On May 8, Carleton announced that it had purchased the building at 200 Division Street, formerly known as the Medical Arts Building.  The College has been a major tenant in the building since 2005 when the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) relocated there.  The acquisition will allow Carleton to use a portion of the building to expand much-needed space for SERC operations, as well as relocate some additional administrative functions out of core academic buildings on campus.

SERC’s presence in downtown generates its own excitement.  The Science Education Resource Center of Carleton College, founded in 2002,  works to improve science education through projects that support educators.  The office has special expertise in effective pedagogies, geoscience education, science community organization, workshop leadership, digital libraries, website development, and program and website evaluation.

On August 10, 2011, the National Science Foundation awarded SERC a $10 million, five-year grant in support of the project InTeGrate: Interdisciplinary Teaching of Geoscience for a Sustainable Future.  The grant is one of two funded that year through NSF’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP);  the other at Stanford Universitywith an engineering focus.  The STEP initiative aims to create a unique opportunity for faculty in a science discipline to address a national challenge or opportunity in undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education through a comprehensive and coordinated set of activities.

There are some people in our community who believe the future of our economy will be built on knowledge workers, workers who create economic value with their minds.  Scientists, educators, and web-crafters are all important segments of the knowledge worker labor force.  The presence of these workers in downtown Northfield, particularly with their commitment to an interdisciplinary approach, generates the type of knowledge spillovers that can not only nurture existing knowledge-based businesses but attract new knowledge-based businesses.  In fact, the type of interdisciplinary knowledge spillovers that such an enterprise generates can have an impact on the local economy that is not merely incremental but truly transformational.

Carleton intends to honor leases currently in place with non-College tenants, and to keep the building on the tax rolls at this time.  The three-story, 20,400-square foot building was constructed in 1948. The building lot is about a third of an acre and includes 15 parking spaces.  The College expects renovation work at the building to begin early this summer and be concluded before the end of the year.

The workshop will be Tuesday, May 15^th at the Northfield High School Computer Lab from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. This workshop, titled simply “Making Sense of Social Media”, is a broad strategic review of how businesses can and are using “social media” on the Internet. Social media, FaceBook and Twitter for example, are being used by more and more people, especially young people. Understanding how to use social media is critical for businesses wanting to reach these new customers and leverage their Internet presence using the many available tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flicker, blogs, and Google Places.

With nearly 5,000 college students and their visiting parents, plus residents, Northfield businesses have many opportunities to use social media to reach these customers. Join us for a presentation by Hans Muessig, Program Director with the Extension’s Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities program, about how you can truly use social media to reach these customers.

This workshop will help you make informed decisions about how to use the social media most effectively for your business. It will provide both an overview and a detailed set of Internet strategies; you will walk away with some new ideas and online tools to help you have a successful 2012 and beyond.

For more information, contact Executive Director Ross Currier at (507) 663-0319 or rcurrier@nddc.org.

The internet has enabled the global economy Muessig noted.  In fact, 80% of business over the internet is now conducted from places that are so remote that you can’t buy a newspaper there.  Although this new reality creates challenges, it also creates opportunities.

According to Muessig, 80% of people use the internet to research purchases.  While 42% of businesses have a website, 33% of these are essentially unusable; they are static pages without basic contact information.  Bad websites fail quickly, research indicates that your website has 45 seconds or fewer to secure the potential customers’ interest.

Among Minnesota tourism attractions, only 59% are on the web, yet potential visitors are increasingly using their computers, and their smart phones, to make travel and entertainment decisions.  Muessig stressed the importance of communities having a single web portal that leads to all of the community’s offerings and options.

Muessig noted that residential and commercial location decisions are also increasingly made based on the community’s quality of life, package of amenities, and internet connectivity.  What the community communicates about itself, on the internet, can greatly contribute to its economic success.  Muessig reminded the group that most economic growth comes from existing businesses and so supporting these businesses must be a priority.

When thinking about your internet-based marketing plans, Muessig suggested studying your competitors.  However, the first priority, he advised, is getting your business on the Google Places map.

