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DOWNTOWN GREENSBORO INC.
ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CITY
FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014
2013-2014 Annual Report
Downtown Greensboro Inc.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
During the last fiscal year, Downtown Greensboro experienced another year of strong economic growth and
development. Important gains were made in a number of crucial sectors of the market through investment
by new and existing businesses and property owners.
NOTABLE BUSINESSES OPENED OR EXPANDED
329 PM Hair Studio
Alter Vapes
Aura Marzouk Photography
Beer Co.
Bloomfield Floral and Events
Blu Margarita
Dummit Fradin, Attorney’s at Law
Folica Salon
Fruit Fusion
Grass-Fed Burger Bar
Imagine Travel
Indian Motorcycle
Ink Photography
Koshary Restaurant
Lekker Bikes US
Live in Touch | Massage for Wellbeing
Local House Bar
M33 Integrated Solutions
Marriott Downtown
Nosilla Vintage
Renewal Counseling and Consulting
Rhino Times
Scuppernong Books
Shoppes at Westerwood
Prospect Brands / Gerbing & Duckhead
The Creamery
The Forge
Triad Local First
VanderVeen Photographers
DIRECT DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
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Awarded six Façade grants totaling $27,364
Awarded three Retail grants totaling $49,837
Façade and Retail grants leveraged $738,807 worth of investment
PARTICIPATION IN PLANNING EFFORTS
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Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts
LeBauer City Park steering committee
Downtown Greenway oversight committee
Union Square Campus advisory committee
Master Streetscape Plan committee
Center City AM Briefings with Guilford Merchants Association
2013-2014 Annual Report
Downtown Greensboro Inc.
COMMUNICATIONS
Downtown Greensboro needs a positive and sustained marketing campaign to position the area as the premier place
to work, shop, dine, visit, play and live. DGI uses a number of different kinds of media to communicate the business
opportunities, events, and other activities going on Downtown.
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES
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Maintained and continually updated the DGI website attracting thousands of page views during the
2013/2014 fiscal year
Utilized social media tools - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Vimeo to connect with existing and potential
friends and followers
Distributed 33,000 guides throughout Downtown and at local hotels and state visitor centers
Updated and distributed locally and statewide the Shopping, Dining and Entertainment Guide promoting
stores, restaurants, services and attractions as well as the At A Glance quick print guide
Expanded the national campaign of “Small Business Saturday” to promote locally owned shops and service
during the entire holiday season (in partnership with the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce)
Continued to organize the Downtown in December campaign to promote holiday art, cultural events,
shopping and dining options. Used print, direct mail, social media and radio ads in partnership with Triad
Stage, ArtsGreensboro, The Greensboro Ballet, the Carolina Theatre, Grassroots Productions Limited and
the Community Theatre of Greensboro
Provided a weekly e-newsletter with updates on new businesses, events and Downtown happenings to a
distribution list of over 4,200 subscribers
Integrated exploregreensboro.com event calendar onto downtowngreensboro.net website – events posted in
downtown Greensboro now display automatically
Development of a downtown Greensboro economic development projects map
Monthly promotion and support of First Friday and other major downtown events
Worked with Triad Living on feature story about downtown Greensboro and its revitalization efforts
Promoted downtown interests using multiple advertisements in Greensboro News & Record, O.Henry
Magazine, Go Triad, YES! Weekly, Our State magazine, Triad Living magazine, Piedmont Parent magazine,
336 Events, and through banners on exploregreensboro.com
Distributed over 28 press releases on exciting news happening across Downtown
NOTABLE EVENTS SPONSORED & SUPPORTED
2013 Greensboro Odyssey
BB&T Beach Music in the Park concert series
Blue & Gold
Carolina Blues Festival
The City Market
Comic Book City Con
East West BBQ Fest
Festival of Lights
First Friday
Fun Fourth Festival
Greensboro Zombie Run
John’s Run 4 Kids
Mosaic Festival
Potters of the Piedmont annual fall pottery festival
Pop! Downtown
Rock the Block (Toad the Wet Sprocket)
Rockin’ Chalk Party
Run 4 the Greenway
Small Biz Rally
WFMY News 2 Winterfest
2013-2014 Annual Report
Downtown Greensboro Inc.
ADVOCACY AND OPERATIONS
Downtown is a complex district that must meet the needs of a diverse range of constituents. DGI informs
and influences a variety of stakeholders about Downtown issues and opportunities.
PARTNERSHIPS
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Union Square Campus: DGI continues to serve as a strong advocate and partner on this exciting yet
complex public / private project, which includes partners from NC A&T SU, UNCG, GTCC, Cone Health,
Opportunity Greensboro, Guilford County, the City of Greensboro, private foundations and the State of
North Carolina. The Campus will provide a state-of-the-art nursing education center in the Downtown
South Elm redevelopment area. DGI is particularly proud to have played an impactful role in securing
$2 million in state funding from the General Assembly earlier this summer.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE
During the last quarter of the Fiscal year, DGI launched a strategic refocusing effort that looked at every
aspect of operations within the organization. The strategic refocusing was in addition to reducing our Board
of Directors from 33 to 24 individuals and changing its meetings to open to be the public. The plan was a
direct response to the wishes of the Greensboro City Council and Executive staff within the city government
to reorient DGI’s focus towards business and economic development. During the course of this refocusing,
DGI conducted the following stakeholder outreach:
 Created an online survey that received nearly a thousand unique replies
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Performed over 90 personal interviews with downtown stakeholders, property owners, community
and business leaders
Conducted a two day Board retreat where the DGI Board of Directors and DGI Staff worked together
to create a new strategic focus for the organization
The Board retreat gave DGI a new direction focusing on: retaining and recruiting businesses and
investment; finding a new role for DGI in coordinating Downtown events; discovering effective and
innovative strategies for communications; and creating a “cool” physical environment downtown through
exciting place-making and urban initiatives. The Board retreat also gave DGI direction to pursue
transitioning many of its operational services, such as Clean and Green and maintenance of Center City
Park, to the City of Greensboro. This transition process continues into the 2014-2015 fiscal year.
