the downtown partnership - edition 3

8/6/2019 The Downtown Partnership - Edition 3

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QUARTER 2 - STATUS REPORT EDITION 3

Prince George is creating a renewed downtown that embodies thecollective vision of the community. This vision was developed throughoutthe Smart Growth on the Ground and is being implemented by theDowntown Partnership that includes:

City of Prince George Downtown Business Improvement Association Initiatives Prince George Lheidli Tenneh Prince George Native Friendship Centre Prince George Chamber of Commerce RCMP Northern Health

Beyond Homelessness Standing Committee

A SHARED VISION

IS DRIVING CHANGEDOWNTOWN

CHANGING THE

FACE OF DOWNTOWA REPORT FROM THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP

Lheidli Tenneh

THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERS

Concept of new RCMP Headquarter


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City Centre Marketing generating leads and prospects for new investment :Initiatives Prince George and City of Prince George have been actively engaging with developers topromote the new vision for downtown through meetings and conferences in Vancouver, Toronto andin Northern BC. There has been an expressed interest in commercial and residential projects thatcontinue to be advanced.

Downtown Incentive Program public consultation period complete.Many presentations and meetings were held in the second quarter explaining the new proposedDowntown Incentive Program around Prince George. The new program includes a more aggressiveRevitalization Tax Exemption (RTE) that will exempt city portion of taxes on commercial and residentialprojects for 10 years, include land values for residential developments in target areas, and faadeimprovements for lower threshold values of investment. The Program also is proposed to include aresidential housing bonus of up to $10,000 per unit that can be used in combination with the RTE.Also a new early bene t option is proposed that will provide developers with the opportunity totake the entire value of the ten year exemption up front instead of over 10 years. The new Program isexpected to be in place by the fall of 2011.

The Downtown Business Improvement Association announced a new Board andplan to support downtown revitalization starting with more fowerbaskets and thereturn o Summer est in 2011. The Downtown Business Improvement Association (DBIA) elected a new Chair and established a slateof volunteer committees that will pursue business improvement initiatives over the coming year.Committees include:

Best Practices & Administration Events, Promotions & Marketing Beauti cation Infrastructure Development and Communications New Business Attraction Crime Reduction & Social Service

Summerfest Street Festival will be held in the city centre on Sunday, August 21st. Please contact theDBIA for more details at www.downtownprincegeorge.com

Building permits or 5 projects valued at $1.1 million were issued in the secondquarter o 2011.In the rst six months of 2011, building permits for a total of 13 projects and $8 million were issued. This quarter projects include The Keg Renovation on George Street, and renovations to buildings on3rd, 5th and 6th Avenue. This month began the demolition for the new RCMP detachment, and theerection of seniors residential housing units on 6th Avenue. Brick faade work was completed on fournew townhouses at 1480 - 2nd Avenue.

Downtown Design Guidelines are under development or new construction andrenovations, to oster a culture o wood through architectural expression throughoutthe downtown.Draft guidelines will be presented to City Council in the near future, with public consultation tofollow. New design guidelines will help foster a vibrant, compact and walkable downtown with ahigh quality of urban design. The guidelines will shape the evolution of active, pedestrian orientedbuildings and open spaces.

THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP

The Downtown Partnership meets four times a year to report on, and monitorprogress in each of the targeted areas for improvement. The following is asummary of progress between April and June of 2011:

Improving Investment Climate


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Building Cultural Vibrancy

Building a Clean, Green & Safe Downtown

George Street lighting project completed. The o cial unveiling of the new George Street lighting project was held in May. New ornamental lights havebeen installed allowing for safer streets in the downtown and will showcase ower and banner brackets tobeautify George Street.

Clean streets in the citys downtown. The downtown cleaning program was enhanced last year at the urging of property owners, and continuesto be in e ect. The cleaning program includes mechanical sweeping Thursdays and Sundays; ushing everysecond week, and vacuum cleaning through the week.

A concept or a Green Corridor connecting the Rivers and the City Centre was presentedat the June meeting o the Downtown Partnership.A scope of work, public engagement strategy, timeframe, and costs will be presented to City Council forconsideration in next years budget.

