suffering from an outward migration of theirpopulation. The figures, in fact, indicate there is a shift in the nation'spopulation towards smaller communities. Yet many of these communities are introuble. The deterioration of their main streets has accelerated. Acombination of factors has contributed to this deterioration, leaving manycommunities with a central commercial core which is abandoned or defacedbeyond recognition.

The Heritage Canada Foundation has developed a comprehensive Main StreetProgramme that combines economic and architectural initiatives. For the pastthree years, the Foundation has sponsored a Main Street Programme aimed atinstilling new life in Canadian downtowns. The goal is to combinepreservation techniques with economic and social revitalization of acommunity's commercial centre through a gradual process of incremental change.

Phase I of the Main Street Programme consisted primarily of sevendemonstration projects. Now that we have this experience, our objective is toshare it by offering a full curriculum training course designed to trainlocally hired project Co-ordinators, and to provide resource material.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Up to 70 towns throughout Canada will be selected to participat in PhaseII of the Programme over a three year period. Co-ordinators hired by thecommunities, will enroll in a series of training sessions designed to givethem a clear understanding of issues confronting downtown areas. Through thecourse, they will develop the necessary skills to manage a downtown area. Aswell, practical experience gained from organizing and operating the originalMain Street projects will be passed on.

The Co-ordinators to be trained will have a job; an immediateresponsibility in a community. The course is structured to answer their needsand takes into account the fact that it will be relatively difficult to pullthem away for long periods of time. The course is intended to drawCo-ordinators with a wide range of professional backgrounds. At one end ofthe spectrum will be those with extensive building construction and designexperience; at the other end, will be those with competence in marketing andeconomic restructuring.


The course is designed to compensate for areas of deficiency and bringCo-ordinators to a common level of expertise.

STRUCTURE AND DELIVER̂

Course structure and delivery have been developed on the basis of ourexperience in seven Canadian communities. The course will extend over a threeyear period. Two major training blocks will be given in a central location,one at the beginning of the programme, and one after the first year of on siteactivity. At the same time, a personalized training programme will beorganized for each Co-ordinator making use of existing relevant courses inregional colleges and universities. Local workshops will be organized inevery community with the participation of experts from The Heritage CanadaFoundation and specialized consultants.

The Heritage Canada Foundation will prepare resource materials; thiswill be an important part of the Phase II programme. A Main Street book willbe edited and used as a basic teaching tool; technical manuals, films andaudio visual material will also be produced and used for education orpromotion.

Consultant and advisory services will be offered to the participatingcommunities in such fields as design, marketing, economic restructuring andtourism.

The Canadian Heritage Institutet4arch 1984

Selection Process6 months

INTRODUCTIONGETTING ORGANIZEDPACKAGING INDV. BUSINESSDOWNTOWN MARKETINGECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING IBUILDING MAINTENANCE

20 days

ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING IIMAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT

5 days

12 months 12 months 12 months

PARALLELTRAINING &RESOURCES

PERSONALIZED TRAINING / LOCAL WORKSHOPSBOOK / FILM / TECH. MANUALS / AUDIO VIS.CONSULTANTS AND ADVISORY SERVICES

HUMAN RESOURCES

The human resources required to prepare and give the courses are asfollows:

- The Heritage Canada Foundation Main Street Co-ordinators;- The Heritage Canada Foundation specialized experts;- Canadian universities and colleges for parallel training;- Special professional consultants;- Newly trained Main Street Co-ordinators.


MANAGEMENT OF THE DOWNTOWN

3001 Introduction to Main Street

One day

Objective

Students will learn about the evolution of the downtown movementthrough the Main Street approach. They will also acquire a generalknowledge of Main Street philosophy.

Content

Historic development of main street.- Recalling the personality of main street.- The progressive deterioration over the last few decades.- Main Street Programmes in the United States and abroad.- Government Main Street Programmes in Canada.- The Heritage Canada Foundation:

- Perth, Ontario.- Merchants organize.- Other Main Street Programmes.

Role of Main Street Programmes in revitalization.- The approach.- Reinvestment.- Reshaping Canadian towns.- The future.

The preservation process.- Conservation philosophy and doctrine.- Understanding the full cycle:

- research;- recording;- design;- construction;- maintenance.

- Project management:- multidisciplinary work;- coordination.

