by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Downtown Vision Inc. was formed in 2000 when Downtown property owners agreed to pay an additional annual ad valorem tax assessment to fund an organization dedicated to improving Jacksonville’s urban core.
According to the organization’s 2009 Annual Report, 77 percent of DVI’s $1.3 million annual budget comes from property taxes, 19 percent comes from the City of Jacksonville and 4 percent comes from sources such as sponsorships and interest income.
Within a 90-block area bounded by Church Street on the north, Market Street on the east, Prudential Drive on the south and Broad Street on the west, DVI provides a range of services to Downtown property owners, people who work and live Downtown and visitors.
With their bright orange clothes and pith helmets, the Downtown Ambassadors are the most visible aspect of DVI, but what else is going on behind the window murals at Hogan and Adams streets?
“We do things that need to be done that nobody else is doing,” said Terry Lorince, who has been the organization’s executive director since its inception.
The original mission, she said, was focused on making Downtown clean and safe and marketing the neighborhood to developers.
“From 2001 to 2006 when the market was strong, we (Downtown) had $3 billion in projects proposed. In the boom years, we had 10 or 15 developers a week looking to buy buildings coming to us with questions. Half of my job was giving them tours,” she said.
With the economic downturn, development has come to a standstill Downtown and DVI’s mission has changed along with the times.
“Today, our effort is to focus on events and help keep the businesses that are here,” said Lorince.
In addition to the monthly First Wednesday Art Walk, DVI also produces annual events including “Eat Up Downtown,” a two-week restaurant promotion, the Downtown Church Tour on a Saturday in December and “Movies in the Park,” which will present free family films on five Friday evenings in April and May this year.
Director of Marketing Pamela Elms joined DVI four years ago. She said in addition to helping create events, a big part of her job is to assist other groups’ efforts.
“Early on, I realized we don’t have the capacity to fully promote every event someone wants to do Downtown. We educate people and groups about how to promote themselves. Sometimes, it’s purely consulting,” she said.
Part of that assistance is a collection of templates for news releases that individuals or groups can adapt to their events.
“We help people help themselves. It’s a way to multiply what we do. We’re always looking for low-cost, low-labor efforts that can replace traditional marketing,” said Elms.
Making Downtown clean, safe and more attractive remains part of DVI’s mission. Director of District Services Amy Harrell is also a 10-year veteran of the organization. She works with property owners to resolve concerns and is DVI’s liaison with Service Group Inc., the contractor that took over the Ambassadors program a year ago.
The Ambassadors take care of landscaping tree beds, maintaining the flower baskets in the “Beautiful Streets” program and sidewalk cleaning, as well as guest services such as giving directions and reporting maintenance and safety issues that are the City’s responsibility.
Harrell said 10 years ago, the City performed much of the street-level maintenance, “but a lot of that has been eliminated.”
“A lot of my job is helping stakeholders find out where to get things done and advocating on their behalf to get issues resolved,” she said.
Lorince said DVI is working on the “next evolution” of the “Off the Grid” program that matches previously empty spaces with artists looking for galleries and working studios.
A lot of time also is being spent on communicating with the candidates in next Tuesday’s election for mayor and City Council.
“We want to make sure the new City leaders and lawmakers understand the issues facing Downtown,” she said.
To learn more about DVI’s services, visit www.downtownjacksonville.org.
356-2466