frank knorek wilkes university thesis presentation

THEORY vs. PRACTICE: AN EVALUATION OF THEORY vs. PRACTICE: AN EVALUATION OF DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION IN LUZERNE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION IN LUZERNE

COUNTYCOUNTY

By By

Frank L. Knorek Jr.Frank L. Knorek Jr.

PS 380PS 380

May 7, 2006May 7, 2006

Why have some downtown revitalization efforts succeeded while others fail? Why have some downtown revitalization efforts succeeded while others fail?

The Importance of Downtown to a CommunityThe Importance of Downtown to a Community

Significant contribution to the tax baseSignificant contribution to the tax base Overall quality of lifeOverall quality of life CommerceCommerce Defines the sense of place and identityDefines the sense of place and identity Historic center and gathering place for residentsHistoric center and gathering place for residents Often the site of major public and private investmentOften the site of major public and private investment

Problems Facing Downtown TodayProblems Facing Downtown Today

Attracting private development Attracting private development Recruiting businessesRecruiting businesses Attracting people evenings / weekendsAttracting people evenings / weekends Competition from mallsCompetition from malls ParkingParking ImageImage Unattractive facades and preservation of older buildingsUnattractive facades and preservation of older buildings Vacant / underused retail and office spaceVacant / underused retail and office space Lack of promotion and marketing of assetsLack of promotion and marketing of assets Perceived lack of public safetyPerceived lack of public safety Lack of community prideLack of community pride Organization / cooperation of downtown stakeholdersOrganization / cooperation of downtown stakeholders Lack of planningLack of planning

Brief History of Urban PlanningBrief History of Urban Planning

Originated during the industrial revolution in Western Europe.Originated during the industrial revolution in Western Europe.

Lack of planning in America until the early 1900s. (Olmstead)Lack of planning in America until the early 1900s. (Olmstead)

Post WWII reactive development done out of necessity.Post WWII reactive development done out of necessity.

1970s-Federal government distances itself from planning 1970s-Federal government distances itself from planning initiatives, granting state and local governments full jurisdiction initiatives, granting state and local governments full jurisdiction for developing and implementing development programs.for developing and implementing development programs.

Hypotheses Hypotheses

When all stakeholders in a municipality cooperate on downtown When all stakeholders in a municipality cooperate on downtown development, then the stakeholders will be more likely to create development, then the stakeholders will be more likely to create and adopt a strategic downtown revitalization plan.and adopt a strategic downtown revitalization plan.

If a municipality engages in strategic planning, then the If a municipality engages in strategic planning, then the municipality’s downtown is more likely to experience sustained municipality’s downtown is more likely to experience sustained economic growth. economic growth.

MethodologyMethodology

Examination of local newspaper archives.Examination of local newspaper archives.

Contacted city officials and chamber of Contacted city officials and chamber of commerce for information about strategic commerce for information about strategic plans, downtown revitalization initiatives, and plans, downtown revitalization initiatives, and goals for their city.goals for their city.

Gathered primary and secondary economic Gathered primary and secondary economic indicator data.indicator data.

Operational DefinitionsOperational Definitions

CooperationCooperation: measurements of local newspaper stories for : measurements of local newspaper stories for reported evidence of communication between stakeholders in reported evidence of communication between stakeholders in the form of meetings, conferences, and community survey the form of meetings, conferences, and community survey results. results.

Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning: the presence or absence of a comprehensive : the presence or absence of a comprehensive plan or an update. plan or an update.

Economic GrowthEconomic Growth: a downtown that demonstrates evidence of : a downtown that demonstrates evidence of new retail businesses and professional offices being constructed new retail businesses and professional offices being constructed or relocating. or relocating.

Terms and DefinitionsTerms and Definitions

Strategic planning: is a constant market-driven and asset-based process Strategic planning: is a constant market-driven and asset-based process that addresses all aspects of land use and development, which contains that addresses all aspects of land use and development, which contains clearly identifiable and measurable goals, and contains programs and clearly identifiable and measurable goals, and contains programs and

processes for implementation.processes for implementation. (two variations) (two variations)

Supported Comprehensive Plan: is a comprehensive plan that is Supported Comprehensive Plan: is a comprehensive plan that is universally recognized by all stakeholders as the strategy that identifies universally recognized by all stakeholders as the strategy that identifies downtowns’ strengths and weaknesses, and as the strategy that will be downtowns’ strengths and weaknesses, and as the strategy that will be

followed in implementing revitalization initiatives.followed in implementing revitalization initiatives.

