Town of Bennington 1998 Annual Report

The Downtown Improvement Commission contracts with the Better Bennington Corporation to provide the management component including marketing and promoting downtown, planning physical improvements, and encouraging and guiding economic development in the downtown district. The Better Bennington Corporation's $70-75,000 budget comes from the contract with the Downtown Improvement Commission ($23,000) with the balance raised by The Better Bennington Corporation through events, merchandise sales and memberships. (The remaining $17,000 of Downtown Improvement District money goes directly to physical improvements such as benches, barrels, planters, holiday decorations and downtown plantings.)

During the past year, much has happened in our downtown including:

• the opening of the following ten new businesses: CompuWorks, Innovative Images, TJS Tanning, Custom PC Works, Greenland Custom Embroidery, Graphitek, Patrick Winburn's Law Office, US Army Recruiter, the 250th Celebration office. Carmody's is about to open.
• the expansion of the following existing businesses: Panache, Evans News, K.F. Armstrong Jewelers, Star Electric, Nationwide Insurance, and the Bennington Cooperative Savings and Loan.
• the addition of Window*Works to downtown's economic development strategies. Window*Works transforms vacant, dark windows into attractive, well-lit art shows. The art is for sale adding commercial benefit and, with the art in the windows, the vacant space is more likely to rent. Note the impact at the Putnam Hotel.
• the addition of five new history panels to the kiosk. The subjects are Architecture, Bennington in Time, Industry, Personalities and Transportation
• the continued use of the Design Assistance Program for facade improvements for properties in the Design Review District; 4 applications were approved this year.
• the continued publication of the Better Bennington Corporation's newsletter, the expansion of the downtown web page at: "http://www.thisisvermont.com/downtown/" and the addition of Spotlight on Downtown a monthly program aired on CAT-TV;
• the continued success of downtown promotional events: Maylest, Bennington's rite of spring; Summer Under the Tent A Festival for the Arts - attendance doubled this year; the Solstice Sellebration moved to South Street; Midnight Madness the retail highlight of the summer, the Community Tree Lighting with the "best trees yet!" and the second successful First Night
• the addition of streetscape improvements including expanded annual plantings program, downtown maintenance, the addition of five new benches, the addition of scarecrows and snowmen to the streetscape, and, the continuation of the holiday decoration plan.
• the completion of an economic development survey and Downtown Improvement District business inventory, as well as improvements to the downtown space inventory.
• the continued support of downtown by Bennington voters who renewed the Downtown Improvement District without sunset in March 1998.
• Downtown Bennington was awarded a $40,000 planning grant to develop a Master plan, conduct a Market Analysis and develop a Marketing Plan for downtown Bennington. This work will continue through 1999.

Respectfully submitted,
Cinda Morse, Executive Director