Northfield Downtown Development Corporation

NDDC Board Vice President Joe Grundhoefer celebrates in City Hall parking lot after successfully securing EDA financial support for 2006. Long-awaited statue of John North is in the background.

EDA Member, downtown business owner, and American Idol challenger in the blogging category, Tracy Davis spread the news while I was sitting in meetings. The EDA voted to give the NDDC financial support for another year. Although the majority of the NDDC’s funding comes from the annual contributions of businesses and individuals, the EDA’s assistance will allow us to pursue additional initiatives this year.

Among the accomplishments of the NDDC recognized by the EDA as contributions to economic development in Northfield were: the downtown directory, the banner program, creation and co-sponsoring of ArtSwirl, the store sign program, the welcome students and welcome parents programs, the muncipal historic sign program, econometric bench-marking and numerous and regular gatherings of downtown stakeholders to meet challenges and take advantage of opportunities.

In her blog entry, Tracy also praised the many partnerships that the NDDC has forged over the past few years. Well, with a modest budget, a part-time executive director, and a significant dependence on volunteer hours, you darn well better be able to make good friends, fast and frequently.

Thanks to Tracy and the rest of the EDA for the recognition, support and partnership and thanks to NDDC board members, community advisors and stakeholders for making it all happen.

And thanks to Joe for expressing the emotional response that we all felt about our success.

Tonight, March 20th, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, the Council will hold a public hearing “related to possible repeal of part of building code (Chapter 1306, special fire protection systems)”. The public hearing will be “at or after 7 p.m.”

The NDDC has been raising this issue for some time, urging reconsideration. Based on information offered by local building owners, architects and contractors, the requirements resulting from the adoption of this optional and special section of the code is costly to install, a threat to the integrity of historic buildings, expensive to maintain over the long term, potentially destructive to occupying businesses and that the potential safety benefits can be achieved through other means.

We are urging downtown stakeholders to attend the public hearing and share their opinions with the City Council.

…who cares, you can lock your bike to it.

This photograph of an admittedly creative bike rack was taken by an anonymous NDDC Community Advisor in Chicago.

Well okay then, Chicago is a really big city, maybe that’s why they can get bike racks installed in their downtown.

But I can dream, can’t I?

After a year of hard work, the NDDC has secured funding for the first sign in its Historic Downtown Northfield sign program. The sign will greet southbound travelers on Highway 35.

The sign is the idea of NDDC Board Member Anastasia Balfany. Determined to do something to add to the vitality of downtown, Anastasia discovered the Municipal Historic Sign program, researched the requirements, sketched out the specifications for such a sign and brought it to the NDDC Board of Directors. They were, of course, excited and supportive.

NDDC Board Member Tristan Cox worked with NDDC Founder Jim Braucher on specifying the installation, and the admittedly somewhat challenging engineering, and developed a cost estimate. He also met with Rice County staff and, along with NDDC Board Member Keith Covey, explored relevant legal issues. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Tristan secured a site for the sign.

The next step was obtaining funding. Although NDDC Board Members, Community Advisors and Downtown Stakeholders indicated that they would contribute something for the program, many people thought that it was a project that the Convention and Visitors Bureau should support. Late last year, NDDC Board Members Dan Bergeson and Joe Grundhoefer asked the CVB Board for financial support. CVB staff recommended that it be tabled.

The NDDC doesn’t give up easily. We persevered. Last Thursday, when Joe repeated the request, the CVB this time voted to give the NDDC financial support for the Historic Downtown Northfield sign. We think it’s a big win for our whole community.

…and it’s all because Anastasia had an idea…

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