Record of Meeting
Place: Old City Hall 4th Floor Conf. Room Project: City of Bradford Master Plan
Date: June 12, 2007 Client: City of Bradford
Time: 7:30am-9:30am MCF No.: 44506002
Attendees:
Diane Sheeley, Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce
Diane Dewalt, Main Street Manager – City of Bradford
Glen Washington, Bradford Regional Medical Center
Jim Guelfi, Downtown Bradford Revitalization Corp
Chris Hauser, Downtown Bradford Revitalization Corp
Bill Leven, Downtown Bradford Revitalization Corp
Mike Glesk, Bradford Area Alliance
John Peterson, Bradford City Clerk
Sara Andrews, City of Bradford OECD
Simon Tripp, Impact Economics
Roberta Sarraf, Zoning Consultant
Albert Filoni, MCF Architects
Ken Lee, MCF Architects
Amy Maceyko, MCF Architects
Purpose: To inform the Downtown Bradford Revitalization Corp about how the master planning process will work over the next year and to get their input on what they think are the most critical issues to be reviewed and examined in the process.
Items Discussed:
1. Mr. Filoni and Ms. Andrews spoke about what the master plan is – it is more than a drawing or a book that will sit on the shelf. We will spend time gathering information and we want to find out whom the councilmen think we should talk to.
- What are the priorities?
- How do the municipalities work together? (It’s important that MCF work with everybody.)
- Who should be on the committees?
2. The Steering Committee will discuss options, establish priorities, make decisions, stand behind those decisions, and carry out the plans. It will be a committee of about 20 people and there will be three sub-committees (Economic Development, Planning & Zoning, Downtown Strategy & Regional Business) to focus on more specific issues and report to the main steering committee. There will also be a group of government officials and local CEOs that MCF and the consultants will personally brief twice during the master planning process. Ms. Andrews reviewed the types of representatives desired for the committees and agreed to send the list to City Council so they can make recommendations on who should be invited to participate.
3. There is a plan to set up a website as a part of the project to keep the people of the area informed about what is happening and being discussed, as well as giving everyone the opportunity to send in comments.
4. Mr. Filoni stated that we want to ensure that the plan that will survive beyond current political careers. A group will need to be established by all three municipalities upon the adoption of the plan to oversee implementation. This group will work with the OECD and heed the priorities laid down in the master plan. It still needs to be determined how members of this committee will be chosen (maybe a subset of the steering committee?). Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement could govern the implementation plan (similar to the zoning idea)
5. There is a question about the name of this project. Calling it the City of Bradford Master Plan is too narrow. Maybe the Tuna Valley Master Plan?
6. Mr. Filoni spoke about the importance of the regional view of plan because the whole area supports downtown. There will be several town meetings to get public input. City representatives were asked to discuss the issues that they think are most important for the master plan to examine.
7. Mr. Guelfi began by discussing that many current residents remember Bradford in its heyday - lots of shopping and lots of people. Today’s group recognizes that downtown won’t be the same as it was, but improvements can still be made.
a.The DBRC recognizes the importance of being able to maintain changes, not just make them.
b.There are plans for the UPB radio station and newspaper to promote a stronger town/gown relationship - just started a fund to support the effort.
c.There was a previous effort to get half price tickets to the movie theater for UPB students, but it still didn’t seem to draw students into town. But more students come to the independent film festival.
8. At the main Pitt campus, students can use their meal plan to buy meals at certain restaurants in Oakland. Bradford has begun to look at that possibility here, too. The downside is that really only the Mexican restaurant appeals to kids, but the new coffee shop seems to be drawing students already.
9. Mr. Hauser commented that there has always been a disconnect between UPB and the city. Downtown has never embraced the university. The merchants don’t cater to students needs or wants. Downtown businesses are basically single proprietor stores - don’t want to work extra long days or stay open late. It’s likely that the new coffee shop and the use of the Seneca Building by UPB will start to draw students, but there still needs to be critical mass.
10. Mr Hauser brought up a number of comments about the state of downtown Bradford – he has been the chairman of the DBRC since it’s inception.
a.The DBRC is an offshoot of the beautification effort and main street program - which worked well initially, but once the main street program wasn’t followed things deteriorated.
b.The second effort at the main street program wasn‘t as successful, but he doesn’t see downtown being as bad as people say.
c.There is no place for people to congregate and there are unattractive trash cans, but the hanging planter baskets are nice.
d.It would be nice to have more commitment from building owners and a more positive attitude in general about downtown.
e.There is a disconnect between the hospital and downtown as well. The plan should focus on the triangle between downtown, UPB and the hospital.
f.He would like to see more people living downtown - in the vibrant past, there were apartments and offices on the upper floors of downtown buildings.
g.There is great philanthropy in the area - very generous community, but they give money best for very specific ventures not for vague ideas like “downtown”.
11. Mr. Washington was impressed by the activity of the area when he came here 8 years ago. There is no lack of ideas in the area but no cohesive plan either. He thinks that people will rally around something tangible - movie theater, hospital expansion, UPB buildings. He also commented that downtown needs to be reinvented with professional offices, boutique shops, tourism, and apartments. The master plan needs to bring out something tangible to generate excitement. There needs to be a concrete result from plan.