- Local, provincial, and national heritage institutions.

Overview of courses in the training programme.- General explanation of course content.- Expected level of participation.

Format

Lectures, audio visual materials, and site visits.


3002 Getting Organized for Change

Two days

Objective

Students will become familiar with the role and function of a MainStreet Project Co-ordinator. They will learn to communicateeffectively with the community to promote and market a successfulprogramme.

Content

The Project Co-ordinator: step one.- The need for a downtown co-ordinator.- The co-ordinator:

- as an organizer;- as an educator;- as an implementor.

- Setting up an office for effective production.- Setting up the books.- Documenting the project.- Developing a system for project implementation.- The monthly reports.- Organizing a collection of samples.- An incremental approach to change.- Assuming a leadership role.- Building realistic goals.- Staffing and consultants:

- identifying staff requirements;- planning for staff hiring;- basic staff management principles;- how to select the right people for the right job;- consultants: when and how to use them.

The Project Co-ordinator: personality and communication.(Training depends on degree of competence of each participant)

- Acceptance in the community.- Vital importance of communications to the success of the project.- Participation in a personality development course:

- Example: "Dale Carnegie" or "Toastmasters".

Organizing main street.- Setting goals, priorities, and strategies.- The first things to do.- What a good organization is all about.- The need for a strong business organization.- Liaison:

- the importance of communication.

The Canadian Heritage Institute 10March 1984

- Volunteers.- Legal aspects of business organizations.- Political and social structure of small towns:

- tracing a community's evolution;- identifying the issues;- examining the assets;- getting to know the decision makers;- establishing the funding;- working with the service clubs;- recognizing storm signals;- ongoing diary - before and after examples.

Legal controls.- Design ordinances.- Legislating management controls.- Alternative means to get things done.- Advantages and disadvantages of controls.

Time scheduling.- First things to do.- Recognizing progress.- The project schedule.

Format

Lectures, audio visual materials, workshops, case histories, anddiscussions with merchants, business improvement area organizers,mall managers.


3003 Packaging Individual Business

Four and one half days

Objective

Students will develop an understanding of business operations. Theywill also gain a general knowledge of the specifics of thepreservation design approach which will enable them to makeappropriate recommendations to merchants and professionals on theoverall image of their business.

Content

Introduction.- Marketing considerations for small businesses.

- Profile of the downtown merchant.- Selecting a location.- Marketing strategy.- Promotional methods.- Financial management.- Personal service on main street.- Aid available to the retailer from the programme and othersources.

- Dealing with property owners.- Problems with absentee landlords.- How to work creatively with banks and other financialinstitutions.

- Working with merchant-owners and non-merchant-owners.

- Dealing with city hall.- Timing considerations.- Permits.- By-laws.- Approval process.

Introduction to design.- Preservation design.

- Preservation philosophy and doctrine as it applies todowntown commercial architecture.

- History as a design tool.- Above ground archaeology.

- Colour.- Selecting and recommending colours for various purposes.- Period colours.- The psychological impact of colour.

- Window display.- Principles and theory of window display.


Storefront design.- Elements of a facade.- Design criteria.- Research prior to design.- Sympathetic design.- Design suggestions.- Common renovation mistakes.- Keeping maintenance to a minimum.- Natural ventilation and air conditioning.

Signage.- Overview:

- the important role signs play in the image of main street.- History:

- layers of history;- evolution of technology, materials, and style;- impact of the automobile;- where we are today.

- Present:- the need for visual awareness;- understanding the problems;- recognizing types of signage;- sign preservation;- franchise signs.

- Design:- recognizing good signage;- relating a sign to a building;- scale, proportion, colour, legibility;- appropriate styles and typefaces;- lighting;- materials, cost, and workmanship.

- Implementation:- where to go for a sign;- what to expect from local sign makers and large signcompanies;

- the merchant's role in the design process;- lease and purchase agreements;- maintenance.

- Regulations:- reasons for ordinances;- limitations, enforcement;- design review;- review of existing by-laws.

- Conclusions:- signage as a manageable first step to revitalizing abusiness, building, or street;

- the need for neighbourliness;- recognizing the importance of individuality and localcharacter.


