Specifications include, but are not limited to: The areas of this targeted assistance and the estimated needs are: 1. Best Practices Report: a. Highlight other state Main Street Programs that have similar communities, economic conditions and organizational structure. b. Report on other Main Street Programs that have successfully turned around economically distressed main street districts in comparable areas, detailing lessons learn and best practices. c. Identify selection criteria commonly utilized for designating main street districts and customized the criteria for Rhode Island. 2. Data Collection and Analysis: a. Collect and evaluate data on the physical characteristics of the targeted main streets including land, buildings and transportation modes. b. Develop an inventory of commercial building stock including physical condition, size, vacancy, zoning, current usage and ownership. c. Conduct a market analysis of targeted main street districts: inventory of business assets, business types and mix, and strengthens and weakness of current business mix and industry. d. Identify and map the strategic partnerships and alliances that currently exist and those that need to be developed. With the map define the current and required exchange of value between each partnership. e. Identify start-up business or business attraction opportunities based on an analysis of current and requisite business and industry mix in each district. 3. Market Constraints and Opportunities a. Evaluate the current retail, commercial, and office market conditions, identifying strategies for growing existing businesses and opportunities for new business recruitment. b. Develop an overview of retail and commercial business activity of the targeted main streets, looking at retails sales, consumer spending patterns and income/spending characteristics of surrounding neighborhoods. 4. Stakeholder Interviews: a. Work with Corporation to identify key community stakeholders. b. Design interview format, surveys and questionnaires. c. Solicit ideas and build consensus on issues, problems and prioritize the outcomes. d. Guide community public engagement, self-assessment activities.
