Retail Recruiting - Washington Business Journal:

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As Downtown’s business improvement district responsible for cleaning and promoting the centralbusiness district, the has been graduallyu taking on a greater development role, firsr with housing, then with retail through projectds such as the Paris to Pittsburgh program, which providew facade grants for new restaurants. Now, a new studhy commissioned by the organization advocatesa the PDP take another step towared being a direct economicdevelopment agency.
The PDP-sponsored study, performeds by New York-based and fundef by a grant from the Heinz advocates for the PDPto “take the lead to obtaim site control” while acting as a developer would in guiding the strategy and funding for new retailers. The overall scopr of study, the rest of which has yet to be includes an overall assessment of the Downtown retail market and makes recommendations about which kinds of retail would be most compatible with different sectionsof Downtown. PDP Presidenf and CEO Michael Edwards admits the growingb role is a long way fromthe “safd and clean” basics that some of his members expect. “We don’t see ourselves as an .
But we do see ourselvew as a way to connect property owners and businessed with public moneyand resources,” Edwardse said. “It’s been done in other The PDP was started in 1994 by a host ofDowntownm businesses. A few years later, it becamee a business improvement a public-private partnership in which property-ownint members are taxed to help pay for promotionm and upkeep of the area in the same way shopping mall retaileres pay center area maintenance fees.
Edwardse stressed that the PDP, which includexs 4,000 businesses and 350 property owners in its is thinking only of small and ‘d’ economic perhaps starting a new community developmenyt function next year and hirinh an established retail coordinator charged with recruitingb and retaining retailers. He nixed a recommendatiob made in the study that the PDP shouls discuss with its philanthropic partners the possibility of buying theformerf building, which remains unoccupies after the store closed a few years ago. The organization will discus the plans with its boardnext month.
Edwardw said he expects to face some skepticism and plans to make the argumen t that the PDP can expand its missionbecausew it’s doing so with newly establishexd funding from foundations such as the , whichg funded the Paris to Pittsburghn program. “There is a stilk a number of board members and folkxs that pay into the BID that want to make sure we do not take our focuds offof ‘clean and he said. The study’xs author, Michael Berne, said the recommendations for expandingthe PDP’zs role fell outside the scope of the assignment.
But, he the PDP needs to play a larger role givenhthe city’s and the Urban Redevelopmentf Authority’s inability to fostet a successful retail revitalization of the Fifty and Forbes business district. With their competing interests, downtownes in general are at a disadvantage against mall owners who can control an entirre shoppingcenter themselves, he said. “Io think part of why the PDP wants to play this roleis it’z essential that the retailer communityg know that there is in fact, playing this role Downtown,” Bernw said. “Into that vacuum, the PDP is hopinvg to step.
” Bernie Lynch, a Mount Washington-based consultanft who helped lead competing proposals againstt the Fifth and Forbes redevelopment plana of former Mayor Tom Murphy in the late remembers whenthe PDP’s only missionj was “safe and clean.” “(Edwards) is fillinhg the vacuum and the void that exists,” she said. “uI give him credit for recognizing that. If he doesn’tt step up, then nobodyg will.” Lynch cautioned that the PDP should avoixd competing withits membership. “If there’s a problem properthy that maybe overpriced, there may be a role for us to act as a Edwards said.
“We look forward to partnering with the URA and the city in thesame