2017-18 Economic Development Annual Report--Town of Garner, NC 2017-18 Economic Development Annual Report | Page 10

Annual Report - 2017/18 Garner Economic Development Downtown Revitalization Historic Downtown Garner pairs a local hometown atmosphere with opportunity for commercial expansion spilling out of nearby Raleigh. Main Street is poised to become a growing crossroads of cultural arts, recreation, and creative entrepreneurship in the community. With public investment in infrastructure and property acquisition at key locations throughout the area, Downtown Garner is primed for private development of new commercial and residential infill projects. Recent sales of historic buildings and their subsequent renovations for office, retail, and restaurant use are fostering downtown’s reputation as the destination for local flavor and flair in Garner. The Downtown Garner Association works in partnership with the Town to promote economic revitalization and historic preservation of Garner’s town center. 57 % increase in new public investment from bond project construction 33 % increase in volunteer hours contributed to Downtwon Garner Downtown Garner added as Garner Forward Opportunity Site Given the public investment in a new 40,000 sq. ft. recreation center and support for an active community-driven Main Street program, Downtown Garner was added as an opportunity site in the Garner Forward Comprehensive Plan with support from the public-private partnership between the town and the Downtown Garner Association. Opportunity sites are geographic epicenters around Garner that are expected to experience high density development in the next generation as improvements to public and private transportation infrastructure are completed around Wake County. Garner’s historic district is bounded by US 70, Benson Road, Garner Road, and New Rand Road. Conceptual drawings of potential development opportunities in Downtown Garner were completed with input from a dedicated volunteers serving on a downtown development committee. This group is also responsible for promoting development opportunities of an 8,000 square foot pad. Consultants implemented design features and uses proposed by the committee to create a conceptual drawing of the pad once it’s completed (see inset). The proposed 2+story building will bridge the gap between between the new recreation center and Garner’s historic business district and provide the largest addition of new retail and office space in Downtown Garner in over 50 years. 8 Gearworks Bridges Gaps for Creative Entrepreneurs First announced at the Garner Chamber of Commerce’s annual Connect conference in August, the Gearworks concept involves converting 120 E. Main into a time-limited “bridge space” for small, scalable companies that have grown out of co-working or a home office, but are not quite ready for market-rate office space. The Gearworks initiative is part of a larger strategy by he Downtown Garner Association (DGA) and Gar- ner Economic Development to grow the creative-class and tech cluster in the historic downtown by adding other businesses of a similar type to the mix. “Gearworks is intended for tech companies, social entrepreneurs and perhaps nonprofits,” Garner Economic Development Director Joe Stallings explains. Downtown Development Manag- er Mari Howe says it’s easy to see why these kinds of businesses are choosing downtown. “We’ve heard from several busi- nesses who were growing out of Raleigh’s co-working spaces, but weren’t quite ready for the regular office park gig. Many had their eye on historic buildings in Downtown Garner that offer creative, afford- able workspaces while still being close to the region’s bustling entre- preneurial ecosystem,” Howe says. Operation 36 —a fast-growing com- pany that uses tech platforms and innovative instructional methods to teach golf to children and adults—is the first tenant to lease the space. The company signed a lease in Sep- tember and now has five employees working out of the building. “We’re really appreciative of this space,” says Ryan Dailey, co-found- Main Street’s Economic Impact er and chief operating officer for Operation 36. “Our staff is excited to be here. It’s a really cool part of town to be in—it’s really upbeat.” Howe notes that Downtown Garner provides invigorating entrepreneur- ial support for companies such as Operation 36. “The entrepreneurial business mix in downtown essentially serves as a giant tech incubator,” she says. “Gearworks tenants can walk up and down the business district, talking with other tech companies about the start-up process and crowd sourcing input from oth- ers who’ve gone through the same problems before.” 2018 2017 2009-2018 Total $4,171,270 $2,659,501 $11,834,562 $482,985 $870,723 $7,305,524 $4,654,255 $3,530,224 $19,140,086 Net New Full Time Jobs Created 7 18 107 Net New Part Time Jobs Created 6 10 28 Net New Businesses Opened 0 1 13 # of Existing Businesses Expanded 0 0 5 # of Facades Redone 0 5 9 # of Building Rehabilitation Projects Completed 0 1 10 # of Public Improvement Projects Completed 1 2 16 830 624 3,426 $18,160 $13,653 $73,637 $ of New Public Investment $ of New Private Investment $ of Total New Investment # of Volunteer Hours Contributed to Downtown Value of Volunteer Contributions 9