CEO UPDATES

In the past few years, certain words have been elevated in our collective vocabularies (e.g. "Pivot", "Hybrid").

If I were to predict the word of the year for 2023, "Activation" would certainly be in the running.

Next week, City Council will be hearing recommendations from the "Downtown Streets as Public Space" (DSaPS) committee, comprised of council members Benjiman and Winer - as well as city staff and frankly, a pretty impressive consulting team. The committee has looked at what opportunities currently exist to utilize downtown streets in innovative ways toward a range of goals, many of which are articulated in the Downtown Vision Plan.

The recommendations of the committee are thoughtful and based on a deep understanding of the complex demands on our downtown streets. The staff report is available here, but I will give you a spoiler many of the recommendations center around activation.

As our community continues to grapple with the issues of safety, especially in our public spaces, there are clearly no easy or even complete solutions. Many will advocate for more aggressive enforcement of laws, even while said laws are continually challenged and often only temporarily effective at best. Others will argue for a more diverse array of services and alternatives for people using our public spaces in an unsustainable and unsafe manner. It seems that both of these approaches are necessary, though each is also incomplete. A third approach to promoting safety, and importantly, a feeling of safety, in our public spaces is activation. Many studies have drawn a decisive link between place activation and safety. Of course on its own activating public spaces can't solve all of our safety issues, but in my experience, it can make the issue smaller.

Last month The BID board held a special study session to discuss the changes in office use downtown. Many great ideas surfaced, but one major theme was that in order to attract people to spend their weekdays downtown, it has to be fun and interesting, and vibrant. You know where this is going. The key to seven-day-a-week vibrancy downtown is more activation.

Activation can take many forms and we are hard at work instigating many forms. Last night our first in a series of Activations for 2023, we hosted an Après Street Festival on the West End. The event was a big success in many measures. Despite a brisk late winter chill, many folks came down to enjoy the offerings of the day which included booths from an array of downtown businesses, hot chocolate and coffee from Ozo and Trident, Ping Pong, cornhole, fire pits with comfy lounge-style seating, bands, a DJ, and of course, a closed street.

Meanwhile, the contender for the World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade brought a great crowd of green-clad celebrants to the East End.

Both of these fun events brought people downtown and contributed to a positive experience for those who participated. Both of these events took resources to make happen. As we explore, advocate for and produce activations in the year ahead, it will be important to continually ask, not only what the activations look like, but why, when, how, and for whom these activations take place. Are we doing activations for the sake of activations, or can we use the limited resources for activations to support some of the downtown's additional goals; public safety, office user return, connectivity, economic vitality, inclusion, and equity? I believe we can if we align resources accordingly.

I look forward to a year of activations and especially using the activations to learn more, connect more, and provide long-term benefits.

Read the Full Report

There's a quote attributed to Abe Lincoln. Something like: "If I had an hour to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first forty-five minutes sharpening the axe." 2022 was a year of sharpening. The work we did together to form the vision plan has given us a strong foundation and clear direction as we now move forward with strategies to implement the vision. In other words, our axe is sharp and it's time to chop some wood.

I look forward to the work ahead as we are already well underway in advancing the goals of this year's work plan. Read on for some highlights.

Read the Full Report

For the better part of 2022, the Downtown Boulder Partnership focused on the past and the future. Looking back over the 45 years of success of the Pearl Street Mall, and an even longer history of Downtown as Boulder's community center, and looking forward to the 50th anniversary, imagining what else downtown might provide for a dynamic city in a changing world.

Now we move into the present. What will we do TODAY?

With gratitude to all who participated in its creation, I am excited to present a 5-year vision plan for downtown Boulder. Each of the Downtown Boards will be asked to endorse the plan this month, and implementation is already underway.

As we begin the new year, we put the plan into action. Many factors, in addition to the vision plan, have informed Downtown Boulder Partnerships 2023 work plan, however, it is the day-to-day work, as outlined in the work plan that will deliver us, one year at a time, one initiative at a time, with every step moving us towards the downtown we have collective visioned for the future.

