Experience Local.

2012 ANNUAL REPORTPLAZA DISTRICT ASSOCIATION

Experience 16th.

a district on a MISSIONThe Plaza District Association works to develop the Plaza District as a vibrant commercial district where arts, local business and neighborhood community thrives. This mission is achieved by:

PROMOTING the district to a wide audience through events and marketing

ENCOURAGING INVESTMENT in the district through property and business location

PARTNERING with the City of Oklahoma City to address the needs of the district

ENGAGING the neighborhood and community to support the progress of the district

CREATING place and opportunity for the community to interact with the arts and artists

1920s

2000Plaza Theatre

purchased by Lyric Theatre

2000Streetscape Completed

$2.1 million public investment

at a GLANCEYear Founded: 1997

Number Served Annually: 8,000

Number of Volunteers: 200

Geographical Area Served: NW 16th between Indiana and Blackwelder Avenue in Oklahoma City.

Annual Budget: $110,000 46% Foundations/Grants 41.5% Corporate Donors 5.5% Individual Donors 7.2% Other

14 Board of Directors

1 FT Executive Director, 1 PT Assistant

30 District Businesses represent work from over 1,800 artists, including:

300 theatre professionals, 200 theatre students with Lyric Theatre400 Everything Goes Dance Students298 musicians547 visual artists68 poets, comedians, storytellers & others

2006Struble Construction and Tarena Self purchase and

renovate properties, $800,000 investment

LIVE on the Plaza

1990s

2005PhotoArt Studios &

Everything Goes Dance Studio purchased

$300,000 investment

PROMOTING PLAZA

2012

2007Lyric at the Plaza opens.

$4 million investment investment.

Velvet Monkey Salon purchases NewState

IceHouse

promoting PLAZAThe Plaza District Association promotes the district to a wide audience through events and marketing including:

LIVE ON THE PLAZA a monthly 2nd Friday artwalk featuring visual artists, live music, local shopping, food and fun.

PLAZA DISTRICT FESTIVAL annual fall street festival highlighting visual and performing artists

URBAN PIONEER AWARDS annual luncheon honoring innovative leaders in OKC revitalization

ONLINE PRESENCE strong online marketing including website, video, photo and social media engagement to over 8,000 followers

LIVE on the Plazapartnering & ENGAGINGThe Plaza District works to build relationships with neighborhood and community through key partnerships including:

City of Oklahoma City including the Commercial District Revitalization Program and Strong Neighborhood Iniative

Gatewood Historic & Classen Ten Penn Neighbors

Classen SAS, Gatewood Elementary and Eugene Fields Elementary

District sponsor Fowler Volkswagen of Norman, who we partner on events and projects that are innovative, creative and focused on boosting local business, music and the arts

2006Struble Construction and Tarena Self purchase and

renovate properties, $800,000 investment

LOVE on the Plaza

2008-201125 local businesses

locate to Plaza District

encouraging INVESTMENTThe Plaza District is proud to boast new businesses from 2011-2012 including:

Saints Pub at the Plaza

Dig It

Urban Wineworks

Innovative Spaces

The Parish

Gallery 1612

RetrOKC

Bomb Shelter GallerySons & Daughters

The Society

Chasin’ Tail Pet Boutique

The Mule Restaurant & Bar

Six properties have been purchased including:

Struble Properties

Blackwelder Apartments- for conversion to mixed-use residential, office and restaurant

1609 Blackwelder

1618-1620 Duplex

Sweet Sixteenth, LLC

Coin Laundry- 3,000 sq ft space for conversion to restaurant

1611-1613 NW 16th- 3,500 sq ft conversion to retail

In fall 2011, the Plaza District completed an outdoor electricity project to provide opportunities for holiday lighting, artist vendors and live music. Thanks to Devon Energy, the district was able to LIGHT the Plaza this holiday season with district trees dressed in LED lighting. The trees complimented the debut of Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma’s “A Christmas Carol” presented by Devon Energy, and provided district vistitors a new holiday tradition!

MAKING PLACE

In spring 2012, Plaza District placed the recently purchased “Coin Laundry” building on an international crowd-sourcing platform, www.popularise.com. Popularise turns the traditional real estate development model upside down. Instead of developers imposing their development ideas from the top down, it allows neighbors to start building neighborhoods from the bottom up. The community can pitch their ideas online, and others can vote. This gives the community the chance to have their voice heard, as well as entrepenuers the opportunity to test the popularity of their concepts for the neighborhood.

Fowler Volkswagen of Norman stepped up to incentivize local businesses by offering rent support to the final tenant selected. Over the course of 2 months, over 40 ideas were placed on the site, with views over 13,000. Based on the input from the site, and the marketing of the building, the Coin Laundry will be home to a new restaurant/bar come 2013. We are looking forward to announcing the newest business to call Plaza District home!

POPULARISING PLAZA

Warpaint Clothing

Devon Energy’s LIGHT Up the Plaza

Blackwelder Studios, The Mule

LIGHT UP THE PLAZA

POPULARISE THE PLAZA

LIGHT UP THE PLAZ

LOOKING FORWARDIn summer 2011, Plaza District Board of Directors completed a 5 Year Stratric Plan. The 2012 scope of work derived from the plan includes:

Increasing board development through training.

Expanding committees and task forces to carry out district plans

Establishing a merchant association to enable business owner engagement and decision making.

Developing a recruiment plan to encourage investors and new businesses interest in the district

Developing stronger partnerships with neighborhood schools, organizations and churches. Creating opportunities to work with partnerships to achieve common goals.

Begin visioning and planning for physical expansion of district.

Attend and assist in strategic plan for area Strong Neighborhood Initiative.

Building capacity for organizational growth through fundraising.2011 Plaza District Festival

LIVE on the Plaza

LIVE on the Plaza

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Oklahoma Gazette

Cardinal Engineering, Inc.The Kerr Foundation, Inc.

Bank of Oklahoma • Continental Resources

First National Bank of Oklahoma • FlintCo

Historical Preservation, Inc./Heritage Hills

Inasmuch Foundation • OGE Energy Corporation

The Meinders Foundation • Sweet Sixteenth, LLC.

Ann Simank/OKC Metro Alliance, Inc.

Jackie Mania & Nick Singer • Marjie Shadid

Oklahoma City University • PhotoArt Studios

Resource Development, Inc.

RSK Land & Energy Resources

Struble Construction

Accel Financial Staffing • ADG, Inc.

American Fidelity Foundation • Collected Thread

Coppermark Bank • Cuppies & Joe • DNA Galleries

Gatewood Historic District • Istvan Gallery

Keep It Local OK • Legacy Bank

Leigh Howell Love Landscape Design

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma • Osko Communications

Randy and Sandra Cassimus

Riggs, Abney, Neal, Turpen, Orbison and Lewis

President, Aimee AhpeatoneVice President, Jeff StubleSecretary, Amanda BradwayTreasurer, Stephen KovashRandy CassimusBailey GordonBlair HumphreysSara JacobsonLou KerrJackie ManiaMary Ann OskoJim RadfordKristen TorkelsonCatherine WarrenLindsay Zodrow

our COMMUNITY PARTNERSBOARD OF DIRECTORS

Plaza District Association1618 Gatewood AveOklahoma City, OK 73106405.367.9403 phoneinfo@plazadistrict.orgwww.plazadistrict.org

Kristen Vails, Executive Director

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