Business Attraction Committee

I have been asked by the president of the Spruce Hill Community Association to form and implement a Business Attraction Committee, which I will be doing later this summer.  Residents and businesses alike benefit from thriving pockets of retail in a neighborhood, whether it is having food and shopping options within walking distance, or having those options lend a positive aesthetic and social flavor to our blocks.  And residents and businesses alike deserve to have a voice in what they do and do not want to see on those blocks. 

It may morph into something else, but at its heart I see this committee fulfilling three functions.  One, we will figure out regular and multiple ways for folks to chime in on their preferences.  Two, we will be a place (not necessarily the only place, but a place) that developers, property owners, and retailers can come to ask the question, “What does the neighborhood think?”  Three, we will aim to coordinate our role in the first two things with others that are thinking on the same things, like other civic associations, business groups, and neighborhood-serving institutions. 

That’s all I have for now, so I’m open to how this thing evolves over time.  If you’re interested in getting involved, leave me a message in the comments and I’ll be sure to include you in our first meeting later this month.