Merchandising: store design and display.- Layout principles for different types of stores:

- clothes, food, hardware, sports.- Decoration principles and techniques.- Floor, wall, and ceiling finishes.- Lighting.- Interior signage and area identification.- Design tips to reduce shop-lifting.- Public security.- Storage.

Format

Lectures, audio visual materials, workshops, case studies, anddiscussions with merchants.


3004 Downtown Marketing Strategy

Three days

Objective

Students will be introduced to the main elements and generalprinciples which contribute to the vitality of a downtown area. Theywill learn to formulate critical opinions about the architecturalenvironment and develop a complimentary marketing strategy.

Content

Introduction.- Philosophy, approach, and economics of main street.

- The main street approach:- philosophy;- methodology;- economics.

- Respecting regional differences.

- Letting history help.- Understanding historical evolution.- Where and how to get historical data.- Appropriate change: the personality of a Canadian town.

- Image as a marketable product.- Existing conditions on main street.- The need to promote downtown.- Learning from the shopping mall.- Creating and promoting an image.- The theme approach.

General promotion and how to market main street.- Promoting and advertising the downtown as a shopping center.- Target group delineation.- Developing a theme and methods of implementation.- Establishing a workable scale.- Design as a promotion tool.- Promotion:

- budgeting realistically;- internal aspects;- external activities.

- Communications and public relations.- Budgeting promotions realistically.- Unified efforts:

- working as a unit;- how to convince merchants to participate;- organizing joint events and promotions;- customer services;


- publicity and advertising;- other merchandising and direct sales techniques;- indirect sales techniques;- pricing policies;- unified economic strategy;- special events;- logos;- graphics;- how to work with merchant associations;- how and when to use photography.

Learning from shopping centers and malls.- Understanding and learning from the competition.- Analyzing and planning strategies.- Implementing through better organized units.

Public improvements.- Planning and phasing.- Vehicle management.- Surface treatments.- Street fixtures and amenities.- Lighting.- Signage.- Landscape.- Promotions.- Infra-structures.- Low maintenance through good design.

Parking and traffic.- Pedestrian traffic.- The psychology of parking:

- from the point of view of the merchant, the planner, and theuser;

- time theory.- Determining requirements.- Where parking should be located.- Parking structures.- Landscaping of parking lots.- The basics of traffic engineering.

Market analysis.- Market analysis as a tool in the evaluation process.- Four types of market analysis.- Who uses a market study and when is it needed.

Tourism.- Tourism; for better or worse.- The economic impact of tourism.- Boosters.- Identifying potential resources.- Organizing for tourism.- Reaching the tourist.- Planning; how to preserve a community's identity.


Public awareness.- Community involvement.- Identifying different audiences.- Content and organization of public meetings.- Publicity.- Audio visual aids.- Printed aids.- Use of the public school system.- Service club luncheon circuit.- Heritage Day.

How to co-operate with the media effectively.- Billboards.- Radio.- Television.- Newspapers.- Magazines and other local circulates.

Format

Lectures, audio visual materials, workshops, case histories, anddiscussions with merchants and local representatives.


3005 Economic Restructuring I

One and one half days

Objective

Students will be introduced to the various elements which influencethe economic restructuring or consolidation of a downtown and howthey interrelate to produce a successful, competitive business area.

Content

Planning issues of the downtown.- Planning issues from different points of view.- Short, mid, and long term planning.- Understanding the implications of planning.- By-laws.- How to take an active part in planning issues.- How to change or improve development plans.- Mailing.

Recruiting new business.- The right business, of the right size, in the right place.- Market justification.- Highlighting the advantages.- Packaging essential information.- Salesmanship.- Statistics.

Reinforcing the presence of professionals.- Attracting professionals back downtown.- Arranging for facilities and services.- Encouraging professionals to participate in downtownrevitalization.

Reinforcing the presence of institutions.- Attitudes.- Attracting government services, churches, fire stations, banks,and schools back downtown.

- Recruitment and retention strategy.

Adaptive re-use.- New uses for old buildings.- Adapting modern facilities to old buildings.- Pro forma analysis.- Economic considerations.- Involving levels of government and private developers.


Grantsmanship.- Front-end feasibility analysis.- Financing methods and options.- Funding sources; federal, provincial, regional, private.- Operations of financial institutions.- Soliciting community support.- Preparing submissions and proposals.- Fund raising techniques, projects, and suggested examples.

