By Marjorie Ferrer
Thanks to a four-sided collaboration, Delray Beach can point with justifiable pride to a documented boost for downtown businesses: Retail sales volume increased 48.7 percent from 2003 to 2008 and, during that same period, food and beverage sales were up by 41.5 percent.
That’s a combined additional sales volume of nearly $87.6 million, according to Florida’s Department of Revenue.
When I reported our success at the annual conference of the International Downtown Association, people were flabbergasted. Delray Beach is gaining worldwide attention as having a downtown that works!
The process started in 1998, when the Downtown Development Authority, the city of Delray Beach, the Community Redevelopment Agency and the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce launched a comprehensive retail cluster study for downtown. The study, under the direction of consultant H. Blount Hunter, defined boundaries of the downtown area (I-95 to A1A), and subdivided it into eight clusters. By documenting and understanding the mix and types of downtown businesses, we were able to: structure an effective promotional program incorporating an aggressive schedule of special events; develop an ongoing media presence locally, regionally and beyond, as well as a dedicated downtown Web site; and become active in influential organizations such as Visit Florida and Palm Beach County’s Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Delray Beach’s unique Downtown Marketing Cooperative relationship with the DDA, the city, the CRA and the Chamber of Commerce is crucial to the comprehensive marketing and promotional program. Here’s a strong collaborative effort where the individual members park their egos at the door and just come in and get to work for the good of the downtown. Every partner plays a crucial role:
• The Chamber helps business grow with a variety of programs, networking and more;
• The CRA facilitates development of new commercial tenants and directly assist in redevelopment to encourage economic growth;
• The city provides assistance in planning, setup, maintenance and police and fire support at events, including the Clean and Safe initiative; and
• The DDA is the funding arm for the cooperative marketing programs.
While the economic picture has become a bit gloomier since the sales figures were posted, collaboration and optimism remain strong in Delray Beach.
We’re all in this together. The advisory groups are working together very well to produce a stronger, more successful collaborative effort than we could achieve working individually.
Marjorie Ferrer is the executive director of the Downtown Marketing Cooperative and Downtown Development Authority.
More information is posted on DowntownDelrayBeach.com.
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