5 Year Programmatic Priorities

In January of 2007, the board and staff of the DDD came together to review the existing DDD mission, discuss a vision for Downtown, and set programmatic priorities for the next five years. Through this and subsequent sessions, a new Downtown vision was created, the DDD mission was refined, four key areas of focus were identified, and a plan was laid out to achieve the goals identified within each focus area.

• Implement the Canal Street Development Strategy
• Fully implement Façade Improvement Grant Program
• Create cultural attractions & reenergize the theatre district
• Transform Canal Street retail
• Facilitate upper floor development
• Guide the transformation of Iberville into an attractive mixed-income neighborhood
• Complete the connection to the Mississippi riverfront
• Relocate bus transfers from Canal Street

• Drive the economic incentives, physical infrastructure and process reform needed to transform Downtown

• Drive legislative changes and implement creative financing tactics
• Move aggressively into land banking; purchase and resell strategic properties
• Move aggressively into parking management; purchase and operate strategic parking locations to support development and retail

• Attract and retain Industries of the Mind
  
• Attract and embrace entrepreneurial newcomers as important sources of intellectual and creative capital
• Make Downtown the center of a regional bioscience industry
• Make Downtown the center of a digital media industry
• Grow the arts (visual and performing) as an economic engine

• Brand the DDD as the place to come for any Downtown economic development need

• Retain existing Downtown businesses and institutions

• Influence strategically important public policy issues, including city- and state-wide issues.
• Retain LSU (University Medical Center) and VA Hospitals Downtown
• Create incentives for and availability of workforce housing
• Be the driving force in creating a “green environment” Downtown to improve quality of life

• Provide contractual services in adjacent areas to strengthen Downtown and increase DDD top and bottom line performance

• Drive cooperative initiatives with the French Quarter, Lower Garden District, Greater New Orleans Bio-Science Economic Development District, and O.C. Haley and St. Charles Avenue commercial corridors
• Implement Unified New Orleans Plan recommendations
• Create and implement communications & outreach plan
  

Market and Promote

• Create a “Place Brand” for Downtown New Orleans
  

• Brand and promote the DDD

• Market the Canal Street Development Strategy and own the successes

• Implement economic development and retail attraction marketing plans

• Support merchant association marketing initiatives

• Support DDD human resource initiatives

• Implement effective code enforcement to elevate the maintenance standards of buildings

• Quickly, effectively and compassionately deal with homelessness

• Improve the quality of pedestrian life

• Continue to be the safest place in New Orleans
• Reduce car break-ins and car thefts
• Educate constituency on the real crime situation Downtown

• Continue to be the cleanest place in New Orleans: Match or exceed the standards of other major American cities

• Improve Downtown sidewalks and other infrastructure