Unsupported Comprehensive Plan: is a strategic plan that is not Unsupported Comprehensive Plan: is a strategic plan that is not universally recognized by all stakeholders.universally recognized by all stakeholders.

Downtown StakeholdersDowntown Stakeholders

Municipal and county governmentMunicipal and county government Downtown development authorities and organizationsDowntown development authorities and organizations State and federal leaders and organizationsState and federal leaders and organizations Chamber of commerceChamber of commerce Downtown merchantsDowntown merchants Private investors and developersPrivate investors and developers

ResidentsResidents

Downtown Economic Growth IndicatorsDowntown Economic Growth Indicators

Primary Indicators:Primary Indicators:

Number of downtown workersNumber of downtown workers

Total office space ftTotal office space ft2

Vacant office space %Vacant office space %

Number of retail businesses in operationNumber of retail businesses in operation

*Secondary Indicators:*Secondary Indicators:

Population Change Population Change (1990 to 2004)(1990 to 2004)

Aggregate Tax RevenueAggregate Tax Revenue (1990 to 2003) (1990 to 2003)

* * Supplemented with reported evidence of job creation.Supplemented with reported evidence of job creation.

ResultsResults

Hypothesis OneHypothesis One

City of HazletonCity of Hazleton

AdministrationAdministration IVIV(Relationship)(Relationship)

DVDV(Strategy)(Strategy)

OutcomeOutcome

QuigleyQuigley CooperationCooperation PlanPlan ConfirmedConfirmed

MarsicanoMarsicano ConflictConflict PlanPlan Not ConfirmedNot Confirmed

BarlettaBarletta CooperationCooperation PlanPlan ConfirmedConfirmed

City of PittstonCity of Pittston



OutcomeOutcome

WalshWalsh CooperationCooperation PlanPlan ConfirmedConfirmed

LombardoLombardo CooperationCooperation PlanPlan ConfirmedConfirmed

City of NanticokeCity of Nanticoke



OutcomeOutcome

SokolowskiSokolowski CooperationCooperation No PlanNo Plan Not ConfirmedNot Confirmed

KobelaKobela CooperationCooperation No PlanNo Plan Not ConfirmedNot Confirmed

TooleToole ConflictConflict No PlanNo Plan -Confirmed-Confirmed

City of Wilkes-BarreCity of Wilkes-Barre



OutcomeOutcome

NameyNamey ConflictConflict No PlanNo Plan -Confirmed-Confirmed

McGroartyMcGroarty ConflictConflict No PlanNo Plan -Confirmed-Confirmed

LeightonLeighton CooperationCooperation PlanPlan ConfirmedConfirmed

Hypothesis TwoHypothesis Two

City of HazletonCity of Hazleton

AdministrationAdministration IVIV

(Strategy)(Strategy)DVDV

(Econ. Growth)(Econ. Growth)OutcomeOutcome

QuigleyQuigley PlanPlan PresentPresent ConfirmedConfirmed

MarsicanoMarsicano PlanPlan PresentPresent ConfirmedConfirmed

BarlettaBarletta PlanPlan PresentPresent ConfirmedConfirmed

Table 2: City of Hazleton Aggregate Tax Information.

Year Of Data Total Revenue* Percent Change

2003 $21,186,465 71%

2000 $12,382,988 3%

1990 $12,075,694

Source: Data taken from Local Government Financial Statistics. Governors Center for Local Government

Services. 2005.

<http://cax.agsci.win.psu.edu/CAXDRLOCGov.asp.>.

*Amounts adjusted for inflation.

City of PittstonCity of Pittston




WalshWalsh PlanPlan PresentPresent ConfirmedConfirmed

LombardoLombardo PlanPlan PresentPresent ConfirmedConfirmed

Table 3: City of Pittston Aggregate Tax Information.

Year Of Data TOTAL REVENUE* Percent Change

2003 $6,579,727 -14%

2000 $7,679,406 117%

1990 $3,549,395

Source: Data taken from Local Government Financial Statistics. Governors Center for Local Government

Services. 2005.