I am proud of the vision plan -- both the process as well as the product -- and I know that it is not done. The plan itself calls for continued engagement and speaks to the benefit of bringing more of the community into the conversation of how we design and expand downtown. Many of the recommendations in the plan will require additional study, engagement, and planning. One of the centerpieces of the plan is the reimagining of the 1300 block of Pearl Street; the center of the center. We are presented an exciting opportunity to create something extraordinary, that will benefit and support future generations of Boulderites and visitors. This will require collaboration, creativity, and resolve from many stakeholders, and will certainly not happen quickly, but it has begun. and there is a vision to pull us toward greatness.

That is just one example of work that we are beginning today, as part of our 2023 work plan. As board and committee members your continued input and participation will greatly inform the outcomes of the downtown we are building for the future TODAY!

Read the Full Report

photo by Nico Toutenhoofd

Winding Down a Big Year

Stopping-- to keep going!

The home-stretch is where the past and the future are most noticeably intertwined. We are decidedly in the home-stretch of 2022, barreling into the holiday season with a new year in sight.

It has been a big year for the Downtown Boulder Partnership, with a strong and continued recovery. Visitation and spending are returning to - and, in many measures, exceeding - pre-pandemic levels. As an organization, we have been successful in our 2022 goals. The Downtown Ambassador Program has become a fixture in the district, and we continue to look to improve the service we provide. We have worked diligently with our city partners to design and implement an outdoor dining program, we have enjoyed great success in our marketing campaigns and community events and, notably, we have revealed a 5-year vision plan for the downtown, a final draft just days away from completion.

This vision plan, along with many other inputs, will now inspire the work ahead. In 2023, we will build upon the foundation we have laid to improve how we manage public space, expand the success of the commercial center, explore new and exciting programming and activations, and value more partnerships, inclusion, and connections with more communities.

The DBP staff still has a lot of work to get through this year; our holiday events and promotions are coming at a rapid-fire pace. The operations team is getting the lights up and setting the stage for a season of celebration. We are by no means coasting to the finish line-- we are sprinting. I am proud of the work we have done together and excited for the new year. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. We still have this home stretch. It is a time for reflection and a time for planning and, importantly, it's a time for celebration.

I look forward to celebrating with each of you at the Holiday Party on the 30th and at all of our holiday events. We've done great work together this year. Let's give thanks, raise a glass, and enjoy the final lap of 2022.

Read Full Update

This, but more

An Exciting Vision for the Future of Downtown

This month, we are putting the finishing touches on Downtown Boulder's 5-year Vision Plan. Hundreds of people have been involved in the creation of this vision over the course of many months, building from the launch at the joint board meeting in April. The "final" document will be completed later this month, and an overview will be presented at our Fall town hall meeting on October 25th.

I put the word "final" in quotes because the plan really will serve as a launchpad. We have heard quite a bit from our stakeholders and from the community writ large, and we are coming out of this process with many actionable strategies that we will start working on right away. We also understand that there are areas of the plan that we need to go deeper into. We need to hear from communities we haven't, we need to learn more, and we will.

Over the last week, we have received input from city leadership, the vision steering committee, and the public enhancements committee, all of which have greatly informed and shaped the plan. An overview of the plan will be presented at the DBP and DBCI board meetings this month and we look forward to additional feedback.

There is a lot in the plan, but if I were to provide a sneak preview summary, I would say this: Downtown works great. The desire is to lean into the successes of the past and expand and amplify them in the future. The vision plan outlines some great strategies to expand the places, experiences, and opportunities downtown for even more residents, employees, and visitors.

I look forward to sharing with you the plan this month, and even more so, I look forward to moving forward with you on implementing some of the many proposals, building on our great foundation of success.

Full CEO Update

I'm excited to announce to you, after over a year of planning, an artist has been selected and will begin working on a mural project in the pedestrian alley between Pedestrian Shops and the former Arts and Crafts Collective space.

This has been a partnership between Pedestrian Shops, Unico Properties, Streetwise and, Downtown Boulder Community Initiatives. The mural, designed and soon to be executed by Austin Zucchini Fowler will utilize both walls of the alley and even integrate some of the ground. The image above is a rendering of The Pedestrian Shops side entiled: "Going Green".

Austin's proposal states:

As you're walking on Pearl street you will be invited into the alley by a Gaia figure that represents "Going Green". She is painted in blue and green tones and is holding a turbine windmill. Instead of your typical turbines, they have been replaced with flower petals. I wanted to show the beauty of wind energy and its natural connection to the earth.

