Retail Environment

In 2006, the JEDC advertised a Request for Proposals (RFP) for conducting an analysis and plan for creating, attracting and sustaining a vibrant retail environment in downtown. Robert Charles Lesser Company, LLC is the chosen consultant and they are working with JEDC staff along with the JEDC Retail Task Force, which is chaired by Ben Carter and made up of nine other Downtown stakeholders.

SCOPE OF WORK

The consultant team will address:

Research that is inclusive of the entire study area;
Research that reviews and analyzes the recent development of housing in the designated area, the current status of the market and will evaluate and offer insight on how proposed projects may perform based on current conditions;
Provide an inventory of existing retail and entertainment venues;
Conduct market analysis on attracting and retaining national retailers, department stores and independent retailers;
Identify potential sites for a retail market segment to include: grocery, pharmacy, clothing;
Provide projected retail absorption rate for market area by retail market segment;
Identify strengths and weaknesses in the designated area's current retail environment;
Provide analysis on how much retail could be developed and at what cost;
Provide estimated tax revenues generated by additional retail establishments;
Describe retail employment opportunities such as jobs (entertainment, sales) and levels of expected wages for those jobs;
Research consumer experience in the designated area within different sub-markets and sub-areas;
Recommend possible area locations for market specific products to be pursued;
Identify voids and opportunities in the marketplace that will directly affect local retailers and national chains;
Identify elements that may now or in the future support or constrain the goals of the retail strategy;
Outline public and private investment strategies to reinforce project goals and objectives including any projected public incentives that maybe necessary.

The JEDC expects to have a completed study by early Spring 2007 that will provide a solid foundation for how the JEDC will approach growing retail in the downtown area for the upcoming years. Contact Lindsey Ballas, 904-630-2940 or lballas@coj.net for more information.