City of NanticokeCity of Nanticoke




SokolowskiSokolowski No PlanNo Plan PresentPresent Not ConfirmedNot Confirmed

KobelaKobela No PlanNo Plan Not PresentNot Present -Confirmed-Confirmed

TooleToole No PlanNo Plan Not PresentNot Present -Confirmed-Confirmed

Table 4: City of Nanticoke Aggregate Tax Information.


2003 $4,762,329 40%

2000 NA NA

1990 $3,406,984

Source: Data taken from Local Government Financial Statistics.

Governors Center for Local Government Services. 2005.



City of Wilkes-BarreCity of Wilkes-Barre




NameyNamey No PlanNo Plan Not PresentNot Present -Confirmed-Confirmed

McGroartyMcGroarty No PlanNo Plan PresentPresent Not ConfirmedNot Confirmed

LeightonLeighton PlanPlan PresentPresent ConfirmedConfirmed

Table 5: City of Wilkes-Barre Downtown Health Indicators 1992-2003.

Indicator 1992 2003%

Change

Estimated Number of Downtown Workers 10,000 12,000 20%

Total Multi-Tenant Office Space sq. ft. 864,855 1.7Million 97%

Office Vacancy % 9.00% 27.00% 18%

Retail Businesses in Operation 200 195 -3%

Source: Data taken from "Major Office Space Survey." 1992. Greater

Wilkes-Barre Partnership (February): 1-6; "Strategic Market Development

Plan for Downtown Wilkes-Barre." 2003. Diamond City Partnership (May).

Table 6: City of Wilkes-Barre Aggregate Tax Information.


2003 $41,961,931 -19%

2000 $51,601,019 48%

1990 $34,778,412

Source: Data taken from Local Government Financial Statistics.

Governors Center for Local Government Services. 2005.



Table 1: Municipal Population Data Percent Change 1990-2004.

City 1990-2000 2000-2004 1990-2004

Hazleton -6% -4% -10%

Nanticoke -11% -4% -15%

Pittston -14% -4% -18%

W-B -9% -4% -13%

Source: Data taken from United States Census Bureau

American Fact Finder. Summary File 1.

<http://factfinder.census.gov/>.

Comparative ResultsComparative Results

ConclusionsConclusions

Administrations that exhibited cooperation and strategic planning, Administrations that exhibited cooperation and strategic planning, encountered sustainable long-term economic growth.encountered sustainable long-term economic growth.

In all cases where conflict was present, strategic planning was inhibited. In all cases where conflict was present, strategic planning was inhibited.

Administrations that exhibited evidence of cooperation or conflict, but Administrations that exhibited evidence of cooperation or conflict, but lacked a strategic plan, saw short-term economic growth and eventual lacked a strategic plan, saw short-term economic growth and eventual decline.decline.

Strategies for Sustainable Downtown DevelopmentStrategies for Sustainable Downtown Development

Forge strong public / private partnershipsForge strong public / private partnerships Establish a university-community partnershipEstablish a university-community partnership Utilize multi-municipality strategic planningUtilize multi-municipality strategic planning Update zoning ordinancesUpdate zoning ordinances Establish design guidelinesEstablish design guidelines Build upon community assetsBuild upon community assets Market and promote downtown as a destinationMarket and promote downtown as a destination Change negative perceptions by establishing a distinctive sense of placeChange negative perceptions by establishing a distinctive sense of place Build a consensus among residentsBuild a consensus among residents Encourage volunteer opportunitiesEncourage volunteer opportunities Multifunctional downtowns are the most successfulMultifunctional downtowns are the most successful Inventory all land useInventory all land use Conduct a market analysisConduct a market analysis

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

The author would like to thank the following for their time and The author would like to thank the following for their time and commitment in making this study a reality:commitment in making this study a reality:

Dr. Thomas BaldinoDr. Thomas Baldino

Dr. Kent RobertsonDr. Kent Robertson

Mr. John JablowskiMr. John Jablowski

Joint Urban Studies CenterJoint Urban Studies Center

Mayor Louis BarlettaMayor Louis Barletta

Mayor John BushkoMayor John Bushko

Mayor Thomas LeightonMayor Thomas Leighton

Mr. Mike LombardoMr. Mike Lombardo

Mr. Jerry MullarkeyMr. Jerry Mullarkey

frank knorek wilkes university thesis presentation

Education

downtown stakeholdersmunicipal

municipalitys downtown

importance of downtown

development programs

planning initiatives

unsupported comprehensive

strategic plans

definitionsstrategic