The workshop was the first in a series of three.  Upcoming workshops will be in late April and late May.  Watch this website, and our Facebook page, for more information.

The first workshop will be Tuesday, March 27th, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., in the Riverview Conference of the Historic Archer House River Inn, 212 Division Street in downtown Northfield.  This workshop, titled simply “Doing Business On-line”, is an overview about business on the Internet.  It is broadly conceived and is intended to serve both businesses wanting to get started on the Internet and businesses that are interested in getting more leverage from their Internet presence using the many available tools, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, and Google Places.

It is essential that businesses and communities have an effective presence on the Internet. Yet over half the businesses in Minnesota cannot be found on the Internet. This means potential customers cannot find them. Join us for a presentation by Hans Muessig, Program Director with the Extension’s Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities program, about how you can truly use the Internet to reach your customers.

This workshop will help you make informed decisions about how to use the Internet most effectively for your business. It will provide both an overview and a detailed set of Internet strategies; you will walk away with some new ideas and online tools to help you have a successful 2012 and beyond.

For more information, contact Executive Director Ross Currier at (507) 663-0319 or rcurrier@nddc.org.

They play a big role in the national economy too; these jobs, categorized by the Standard Occupational Classification System, add up to approximately a third of the U. S. workforce.  Scientists, engineers, educators, computer programmers, artists, designers, medical professionals, healthcare workers, lawyers, and financiers…what brings them to Downtown Northfield, MN?

Through our NDDC Board Business Visits, we’ve heard of the attributes which attracted business entrepreneurs and owners to Northfield: the historic downtown, the “wild and scenic” river, the arts and cultural opportunities (significantly enhanced by the presence of two nationally-ranked colleges), good public schools, and quick and easy proximity to the airport.  But what brings them downtown?

Great, Good (Meeting) Places.

It’s a concept that has been long-championed by NDDC co-founder and former board member Bardwell Smith.  As developed by Ray Oldenburg in his book “The Great Good Place”, such places are the key for building social capital, civic engagement, and sense of place.  These places are increasingly recognized as also contributing to economic vitality through providing an environment conducive to business innovation and entrepreneurial activity.

We conducted an informal survey of about three dozen of these creative, knowledgeable, innovators, asking where they liked to meet in downtown Northfield.  Surprisingly, they often answered with a question, “Before 9 or after 5?”.

Apparently, these decisions are often influenced by the time of day…and the choice of beverage.  Downtown Northfield is fortunate to have so many great, good options.

Jodi Lundell, the company’s Chief Operating Officer told us that PRMIA recently celebrated its 10th anniversary; from its very beginning, the company has been based in Northfield.  PRMIA currently has 16 employees plus additional contractors.

PRMIA provides member services, professional certification, and training to risk management professionals globally, including access to over 750 online professional development courses and webinars.  PRMIA partners with more  than 25 leading universities around the world to offer specialist and advance classroom courses in risk management.   Their  partners in the United States include universities such as Columbia Business School, The Kellogg School of Management, George Washington University, and Duke University.

The company has been very happy with Northfield.  They like Northfield’s value system, with the commitment to community engagement and a welcoming attitude to all kinds of people.  They believe that the company and the community both value hard work but make time for family.  As a result, they have almost no turnover.

As for what could be improved in Northfield, they mentioned a need for high quality office space, restaurants, and lodging that serve a professional clientele from around the world.  In particular, they discussed a high-end boutique hotel for their visitors from New York, London, and Hong Kong.

PRMIA’s top people think that Northfield’s economic development policy should include retention programs along with recruitment efforts.  They believe that most of our economic growth will come from existing firms that currently employ a dozen or so people but could easily quadruple in size over the next decade and that there should be a focus on these companies’ needs.

The company’s leaders are interested in supporting efforts to enhance Northfield’s transit system.  They believe that it will become increasingly important to transport workers into Northfield as local employers grow.  It’s just one piece of their potential corporate engagement in the community.

The City Council wanted the funds to be used for improving streets, repairing the river wall by the Ames Mill dam, and building a public parking lot as well as other downtown improvements to be planned later.  The limited supply of parking downtown and its threat to economic vitality had been documented since the 1978 University of Minnesota Northfield River Corridor Plan and was subsequently corroborated by the 2001 Walker Parking Study.