12. Mr. Leven was glad to hear that the plan will be looking at the townships as well because the changes in the township (Bradford housing, Foster commercial development) have affected the city. Mr. Filoni mentioned that during the meetings with the township supervisors yesterday, they recognized that town is center of the area and that neither township has it’s own center. They recognize the importance of town’s viability.
13. The previous discussion of regional recreational authority was dismissed by the townships a number of years ago. Foster Township went on to build their own instead of paying Bradford. In the past the idea was floated to build a football stadium for UPB and local schools.
14. Part of the disconnect between town and UPB is because a large percentage of Bradford residents have never been on campus, there is an intimidation factor and a lack of communication about what is public at UPB. There is also nothing outside to indicate that the theater is in Blaisdell - no signage or other indication.
15. The high number of absentee landlords in town is definitely a concern.
16. Ms. Dewalt spoke next about the issues she feels are most important.
a. There is concern about how local media presents downtown issues.
b. It would be nice to have more focus on the downtown arts and bringing in tourists
c. There has been a 25% turnover of businesses in the past few years, but there are also more businesses downtown than in the past 7 years - lots of energy in youthful owners and new boutiques. There are even several businesses that are open later.
d. One concern is the lack of marketing for the business district and attempts to change the existing image. There is a new tea room, furniture store, country store boutique, yarn shop, coffee shop, scrap booking store, and new auto performance store. There is a physical therapy business coming, a new restaurant opened and a couple of stores have expanded. Also, a majority of downtown buildings are owned locally (specifically, buildings in the historic district). The newspaper can’t usually be convinced to do articles about new businesses, usually just a photo with a few lines.
e. She defines the downtown core as Main from Mechanic to Davis and Boyleston to Cordovan
f. Mr. Filoni commented that none of this was mentioned at any of the previous meetings. This sounds like a different city.
17. Mr. Peterson commented that good things have happened in town recently because of negative media. For example, the purchase of Hooker-Fulton building because the closing was a headline in the paper. Also, 45 Main Street would have been a parking lot with newspaper support, but it was saved by DBRC to be a furniture store and coffee shop.
18. Mr. Lee mentioned that having places like the Driver’s license center and health services near the center of town can draw people that wouldn’t otherwise be in the city. The movement of the state welfare office and other state offices to new building on Chestnut, which opens the Hooker-Fuller building up for other uses, like maybe condos.
19.The mercantile has rental space for 50 craftsmen and small vendors. It’s a way of teaching retail and three of them have graduated to open their own stores. A high percentage of shoppers there are from out of town – from the state park, coming in for reunions or coming to visit local residents. Also, more of the development is happening down by the movie theater, but the trend is slowly moving up the street toward Mechanic.
20. Ms. Sheeley next spoke about the city from the Chamber of Commerce point of view. There is a downtown merchants association within the chamber, and the group also wants to get “investment” from businesses outside of downtown. It would be great to get a variety of businesses to understand their similarities and the ways that they can support each other. That is an advantage of being a chamber for the whole area and not just the city. She would like to see the chamber to play a role in getting the outside businesses to understand how they can be involved and help to strengthen downtown. She thinks that the developing client base in town can support all businesses and they are trying to make the business owners feel like part of a community, and not like they’re all alone.
21. Ms. Sheeley also commented that the beautification of the Elm street program has more success with established residents than new construction like Onofrio Street. It is important to educate local residents about what’s available and what’s happening.
22. A few ideas were thrown out about marketing options and new downtown attractions.
a.What about options for marketing other than the newspaper - The Pennysaver? The thriving online community? Combined marketing effort at the holidays? Marketing at the local festivals?
b.What about a downtown yard sale or flea market?
c.Encourage the new business owners who are more willing to consider different hours and new thinking.
23. Mr. Peterson commented that the change in the thinking of the townships and government officials is a nice change. Ms. Maceyko also mentioned that there is an obvious change in attitude since we first came here 1 ½ years ago. There is a more positive view of downtown progress and a perceived interest in cooperation among the municipalities.
24. Mr. Tripp spoke for a few minutes about his work on the project. There will be economic analysis and focus groups, with a goal of building on existing strengths. He is not interested in reinventing the wheel. Also, his process will result in concrete implementation strategies.
25. Mr. Filoni commented that the Comfort Inn was full last night, but the manager didn’t know why. It could be because of construction, the busy oil business, or family visitors to the prison. The Comfort inn owners are looking for property for another hotel. Both hotels are often booked, the area could probably use a couple more.
26. When it comes to visitors, there isn’t a visitor’s center in town and there is no clear way for 219 travelers to find their way into town. PennDOT is willing to put gateway signage on their property in the future. Having a master plan based on local consensus can help when working with PennDOT and the state in the future.
With no further items for discussion, the meeting was adjourned. If there are any additions or corrections to these minutes, please notify the Architect.
Respectfully submitted,
MacLachlan, Cornelius & Filoni, Inc.
Amy P. Maceyko, AIA