2017-18 Economic Development Annual Report--Town of Garner, NC 2017-18 Economic Development Annual Report | Page 10

Annual Report - 2017/18
Garner Economic Development
Downtown Revitalization
Historic Downtown Garner pairs a local hometown
atmosphere with opportunity for commercial expansion
spilling out of nearby Raleigh.
Main Street is poised to become
a growing crossroads of cultural
arts,
recreation,
and
creative
entrepreneurship in the community.
With
public
investment
in
infrastructure and property acquisition
at key locations throughout the area,
Downtown Garner is primed for private
development of new commercial
and residential infill projects. Recent
sales of historic buildings and their
subsequent renovations for office,
retail, and restaurant use are fostering
downtown’s reputation as the
destination for local flavor and flair
in Garner. The Downtown Garner
Association works in partnership
with the Town to promote economic
revitalization and historic preservation
of Garner’s town center.
57 %
increase in new public
investment from bond
project construction
33 %
increase in volunteer
hours contributed to
Downtwon Garner
Downtown Garner added as Garner Forward Opportunity Site
Given the public investment in a new 40,000 sq. ft. recreation center and support for
an active community-driven Main Street program, Downtown Garner was
added as an opportunity site in the Garner Forward Comprehensive
Plan with support from the public-private partnership
between the town and the Downtown Garner Association.
Opportunity sites are geographic epicenters around
Garner that are expected to experience high density
development in the next generation as improvements
to public and private transportation infrastructure
are completed around Wake County. Garner’s
historic district is bounded by US 70, Benson
Road, Garner Road, and New Rand Road.
Conceptual
drawings
of
potential
development opportunities in Downtown
Garner were completed with input from a
dedicated volunteers serving on a downtown
development committee. This group is also
responsible for promoting development
opportunities of an 8,000 square foot pad.
Consultants implemented design features and
uses proposed by the committee to create a
conceptual drawing of the pad once it’s completed
(see inset). The proposed 2+story building will bridge
the gap between between the new recreation center
and Garner’s historic business district and provide the
largest addition of new retail and office space in Downtown
Garner in over 50 years.
8
Gearworks Bridges Gaps for Creative Entrepreneurs
First announced at the Garner Chamber of Commerce’s annual Connect conference in August, the Gearworks
concept involves converting 120 E. Main into a time-limited “bridge space” for small, scalable companies that
have grown out of co-working or a home office, but are not quite ready for market-rate office space.
The Gearworks initiative is part of
a larger strategy by he Downtown
Garner Association (DGA) and Gar-
ner Economic Development to grow
the creative-class and tech cluster
in the historic downtown by adding
other businesses of a similar type to
the mix.
“Gearworks is intended for tech
companies, social entrepreneurs
and perhaps nonprofits,” Garner
Economic Development Director
Joe Stallings explains.
Downtown Development Manag-
er Mari Howe says it’s easy to see
why these kinds of businesses are
choosing downtown.
“We’ve heard from several busi-
nesses who were growing out of
Raleigh’s co-working spaces, but
weren’t quite ready for the regular
office park gig. Many had their eye
on historic buildings in Downtown
Garner that offer creative, afford-
able workspaces while still being
close to the region’s bustling entre-
preneurial ecosystem,” Howe says.
Operation 36 —a fast-growing com-
pany that uses tech platforms and
innovative instructional methods to
teach golf to children and adults—is
the first tenant to lease the space.
The company signed a lease in Sep-
tember and now has five employees
working out of the building.
“We’re really appreciative of this
space,” says Ryan Dailey, co-found-
Main Street’s Economic Impact
er and chief operating officer for
Operation 36. “Our staff is excited
to be here. It’s a really cool part of
town to be in—it’s really upbeat.”
Howe notes that Downtown Garner
provides invigorating entrepreneur-
ial support for companies such as
Operation 36.
“The entrepreneurial business mix
in downtown essentially serves as
a giant tech incubator,” she says.
“Gearworks tenants can walk up
and down the business district,
talking with other tech companies
about the start-up process and
crowd sourcing input from oth-
ers who’ve gone through the same
problems before.”
2018 2017 2009-2018 Total
$4,171,270 $2,659,501 $11,834,562
$482,985 $870,723 $7,305,524
$4,654,255 $3,530,224 $19,140,086
Net New Full Time Jobs Created 7 18 107
Net New Part Time Jobs Created 6 10 28
Net New Businesses Opened 0 1 13
# of Existing Businesses Expanded 0 0 5
# of Facades Redone 0 5 9
# of Building Rehabilitation Projects Completed 0 1 10
# of Public Improvement Projects Completed 1 2 16
830 624 3,426
$18,160 $13,653 $73,637
$ of New Public Investment
$ of New Private Investment
$ of Total New Investment
# of Volunteer Hours Contributed to Downtown
Value of Volunteer Contributions
9