At the bottom of this email, after the updates, you will find the opposite Wall (Sustainable Connection)

Read More - Vision Plan, West End, News

VISION PLAN UPDATE

The Past, Present, and Future of Downtown Boulder

Chip's Daily Camera Column

Our Vision Plan team has been gathering mountains of input through our joint board meetings, stakeholder surveys, focus groups, and the aggregation of numerous existing reports. There is still a bit of community engagement and outreach ahead but some key themes have begun to emerge. These themes, or "Big Moves" will be tested through intercept activities around town in the coming weeks.

This emerging vision is encapsulated in the idea of Expanding the variety and reach of Downtown:

Expand the variety of places, experiences, and opportunities in Downtown Boulder through innovation, inclusion, and co-creation.

BIG MOVES

Expand and enhance the Pearl Street experience

• Integrate Pearl Street Mall elements (e.g. bricks, planters, play) throughout Downtown

• Flexible/closable streetscape on West End

• Pedestrian-Friendly Streetscape on East End

• Micro-retail & other creative retail opportunities

• 
  

Diversify experiences and opportunities through the co-creation of unique sub-districts

• Affordable food and retail options

• Sub-district identity, placemaking, & branding

• Permanent farmer’s market

• Activate dead facades and parking lot edges

• Enhance signage & wayfinding

Enhance public spaces that foster discovery, collision, and connection

• Public art that is interactive, rotating, functional, & playful

• Updated public restrooms

• Youth activation space and programming

• A spectrum of sensory elements

• Activated alleys, passages, & linkages

Support connections between the creek, hill, and other parts of the city

• Multi-use path improvements

• Gondola

• Off-site parking with shuttle

• 13th Street pedestrian infrastructure

• Enhanced ped/bike crossings on Canyon

Become a model for urban greening and climate resiliency in downtowns

• 
  

• Edible landscapes and urban farming

• Water-wise and pollinator plantings

• Increased shade and tree canopy

• Integrated stormwater infrastructure

• More bike facilities and amenities

Read the full update

In the last couple of months, members of the Downtown Boulder Partnership staff visited five very different cities (New York, Dallas, Austin, Colorado Springs, and Reno) in an ongoing effort to learn lessons from the field to bring back to Downtown Boulder. None of these places are obvious comparable cities to Boulder, and certainly, none have fully “figured it out” in terms of place management best practices. But what is true is that sharing information with peers from downtowns of all sizes and geographies, with all types of contributing factors can usually provide insight to help us do a better job of managing Downtown Boulder.

Collectively the team has brought back a wealth of information about parklets and street repurposing, wayfinding, activating vacant storefronts, public restrooms, homelessness response, experiential retail, economic development, DEI, and so much more. We have already taken steps to implement some initiatives inspired by our education.

The world is changing so rapidly, as are the tools and understanding available to the place management profession. If I were to synthesize the learning from all of our peers to one overarching lesson it is this: There may no longer be “best” practices. Instead, our downtowns exist in a dynamic and complex world that requires continuous experimentation with lots of input and good data to measure impacts.

Some of the information we bring back from other downtowns simply does not apply to Boulder. Some of it does. Best practices in another city, from last year, may not be what we need in Boulder today, but continually finding the nuggets of inspiration always helps us towards “better practices” in everything we do. I look forward to sharing some of what we are learning in the coming weeks.

Chip

Read full report

I imagine we have all read dozens of books on leadership.

Leadership is vital to the work of the Downtown Boulder Partnership. Our staff, our Boards, and our constituents are all leaders, and together we have earned Downtown Boulder the reputation of being a leader among downtown districts.

You've probably heard the quote about how Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did, but she did it backward and in high heels. In order to be successful, we need to be just as good at following as we are at leading, if not better. That takes form in a few different ways.

A couple of weeks ago, our own Terri Takata Smith spent a week in New York as part of the International Downtown Association's Emerging Leadership Fellows (ELF) cohort. As part of this leadership development program, Terri has been taking in volumes of information about best practices and innovative programs. By following the lead of other district management professionals, she has been able to strengthen her own leadership and the leadership of our organization.

Similarly, Chris Zachariasse and Brandon Lowe from our operations leadership spent a few days in Texas at a conference presented by our clean and safe service provider, Block by Block, following leaders in all things operations. You know the fun stuff like public bathrooms and homelessness response.

