The roaring ‘20s have brought something unique to us each year. 2020 a pandemic, 2021 a new way of life and 2022 saw us take the first steps out of the pandemic. Business owners have had to be nimble to deal with the twists and turns of regulations and staffing. We at North Park Main Street (NPMS) play a vital role in providing services that help our constituents grapple with changes and provide care for our District. As we look towards the future, there are many things we look to accomplish. Based on feedback from business owners and our observations of the District, the major points of focus will be high-quality maintenance, working with unhoused individuals, mobility, and sustainable events.
From this point forward, maintenance will be the main priority for North Park Main Street. The phrase — look good feel good — encapsulates our goal. Our District should be a place people are excited to host events and proud to be a part of. We have broken that initiative down into four major projects.
First, we will launch our Special Enhancement District (SED), which will replace our Property and Business Improvement District (PBID). The SED is a voter-approved initiative to provide services beyond the City’s baseline level of maintenance activities. Activities will include pressure washing, removing debris and much more. Second, NPMS is launching an external reporting app for constituents in our District. This app will help improve communication, data reporting and transparency. The anticipated launch is in early 2023. Once implemented, it will be easier to contact NPMS. It’s as easy as snapping a picture, submitting it via the app and tracking progress to completion. Stay tuned for more details and to participate in our beta program. Third, NPMS will be hosting four town hall forums to help share information about services and programs available. These forums give the opportunity to connect, learn and improve our business community operations. Our first meeting is scheduled Feb. 7 in the western part of the SED. All business and property owners in our District are encouraged to RSVP. Finally, a vital component of maintenance is beautification. We will work to beautify our neighborhood through murals, paintings, and other artistic projects that represent North Park’s character. Art is a catalyst that can bring communities together and reduce blight in one fell swoop. If this sounds interesting to you, we highly recommend joining our beautification committee. This committee is a great place to present your ideas and vision for what a beautiful North Park will look like!
While maintenance is the top priority, it is not the only focus of NPMS. We will also leverage our resources to continue developing programs and policies that help our district work with unhoused individuals. We will continue to help support and develop the highly successful Mid City Homeless Outreach program. Additionally, we are working with the County to augment this program by adding a new full-time position who will act as a rapid response individual. This position will help quickly address and remedy issues that can arise between our district constituents and unhoused individuals. When these situations arise, it is often difficult for everyone involved to find a positive outcome. This position will focus on finding safe and effective resolutions. We have heard the call from our business community and see these programs as a vital part of NPMS.
Our third focus will be on mobility in North Park, which is evolving before our eyes. In recent history, we have gone through two major capital improvement projects that directly impacted the way we move: the 30th Street Bike Lanes and the University Avenue Mobility Project. To help with that change, NPMS plans to engage and implement a program similar to Free Ride Everywhere Downtown (FRED).
This program could provide free rides within our District which would boost the local movement of residents, shoppers, and diners.
NPMS is also pushing awareness of the North Parking Garage and its parking validation program. This underutilized garage costs a mere $1/hr ($5 daily max). Changes to mobility options can be frustrating, but they are vital steps to meet the NPMS mission, which is to create a pedestrian friendly destination for shopping, dining and entertainment that supports local businesses.
The last area of focus for NPMS is events in North Park. In the past, events have brought great traffic and recognition to North Park. NPMS will continue to organize events that highlight our District’s character, but we will prioritize sustainability. We plan to mitigate or eliminate most of the environmental impact of our events through conscious planning and coordination with City, County, and State officials. Some events you can look forward to are the North Park Music Festival, the Taste of North Park and an expanded Winter Wonderland Festival. However, we call on our community to help take the lead in organizing events they are passionate about. As mentioned earlier, our focus is on maintaining a clean and safe district. If you have an idea for an event or want to head up an existing event, contact us or join our monthly Events Committee meetings.
Maintenance, mobility, working with unhoused individuals, and sustainable events are cornerstone topics for the future of North Park. There is a lot in store for our beloved District, and the NPMS team is excited to help make it happen. Come on by, send us a message, get involved in your community, and let’s make 2023 a year to remember.
