Downtown district reviewed

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

SPRINGFIELD Jeff Keck, the new executive director of the Springfield Business Improvement District (BID), sees the downtown district as following a proven formula for success in urban redevelopment.

Keck, who has succeeded out-going director Robert Turin, has had eight years experience at the BID as its operations manager. He has been in charge of the guide program at night, and the cleaning, landscaping and graffiti removal teams during the day.

Because of this experience, Keck told Reminder Publications he has been informed at the street level of the concerns of both the BID members businesses within the BID who pay for the services and the public.

The BID was formed in November of 1998 and was the first in the state of Massachusetts. The member businesses pay fees that fund most of the BID's $800,000 budget. The BID does receive some Community Development Block grant funds, Keck added.

Keck said the formula that has worked in other cities is to address public safety and cleanliness first, then undertake beautification efforts and bring in entertainment and the arts in order to create a magnet for new downtown residents. Once there are more residents, new and expanded retail businesses appear.

Although the BID is cleaner and safer the BID's borders are Gridiron Street to Taylor Street to Chestnut Street to Dwight, Bridge and Main Streets to East Columbus Avenue Keck is concerned about the perception of the district's level of crime.

To speed up response time and to aid police, Keck is now working on giving all of his guides a radio that communicates directly to a police dispatcher. He said the BID in Atlanta, GA, has been using a similar system for the past 16 years and no one in that BID has used "9-1-1" during that time.

With the addition of more police surveillance cameras and the radio system, Keck believes people will feel safer while walking through the district at night.

He noted a redevelopment group aimed at revitalizing Apremont Triangle off of Chestnut Street is considering adding to the downtown camera array and he added he welcomes partners to the BID's efforts.

Keck said the recent Urban Land Institute study of the city indicated there are two demographic groups to which the city should target in its marketing: "Twenty-somethings" and "Empty-nesters."

The successful Stearns Square concerts have attracted those two groups and Keck said the concerts have made Thursday nights the most profitable time of the week for the BID's bars and restaurants.

Keck wants the BID to develop more activities to attract these two groups.

Commenting on Mayor Charles Ryan's concerns the BID has too many clubs and bars and not enough restaurants, Keck said he agreed. He said that Patron's, in the location of the former Caffeine's, is scheduled to open in May. The Alumni Club is moving from Worthington Street to Taylor Street and will feature food as well as drink. Caf Manhattan has a new owner, although Keck did not know what the plans are for the site.

In the place of Spano's on Chestnut Street is a new Thai restaurant, Keck said, and there is going to be a diner located near the intersection of Main and Lyman Streets.

He added the owner of the former Asylum nightclub on Main Street is also considering opening a theme restaurant.

Keck is also investigating having a free WiFi network for the downtown area, which he believes would be an additional draw for new residents.

Although Keck said the BID has taken a "wait and see" stance toward the development of Union Station, the redevelopment of the current Federal Building on Main Street once it is closed is a priority for Keck. He said both Springfield College and American International College are considering the potential of the site for an education center.