Format

Lectures, audio visual materials, case studies, and discussions.


3006 Economic Restructuring II

Two days

Objective

Students will learn about the various elements which influence theeconomic restructuring of a downtown and how to co-ordinate them toproduce a successful and competitive business area. They will alsolearn how to utilize federal, provincial, and local grants tofacilitate the process of economic restructuring.

Content

Small business concepts and principles.- Franchises, co-operatives, corporations, sole proprietoroperations.

- Bookkeeping.- Retail terminology.- Legal issues.

The role of the developer.- The development process.- Development corporation concepts.- What the local and foreign developer is looking for.- Background research.- Convincing developers to invest downtown.- How to recommend "fast track".- The appraisal process.

Taxes.- Overview of tax laws in the preservation field.- Definitions.- Choice of ownership vehicle.- Methods of acquisition.- Tax incentives.- Rehabilitation of low-income rental housing.

Financing.- Things which need financing.- Methods of financing.- Choosing the appropriate method of financing.- The pressures of a funding source.- Exhausting local and regional funding sources.- Local efforts and local pride.- Volunteers.- Job creation and spill-over benefits.

Economic monitoring.- Getting a realistic picture:

- surveys of vacancy rates, employment, lease rates.- Resources.


- How to convince merchants to utilize monitoring techniques.- Monitoring from day one; simple counting machines.- Using monitoring and marketing survey information.

New buildings and spaces.- Looking at the new buildings of a town.- Principles for the insertion of new buildings in a builtenvironment.

- Design review boards.- Design guidelines.- Municipal planning process.

Real estate law and business.- Nature, attributes, and division of ownership.- Specific types of interest.- Transfer of land by conveyance.- Public control of land use.- Covenants and easements.- Leasing and rent structuring.

Format

Lectures, audio visual materials, workshops, case studies, and sitevisits.


3007 Building Maintenance

One day

Objective

Students will be introduced to building inspection and maintenancetechniques. They will become familiar with the various components ofa building and the most common causes of deterioration. Elementaryrepair techniques will be demonstrated.

Content

Step by step procedure for inspecting buildings.- Roof.- Exterior walls.- Foundations.- Basement.- Structure.- Interior finishes.- Electrical.- Plumbing.

Maintenance and repair.- The reasons for maintenance.- Maintenance strategy and policy.- Sandblasting endangers old buildings.- Moisture and older buildings.- Water repellents.- Paint chipping.- Acid rain.- Synthetic sidings.

Causes of decay in materials and structures.- Climatic.- Botanical, biological, and microbiological.- Insects and other pests.- Man-made causes of decay.- Internal environment of older buildings.

Format

Lectures, audio visual materials, workshops, and case histories.


3008 Maintenance Management for Streets and Buildings

One day

Objective

Students will become familiar with the various procedures involved incaring for a building which will enable them to advise store ownersin the choice of appropriate technology. They will also learn tosupervise small construction work and develop an overall maintenancepolicy.

Content

Repair technology.- Assessing old buildings.- Tools for renovation.- Building materials.- Roofs.- Weatherproofing.- Deterioration of structural carpentry.- Masonry.- Electricity:

- the dont's;- the codes;- safety.

- Plumbing:- the dont's;- determining the condition;- selecting the appropriate solution.

- Energy conservation.- Cooling and heating:

- historic systems:- the alternatives.

- Exterior walls:- alternatives;- and maintenance.

- Finish carpentry:- emphasis on exterior of buildings.

- Painting.- Flooring.- Security systems.- Awnings.- Trees and vegetation.- Signs:

- material selection;- repairs;- maintenance.


Specifications.- Specifications and quantity surveying.- When to prepare specifications.- How to prepare specifications and who can do it for you.- Tendering, tender calls.- Evaluating tender bids.- Designation and easements.

Construction supervision and control.- Negotiating with the contractor.- Construction permits.- Site organization.- Monitoring progress.- Site reports.- Vihat to watch for.- Site meetings.- Limitations and guarantees.- Liabilities and legal aspects.

Maintenance policy and strategy.- The reasons for maintenance.- A maintenance strategy.- Maintenance policy.- Responsibility for maintenance.- Budgets.- Maintenance programming:

- cyclic;- special;- one time.

Format

Lectures, audio visual materials, workshops, case studies, and sitevisits.


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