Business Improvement Districts

Ryan Carter A consultant has begun the first phase of a process some merchants hope will culminate in the collective self-sufficiency of local businesses. Consultant Ed Henning has started talking to merchants in the Downtown Glendale Merchants Assn. and the Adams Square Merchants Assn. about what it will take to create their own business improvement districts. Business improvement districts are ones in which the participating businesses band together and pay dues.

Josh Kleinbaum Without support from downtown businesses for a business improvement district, the city will put the district on hold and focus on strengthening the existing merchants' association. A consultant's report that will be presented to the city's Redevelopment Agency on Tuesday indicates that most downtown businesses are not interested in creating a district, which would pool their financial resources to maximize advertising and create a fresh image for the area.

Ryan Carter The Downtown Glendale Merchants Assn. is too large to be an effective organization, and it should be divided into three or four merchant associations to promote more participation among business and property owners. Redevelopment Agency Chairman Bob Yousefian expressed that critique at Tuesday's meeting, where the agency voted 4-1 to continue its annual funding of $15,000 to the city's five business districts. The districts -- Adams Square, Kenneth Village, downtown, Sparr Heights and the Montrose Shopping Park merchant associations -- have different levels of need for the money, but in general, it is used for everything from landscaping improvements to advertising the shopping areas.

Rima Shah City Council members on Tuesday will discuss expanding the Adams Square Business Improvement District to include the three businesses that were left out when the district originally formed in the summer. The three businesses that have asked to be included are the Windsor Manor, a religious nonmedical health care institution; the Chevy Chase Baptist Church; and the Adult Community Training Center, a part of Glendale Community College that provides job training and career development.

Ryan Carter Future funding for the city's five merchant districts could get the ax Tuesday if the merchants have not gone far enough to become financially self-sufficient. The Redevelopment Agency is seeking guidance on continuing the annual allotments of $15,000 to merchants in Adams Square in southeast Glendale, downtown Glendale, and Kenneth Village in northwest Glendale, as well as the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. and the Sparr Heights business district, just south of Montrose.

Josh Kleinbaum The Adams Square Merchants Assn. is inching closer to the financial stability it has long sought. Glendale City Council members will consider a resolution declaring the intent to establish a business improvement district, which could guarantee local merchants money for advertising and local events. The business improvement district will require the 50 merchants in the district to each contribute $300 per year, generating $15,000 to be used for the Adams Square community.

Alex Coolman CITY HALL -- Business associations that expect city funding will need to start matching that funding with money from the merchants in their area, the Redevelopment Agency decidedTuesday. The agency's decision means the city's five business associations will need to form self-taxing "business improvement districts" within three years if they want to maintain their city funding. Associations that fail to create the improvement districts will be cut off within five years.

City reviews budgets for Adams Square Merchants Assn. and Montrose Shopping Park Assn.CITY HALL -- An increase in business and a spike in participating merchants in two Glendale business improvement districts has spurred an 8.5% increase in estimated revenues, which the business associations can spend on marketing and civic improvements in 2006. The City Council reviewed and accepted budgets for the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. and the Adams Square Merchants Assn. on Tuesday. The Montrose association received $307,519 in total revenue in 2005 but will receive an estimated $334,000 in 2006.

Tim Willert A pair of merchant groups have moved a step closer to self-sufficiency. A consultant has been selected to help the Downtown Glendale and Adams Square merchants' associations decide if they want to become business-improvement districts and tax business property owners instead of relying on city funds to make improvements and promote events. "We have to go to a business-improvement district if we want to survive," Adams Square President John Cianfrini said Friday.

Ryan Carter The Redevelopment Agency has approved $15,000 for each of the city's five shopping associations for the coming fiscal year. The money, which comes out of a city economic development fund, is an important annual allocation because it helps provide seed money for events and promotions for collective merchant activities, Development Services Director Jeanne Armstrong said. She also said the business districts are a key local draw for surrounding neighborhoods and help preserve the sales-tax base for the city.