Economic Vitality: Diversifying the town’s economic base.

Economic Vitality strengthens a community’s existing economic assets while expanding and diversifying its economic base. The program helps to foster entrepreneurial startups and expansions and recruits compatible new businesses and new economic uses to create jobs and respond to today’s consumers’ needs. Converting unused or underused commercial space into economically productive property also helps boost the profitability of the downtown area.

Objective One: Become the go-to local resource for business development services and programming          

We envision GBA providing a range of services and programming geared to existing businesses and entrepreneurs. Activities should focus on short term, actionable steps that build toward longer term goals. Additionally, activities should be focused upon and enhancing local assets.

Actions:

• Work on service delivery gaps for downtown businesses
  • Workforce Housing
  • Child Care
• Connect with regional initiatives
  • Encore entrepreneurship
• Inventory building usesIdentify spaces where startup businesses could be located
• Local business startup guide
  • With Design Committee
• Create daycare center in business district to serve district workers and shoppers.
• Identify downtown business development needs

Objective Two: Taking the downtown business district to the next level through catalytic property redevelopment, strategic infill development and vertical housing

GBA should identify buildings and properties where interventions are needed and move these forward through Main Street Revitalization grants and work with partners toward mitigating larger issues. GBA also is in a great position to address infill and vertical housing solutions for the downtown area. The Economic Development Committee is well positioned to analyze housing solutions and can play a support role for community-wide discussions. Through collaborative efforts with the City of Bandon and the Design Committee, the Economic Development Committee can strategically identify locations for placemaking and other infill development to create a more connected and cohesive downtown district.

Actions:

• Identify projects for the next round of Main Street Revitalization Grant funding.
• Connect Old Town with South Jetty park
• Identify strategic infill opportunities (pop-up or permanent placemaking projects)
• Create workforce housing downtown by adapting older warehouse or industrial building
• Advocate for Urban Renewal Amendment projects
• Research vertical housing in other small towns

 

Objective Three: Elevating the business community’s priorities through advocacy

GBA and the Economic Development Committee have numerous experienced and well-connected community leaders which when leveraged provide a strong platform for which business issues can be elevated to other local and regional decision makers. While GBA lacks the organizational capacity to tackle every issue, it should focus its energy on the highest ranked committee priorities.

Actions:

• Yellow Brick Road: Riverwalk extension to connect to Face Rock Creamery.
• Assess feasibility of relocating arches or adding additional gateway signage on Highway 101.
• Adding wayfinding signage
• Inventory and prioritize business advocacy activities (schools, housing, road design, pool, old town signs, yellow brick road)