A new O cial Community Plan (OCP) incorporates policy that recognizes heritage indowntown Prince George.In June the new OCP was presented in draft to Mayor and Council. It o cially designates four heritage sites,three in the City Centre. These include 1294 - 3rd Avenue (old Post O ce), 1188 - 6th Avenue (old LiquorStore facade), and 1627 - 7th Avenue. The Heritage Commission is also requesting support for additionalsignage in the downtown to recognize historic sites.

THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHI

New entertainment in downtown Prince George to showcase local talent. This past month the City of Prince George issued two liquor primary licenses o ering greater night-lifeoptions in the city centre. One of the licenses was issued to Nancy Os, currently operating as a restaurant on3rd Avenue. Owner Garrett Fedorkiw says this will allow Nancy Os to bring in local artists and grow eveningpatronage. The second was issued to the Learn to Earn Bartending School.

Prince George Regional Performing Arts Centre moves another step forward as a downtowncatalyst project. Feasibility reports including a needs assessment, physical and business plan, all provide scope for a regional

performing arts centre application that the City of Prince George is submitting to P3 Canada. The applicationis premised on exploring possible private sector involvement. The project is proposed as a centennial facilityproject in recognition of the Citys 2015 birthday.


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$8 MILLION IN BUILDING PERMITS IN 2Last quarter $45 million of announced investment over the past year was presented and now it is construction season in Prince GeorgeREVITALIZATION IS TAKING PLACE HERE AND NOW take a tour through Prince Georges city centre to explore the constructioprojects underway this spring:

1340 - 6th Avenue: TELUS announces $1.5 millioninvestment to expand Prince George call centreand create 100 new local jobs in 2011. Total jobsfor TELUS in Prince George will grow to 392.

1190 - 2nd Avenue: Terasen Gas (now Fortis BC)establishes in-house customer care centre. ThreePrince George companies awarded contracts for$4m in renovations and upgrades, following LEEDprinciples. New call centre will employ workforceof 100 e ective January 2012.

582 George Street: The Keg Steakhouse & Barcon rms $3 million renovation and establishesre-opening date for fall, 2011.

1323 - 5th Avenue: The BID Group beginsrenovations on newly acquired Post O ceBuilding.

2nd and George: Downtown District EnergySystem building to be developed in 2011, sitedon 2nd and Historic George Street. Building willfeature wood faade and street level commercial/retail.

1488 4th Avenue: Exterior faade improvements,Scotia Bank Building, $2,000,000.

5th and Victoria: RCMP Detachment facilitywith construction value of $25m by 2013. Initialcontracts to be issued in 2011, facility built toLEED standards.

1480 1492 - 2nd Avenue: Four new townhouses,Northern Linen Supply Ltd., $400,000.

888 Dominion Street: Exterior Renovations,Prince George Coliseum, $355,040.

1302 - 7th Avenue: Tenant Improvements,Commonwealth Medical Building, $235,000.

444 George Street: Interior Renovations to144 rooms, Ramada Hotel, $1,800,000.

1302 - 7th Avenue: Tenant Improvements,Commonwealth Medical Building, $224,000.

1363 - 4th Avenue: Interior Renovations, HumanResources Development Canada, $528,000.

300 - 299 Victoria Street: Tenant Improvementto Northern Health Authority O ce, $300,000.

1302 - 7th Avenue: Tenant Improvements forPharmasave, Commonwealth Medical Building,$360,000.

1373 - 6th Avenue: 36 Unit Seniors HousingCommonwealth Financial, $4,883,036.

1340 - 6th Avenue: Interior Renovations, Telus Communications Inc, $972,858.

1241 - 5th Avenue: Interior Renovations,5th Avenue Bowladrome, $200,000.

299 Victoria Street: Tenant Improvements,Northern Health Authority, $300,000.

177 Victoria Street : $45,000 CommercialRenovation.

1209 - 5th Avenue : $1,300 CommercialRenovation

1523 1505 3rd Avenue : $22,000 and $60,0Commercial Renovation.

1399 - 6th Avenue : $24,100 CommercialRenovation.

582 George Street : $1,000,000 Renovation(The Keg).

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For more information, please contact:

City of Prince George, 1100 Patricia Boulevard, Prince George, BC V2L 3V9| Tel: 250-561-7784 (or) 250-649-3201Email: [email protected] | www.princegeorge.ca

THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP Follow us @cityofpg

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the downtown partnership - edition 3

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