2013-2014 Annual Report
Downtown Greensboro Inc.
CLEAN AND SAFE DOWNTOWN
Having a well-maintained, attractive, safe and lively urban setting is crucial for Downtown Greensboro
workers, residents, visitors, shoppers and clients. DGI dedicates significant energy and resources to make
sure Downtown is clean, safe and inviting both day and night.
ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES & FACTS
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The Clean and Green team made exemplary actions meeting challenges of early March winter storm
169 tons of litter/trash removed (6 tons more than the previous fiscal year)
One major incident of graffiti cleaned
Three dumpsters for 18 businesses were master-leased and managed by DGI
275 hanging flower baskets were replaced, planted, installed, and maintained
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY BY THE NUMBERS
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$22.5 million: Downtown financial investment in the last year
116: number of building renovation and construction projects
36: New businesses located or expanded
17: New storefront openings
72: Individuals and organizations assisted in locating, expanding, or retaining businesses downtown
Over $305 million: Ongoing and upcoming building renovations and construction projects
UPCOMING & ONGOING PROJECTS IN DOWNTOWN GREENSBORO
Area Modern Home renovation and restoration
Carolyn and Maurice LeBauer City Park
Cascade Saloon
Charles Aris Building
Cheesecakes by Alex expansion
CityView Apartments Phase III
CoLab entrepreneur accelerator at Elon Law
Downtown Greenway
Downtown Wyndham Hotel
Gate City Expansion (500xx S. Elm Street / MLK)
Gibb’s Hundred Brewing Company
Greenway at Stadium Park apartments
Hampton Inn & Suites
High Point Rd. / W. Lee St. Streetscape phase 2
House of Blues Entertainment Venue
Iron Hen multiplex
PB and Java
Property @ Ink / Ink Photography
Realigned
Rey De Oro restaurant
Salvation Army Boys’ & Girls’ Club
Senior Resources of Guilford County
South Elm Street Redevelopment project
South End Partners mixed use development
Southeastern Building renovations
Spice Cantina restaurant
Steele & Vaughn building renovation
- New Crafted Experience & Preyer Brewing
Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts
The Book Trader restoration & 1618 Downtown
The Carroll Companies’ Bellemeade Village
The Grove at Greensboro apartments
Union Square Campus initiative
Vivid Interiors
WHAWAP LLC mixed
515 S. Elm, LLC
2013-2014 Annual Report
DGI FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Downtown Greensboro Inc.
2013-2014 Annual Report
Downtown Greensboro Inc.
DGI BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sam Simpson, DGI Chair
Jeff Phillips
Gary Brame, DGI Chair Elect/Treasurer
Nick Piornack
Tim Sexton, DGI Secretary
Mark Prince
Dawn S. Chaney, Immediate Past Chair
Eric Robert
Brittany Atkinson
Nancy Vaughan
Mike Boston
Jeff Yetter
Derek Ellington
Theresa Yon
Mark Hewett
Rob Youth
Marty Lawing
Jim Westmoreland
Al Leonard
Dianne Ziegler
Simonne McClinton
Megan Millard
Donald C. Moore
Thomas Philion
DGI STAFF
Jason Cannon, President & CEO
Steven Harrison, Project Manager
Sherrie Simpson, Chief Financial Officer
Vickie Hall, Communications Associate
Deborah Curran, Senior Associate
Larry Owens, Clean & Green
2013-2014 Annual Report
Downtown Greensboro Inc.
MESSAGE FROM BOARD CHAIRMAN AND DGI PRESIDENT / CEO
This was an exciting year of growth and transition for our Center City. The growth began with several
transformational large public-private projects such as the Downtown Greenway, LeBauer Park, the Tanger
Performing Arts Center, and the Union Square Campus all taking important steps down the road to fruition.
The past year also saw longtime opportunities such as the Cascade Saloon moving forward and Downtown
renewed its reputation as a regional entertainment leader by drawing the National Folk Festival for the next
three years.
In addition to those public-private partnerships, several new catalytic projects have been announced by the
private sector. The northwest quadrant around the Grasshopper stadium is slated for a major $50 million
mixed-use investment with additional high-end residential office, retail and even a hotel. The Bellemeade
area has seen an inspiring amount of interest and investment, but the entire Downtown area is preparing to
transform and evolve as well.
This year has also been a year of transition. With a directive from the Greensboro City Council and executive
city staff, DGI completed a strategic planning process along with a complete restructuring of the Board of
Directors. DGI now has a clear focus on economic and business development; our goal is to recruit and
retain jobs and investment in our Downtown.
To support this focus on economic development, we will continue to play a vital role in coordinating events,
Downtown communications, and spearheading initiatives to promote our uniquely urban “cool” factor. In
order to make the best use of our resources, this transition means we will be relinquishing some of our
maintenance operations to the experienced professionals among the City staff.
The exciting growth for Downtown Greensboro can be seen in the numbers, with several transformational
projects coalescing Downtown. DGI helped these results come about through the thoughtful, inclusive and
sustained leadership of our Board and the resourcefulness and hard work of our small but dedicated Staff.
Our Board and Staff will continue working with the entire community to grow our economy, create more jobs
and make Greensboro’s City Center an urban core we can all be proud of and enjoy.
Sam Simpson
Chair, Board of Directors
Downtown Greensboro Inc.
Jason Cannon
President / CEO
Downtown Greensboro Inc.

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