2017 Economic Development Annual Report 2017 Economic Development Annual Report | Page 8

Annual Report - 2016/17
Garner Economic Development
Downtown Revitalization
Historic Downtown Garner connects our small town roots with our future as a growing crossroads of
cultural arts, recreation, and creative entrepreneurship in the community. Through private development,
public investment, and historic preservation, we’re expanding our downtown to become the destination for
local flavor and flair in Garner.
“Our historic downtown represents our
town’s past, present, & future. Welcome to
Main Street - a destination for local flavor &
flair in Garner.” Mari Howe, Downtown Development Manager
FULL BLOOM COMPLETES CONSTRUCTION BEGINS DOWNTOWN LAUNCHES DOWNTOWNGARNER.COM
HISTORIC RENOVATION ON NEW REC CENTER THREE NEW EVENTS GETS A NEW LOOK
Full Bloom Coffee & Craft is now open on
Main Street. Owners Patrick & Michelle
Byrd spent two years renovating the
historic Bank of Garner building - the first
Main Street Solutions Fund project to be
completed in Wake County through a public
private partnership with the North Carolina
Main Street Center, Town of Garner, and
the Garner Revitalization Association. The Town of Garner began construction of a
new 40,000 sq. ft. recreation center in early
2017. The new civic anchor for downtown
is part of a $9 million public investment in
Main Street, funded by the town’s 2013
bond initiative. Site development for the
new facility includes 8,000 sq. ft. for private
development to expand the footprint of the
downtown commercial distrcit New events like monthly Pop Up Markets and
Outdoor Movies offer more opportunities to
eat, shop, and play in downtown. The first April
Food’s Day Food Truck Rodeo attracted over
4,000 people from around the Triangle. Downtown Garner undertook a rebranding
effort in October 2016 to create a modern,
user-friendly website and marketing materi-
als. T-shirts, koozies, and stickers create a
recognizable identity for Downtown Garner.
.
Main Street’s Economic Impact
2017 2016 2009-2017 Total
$2,659,501 $1,101,551 $7,663,291
$870,723 $1,220,882 $6,822,539
$3,530,224 $2,322,433 $14,485,830
Net New Full Time Jobs Created 18 9 77
Net New Part Time Jobs Created 10 7 22
Net New Businesses Opened 1 2 13
# of Existing Businesses Expanded 0 1 5
# of Facades Redone 5 0 9
# of Building Rehabilitation Projects Completed 1 1 10
# of Public Improvement Projects Completed 2 1 15
624 556 2,596
$13,653 $12,165 $55,476
$ of New Public Investment
$ of New Private Investment
N ew I nvestment is U p
+52%
Increased public investment in
downtown anchors & infrastructure
encourages private investors to take
a closer look at Main Street
V olunteer E ngagement is U p
+12%
With new events and opportunities for
leadership, community members are
stepping up to get more involved in
6
Downtown Garner
$ of Total New Investment
# of Volunteer Hours Contributed to Downtown
Value of Volunteer Contributions
7