Realizing that the sunset of the TIF District was approaching, a group of City Councilors and the City Administrator formed the Downtown Improvement Group in 2003, a task force charged with prioritizing projects for the District’s proceeds.  Their projects included a drinking fountain in Bridge Square and crosswalk pavers at pedestrian connections around Bridge Square and the western approach to the Pedestrian Bridge over the Cannon River.

The Mayor’s Streetscape Task Force was created in 2005 in an effort to increase private citizen input from downtown stakeholders.  For the next two years, the group discussed community priorities and considered potential projects, including such concepts as visitor way-finding, pedestrian safety, and public space enhancements.  As was the case back in 1986 when the District was established, creating additional parking was a priority for the downtown stakeholders in 2005.

In 2008 and 2009 Streetscape Funds were used to finance City infrastructure projects, such as the 5th Street reconstruction, the 4th Street reconstruction, and the Ames Mill Dam retaining wall, as well as Task Force-supported projects such as the Riverside Bike Trail Extension and the Sesquicentennial Legacy Plaza.  By the end of 2010, $2.3 million of the approximately $4.6 million in projected revenues had been spent.  Many Streetscape Task Force members, although supportive of the projects implemented, expressed concerns that some priority projects, especially the expansion of downtown parking, were not being considered.

During 2010 a new City Administrator assisted the Task Force in converting these priority projects, including parking, into specific recommendations.  The Task Force presented their recommended projects to the City Council in the form of a matrix that related each project to the 2006 Downtown Framework Plan, including brief descriptions and estimated costs, and totaling an amount that was within the remaining projected revenues for the TIF District.

The City Council reacted with considerable sticker-shock at the budgeted amount for the Task Force’s top-ranked priority: increasing the supply of downtown parking. In addition, the members of the 2010 City Council expressed interest in spending some of the money outside of downtown.

Recently, when downtown stakeholders became aware that their top-priority was set aside, they reacted with alarm. They gathered dozens of signatures from downtown building and business owners urging the City Council to support the Task Force’s recommended parking project on Washington Street between 3rd St. and 4th St.

There is currently enough revenue projected for the TIF District to pay for the Task Force’s long-standing recommendations as well as the City Council’s recent additions.  Downtown stakeholders hope that the long-needed parking project will continue to move forward and that this economically critical investment in downtown will be implemented before the TIF District expires.

One of the NDDC’s founders, Bardwell Smith, is Professor Emeritus of Religion and Asian Studies at Carleton College.  The organization has always had at least one board member from each of the colleges.  In addition, the NDDC has conducted annual outreach campaigns during major college events such as New Student Week, Family Weekend, Commencement Weekend, Reunion Weekend, and Homecoming Weekend.  Each year, the college presidents have been the NDDC’s guests at a Downtown Forum.  Finally, the organization has led or participated in many community projects that were powered by Carleton and/or St. Olaf College students.

The  NDDC’s relationship with Carleton and St. Olaf has not been solely focused on marketing the downtown to the college communities.  The organization has looked to the colleges for ideas and leadership, as well as time, talent, and “tithes”.  Increasingly, the NDDC has sought input from the colleges’ employees and students for clues in predicting and building downtown Northfield’s economic future.

The writers of Northfield’s 2006 Comprehensive Economic Development Plan confirmed the NDDC’s long-standing strategy.  Among the tactics cited in the plan were engaging the leadership of the colleges, connecting with current and former students, and reaching out to alumni entrepreneurs.  The NDDC has always been and will continue to be a leader within the local economic development community for these initiatives of college-community collaboration.

About two years ago, at the suggestion of St. Olaf College President David Anderson, and later with the added support of Carleton College President Steve Poskanzer, the NDDC began meeting regularly with key players at the colleges.  The goal was to broaden and deepen college-community collaborations for mutual benefit.

One of the new initiatives that this group developed was alumni entrepreneur recruitment.  In addition to promoting downtown Northfield as a marketplace, we wanted to promote it as a business location, particularly to the graduates of Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges. We introduced the concept for the first time at this year’s Homecoming Weekends.

