Currently downtown Salisbury’s marketing arm is Urban Salisbury. Has it been effective? If not, can it be made effective?
Before we begin discussing those questions, let’s get a few things straight. I don’t know Urban Salisbury Executive Director Allan Hope. I don’t know half of their board. This isn’t about trashing people or an organization. However, these questions must be asked if you are serious about adding some vigor into Salisbury’s downtown.
I think that almost anyone looking from the outside in would have to concur that Urban Salisbury has not been an effective “face” for downtown. Many of the reasons for this may not be the fault of the members of Urban Salisbury. Nonetheless, the perception among many on the outside is that they simply have not done an effective job marketing Salisbury.
Let’s forget about assigning blame for now. Let’s look at what can be done moving forward. I would argue that the Urban Salisbury “brand” is so damaged that we need a new organization. Sure most of the same people will be involved, but we need the proverbial fresh coat of paint.
Start with the name. Urban Salisbury? Salisbury isn’t urban. Baltimore is urban. Philadelphia is urban. Even Wilmington. But Salisbury? Let’s face it, Salisbury is a small to moderate sized town in the middle of a rural / suburban area. So, why Urban Salisbury?
Besides, what pops into your mind when someone says “urban”? Bligh? Muggings? Hookers? (yeah, I know we have those here)
Last week I talked about a similar group – Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. Urban. Renaissance. One name brings forth images of muggings and hookers. The other makes you think of re-birth, of Michelangelo and DaVinci.
Simply go to the websites of the two organizations. Which place would you want to start a business in, move your family to, or invest your hard earned capital?
There’s a saying – Perception is 90% of reality. The perception is that Urban Salisbury has not been doing an effective job. It doesn’t matter whether that is objectively true or not. The perception is there.
Urban Salisbury is a damaged brand. If the city and the downtown business community are serious about re-vitalizing downtown, then they need a new cheerleader.
G. A. Harrison is the Managing Editor of “Salisbury News”. Delmarva Dealings appears each Wednesday and Sunday at SbyNEWS.com.
12 comments:
Urban Sby is crap. It benifits a selct few with , Grants and low interest loans. We should be focusing on bring businesss to salisbury period not just one little part.
Downtown is a dump. I was there yesterday, and it looks like the nicer sections of a third world country. Buildings are in disrepair, the streetscape is dated, the place is full of trash, and weeds are growing everywhere. Nobody wants to visit this crap-hole that offers nothing of interest (except maybe the lawyers).
It's not the job of the taxpayers to fix downtown. It's not the job of non-profits. It's the job of the building owners, who stand to benefit from higher occupancy rates, higher rents, and ultimately greater building values. It's also the job of the businesses that could sell more goods if more people visited their stores. The city has a small stake, but their part can easily come later when there is momentum and increased property takes coming in to pay for their portion.
It seems as if none of the organizations involved in "fixing" downtown receive a direct benefit from their spending. They are just doing a poor job of subsidizing private business interests.
Until the local and out of town building owners care for their own assets, any money given to Urban Salisbury is wasted. It's a case of the right people failing to care about their own investments.
There are several problems with main street in Salisbury..first paying to park? Who was the brains behind that?DUMB! The biggest problem is its location.One hundred year ago it was the destination when there was nothing else there. Small retail shops have little chance of surviving when everyone is at the strip malls around town.Salisbury is just no longer the small town it once was and saving downtown sounds like a great idea unfortunatly its time has come and gone. Main streets in towns like Berlin,Pocomoke,and Princess Anne survive because the towns are small and there are no close shopping/strip malls.Convert the downtown area to college dorms,shopping aimed at college kids,provide shuttle servive to SU,provide good security and wham the downtown area would become a hot spot once again.Thats a pretty simple solution as trying to bring small retail shops that dont last six months just leaves empty buildings.Doesnt anyone around here ever think outside the box?
Urban sby needs visit other sucessful small towns to see how they did it.Why does Berlin do well or Dover and Milford,De?
Build a casino downtown and tear down the rest for parking.
I think this article misses the mark, slightly.
A lot of words that mainly focus on ther word "Urban".
I happen to believe the Chamber of Commerce does a lot to help Salisbury. Much of which is done behind the scenes.
Like him or hate him, Bruce Patterson has proven to be very dedicated in anything he puts his hands on.
Much like a LOT of organizations and Boards within the Salisbury area, (Zoo Board, Humane Society Board and several others) I believe with the proper leadership and SUPPORT from the Mayor and City Council, a LOT could be done.
The fact that it's al about ME and getting your picture in the paper, (so to speak) nothing gets done.
Unfortunately a LOT of people burn out because of it and yes, even I am to blame for some of it. Rather than hearing my opinion, (or even yourds, through comments) many take offense of what's being said and the next thing we all know, every one is divided.
So what's the answer. MORE VOLUNTEERS! We all too often hear from commenters that they want this or they want that. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Perhaps a name change is a start, I really don't think so. I believe if you bring the right people together you'll witness that perfect storm and things will turn around.
Urban Salisbury has never received the money it needs to market Salisbury.
Despite that, this year they won a statewide award for the best promotional campaign.
They don't have the dollars to do the job they's like to do.
It's a lost cause... the closed mindedness of the 'uppity' salisbury citizens is what's killing it. Oh, how dare they but a skate shop downtown. I think one of the comments was "great, now there will be more drugs and crime". In OC over the weekend, 73000 people attended the Dew tour- that's the most the Dew tour has EVER had. Downtown salisbury needs young people. Why shoot down any idea when obviously everything has failed or is failing. So WHY NOT put something such as a skate park that would obviously attract a good crowd. I know people that drive an hour or more to St. Michaels or to some of the other smaller downtown areas just to eat dinner and enjoy their downtown. There has been all this talking any planning to revitalize downtown but nothing has gotten better- worse if anything. The plan isn't working. Scrath it. start over.
Urban Salisbury needs to look outside the box..Small towns that have been mentioned dont have every big box store and strip mall within a mile or two of them. They dont have rt50 or rt13 runing thru them... they are SMALL towns,Salisbury isnt a small town anymore.People arent going to pay to park and then shop. There arent anymore homes close by that people could just walk to downtown.It doesnt matter how you try to envision it small business wont work.Salisbury doesnt need to be marketed unless you have lived under a rock for the last 20years.Downtown Salisbury need a whole new approach. Get away from trying to bring more stores... it has proven that it doesn work..think resdential units on the upper floors and then stores will thrive on the lower floors..Downtown Nashville Tenn. did that in the early 90s and now they have a thriving shop district that took only 3 years two develope.When i was there in 1991 it was a ghost town and by 95 it had shops,eating, you name it for the people living above....
The 3rd Friday deal is Ok. I've been a couple of times but it needs more. Maybe a free concert and have it promoted properly. I know there is a few people playing music but lets get all the owners together and get a real band and bring in people. People = money spent.
2:37, in my extensive travels i have seen MANY small towns around our size with big box stores close to the downtown core and they still thrive.
the ones i have been to DON'T charge for parking and had to have had the leadership to pull it off.
this is where we are lacking. we are not a business friendly city and we charge for parking and we don't have leaders with a vision.
the leaders need to RESEARCH successful cities and see what they did right.
Turn it all into section 8 housing and the residents then won't have far to walk when the have to appear in court!!
Post a Comment