It was just the “beta test” for a new tactic in this larger strategy.  Already, there are proposed changes to both the message and method.  However, we got it out there, as evidenced by this photo.

Photo courtesy of Griff Wigley.

Technically only a half block away from the C-1 Zone (part of the definition of the downtown as per the City Zoning Code), what was once “the old middle school” is only a block away from the Carnegie Library and only two blocks away from the “heart” of Northfield…Bridge Square.  The NDDC is going to reach out across that short distance and say “Welcome, we’re glad you’re here.”.

The NDDC believes that the Weitz will be a great addition to Downtown Northfield.   In fact, the NDDC is so excited about the opening, we thought somebody should throw a party.  Fortunately, somebody is…

Carleton College cordially invites everyone to a special community open house celebrating the completion of the new Weitz Center for Creativity on Saturday, September 17, from 3 to 6 p.m. The celebration will feature tours of the building and its many unique spaces, as well as light refreshments and musical entertainment.

The event will also feature a presentation at 4 p.m. by professor John Schott about his photo exhibit “Middle School,” which documents the condition of the vacant former Northfield Middle School as it awaited renovation. The photos were taken in the winter of 2009, when the building had been empty and unused for five years.

At 5 p.m., Carleton President Steve Poskanzer will speak to welcome those in attendance, followed by an “official” welcome to Downtown Northfield by Greg Kneser, President of the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation (NDDC).

The Weitz Center for Creativity is located at 320 North Third Street in Northfield. For more information on this event, contact the Office of College Relations at (507) 222-4308. To take a virtual tour of the Weitz Center for Creativity at Carleton College, visit http://apps.carleton.edu/weitz

However, downtown’s contributions to the Northfield economy go beyond the many jobs and business located in our historic central business district.  Downtown is one of Northfield’s most powerful assets in attracting new businesses and new residents.

The NDDC Board has conducted monthly business visits for several years.  This year they visited Monster Games, Oolala, Community Resource Bank, Aquatic Pets, Fit 2B Tri’d, Mandarin Garden, Life Skills Education, Vivus Architecture/Design, Labor Arbitration Institute, Granite Equity Partners, Ashworth Factory Services, and Premier Bank.

In the course of our business visits, when asked what attracted them to Northfield, almost all of the respondents mentioned the downtown.  Along with the good schools, safe neighborhoods, the two colleges, arts, cultural and recreational opportunities, and proximity to the airport, the downtown is near the top of these entrepreneurs’ lists of attractive assets.  In fact, several of the business owners said that they’d searched for a location in a fifty-mile radius around the Twin Cities and within minutes of arriving in our downtown, knew that Northfield was the place for them.

Once they’ve opened for business in downtown Northfield, their appreciation and praise gets more specific.  They applaud the historic architecture and wild and scenic river.  They talk about the “walkability” of the downtown and advocate for more pedestrian-friendliness, bike racks, and increased all-day parking for vehicles.  Finally, almost every business owner mentions the number of restaurants, coffeehouses and fine shops as providing a quality atmosphere and experience for their workforce.

Other aspects of the downtown are raised.  The river as the perfect site a spontaneous picnic, or just a quiet place to take a mental break, was mentioned by several people.  The creative energy that comes from the Arts Guild, Historical Society, and Carnegie Library is often noted.  The welcoming nature of people on the streets, for mothers with children, young people, college students, retirees, out-of-town visitors, and people from around the world, is considered uncommon and powerful.  Finally, the mix of a cosmopolitan outlook with small town values is something viewed as almost unique to Northfield.

In fact, according to several business owners, the amenities of downtown help their businesses generate visits and/or sales.  The district provides an excellent experience for their clients and creates collateral foot-traffic.  They noted that some of their customers insist on driving to Northfield for a face-to-face meet just so they can spend a little time in our great downtown.

Based on our interviews with local entrepreneurs, downtown is one of the most important and powerful pieces of the Northfield economy.  We believe that the community should recognize its contributions, strengthen its components, and invest in its future.