Meanwhile, as the community wrestles over possible outcomes for the West End of Pearl Street, DBP is following both the stated needs of the businesses most impacted and input from experts.

In the weeks ahead, we will be gathering lots of information from our community. Working with MIG and in partnership with the City of Boulder, we have already begun to embark on revealing a 5-year Vision Plan for Downtown. An important part of this process will be following and listening. We must ask the right questions of our stakeholders, our community, and, as best as we can, those outsiders who should be part of downtown but for whatever reason aren't yet..

It's through following the lead of our community that we will find our strength as an organization to provide thoughtful leadership.

I look forward to all that will follow!

Chip

Read Full report

Vision Plan: Officially Launched!

Thank you to everyone who was able to participate on Wednesday at our Vision Plan Launch event. I now have an office full of note cards, flipchart pads, and a really big sheet of butcher paper with lots of exciting ideas. This all gives us a great foundation to build on, to gather more information and ideas from stakeholders and community members in the months ahead.

Some notes and videos of the "report out" section of the meeting can be found here.

Downtown Vision Plan Launch report out

We still have some analyzing to do and will pull together some key themes and questions.

As an aside, the record for the largest dining table is about 3000 meters (almost 10,000 ft) with over 7000 people in Cairo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXv05ysxXKs

Support Downtown, Eat Sushi!



Wednesday, April 27th -- Hapa Sushi is donating 20% of takeout orders to Downtown Boulder Community Initiatives! Take a night off from cooking and join us in eating for a great cause. Hapa Sushi accepts Dine-In & Takeout orders made in-store/by phone mentioning Downtown Boulder Community Initiatives. You can RSVP & see all details here: https://grouprai.se/s225186 #groupraise #hapasushi #downtownbouldercommunityinitiatives #savethedate

UPCOMING MEETING INFO & SAVE THE DATES

Please mark your calendars for the following (current dates on the board calendar). Some of Downtown Boulder's boards and committees are returning to in-person meetings. Reach out to Chip if you need dial-in accommodations for any meetings that aren't virtual.

Welcome Kat!

Some of you got to meet Katherine "Kat" Shanahan at our Joint Board meeting this week.

We are so excited to welcome Kat to the team. Kat will be managing our Membership Program for Downtown Boulder Partnership, as well as providing administrative support for all of the boards, so you will meet her soon if you haven't already.

Growing Roots

There is a natural biochemical process that is currently occurring downtown. Tulip bulbs that were planted in the fall have broken down stores of starches into glucose. The glucose helps the bulb withstand these colder temperatures and will provide the primary energy source used by the bulb to bloom when the temperature rises in the spring.

I'm hanging onto this metaphor as we work together to get through this actual and figurative winter. We continue to navigate new challenges brought on by COVID and the reduction of people downtown, the devastating tragedies that so many of our neighbors have faced in the last year, but there is a lot of work happening in the soil, turning our proverbial starches into sugars and preparing for the spring flowers.

Thank you all for the great work you continue to do and the support you offer as every day we get a little closer to blooming.

Here are some highlights from Downtown Boulder Partnership.

Town Hall Meeting - February 8th, 8:00 am - 9:30 am

This coming Tuesday morning, we will be hosting a virtual Town Hall meeting with important updates on Public Safety, Parking, Outdoor Dining, COVID updates, and more. RSVP Here

Annual Awards Lunch - April 1st, 11:30 am - 1:30 am

The Downtown Boulder Partnership's 2022 Annual Award winners have been announced and tickets for the April 1st in-person Luncheon are now on sale. Congratulations to the remarkable community leaders who were selected as this year's recipients. In addition to honoring the award winners, we are extremely excited to welcome CU Chancellor, Phil DiStefano as our special guest and keynote speaker. Read More

Chip

02.24.20

Hello All,

Please read on for updates about some of the things we are currently working on. 

I have often spoke about the role of downtown management organizations, like the Downtown Boulder Partnership, in nurturing the relationship between private and public interests. What makes downtowns successful is the integration of public space and private space, between public interest and private interest. One cannot effectively exist without the other. It is our job to manage the important tension between the realms.

An important tool in that effort is that of partnerships. Bringing together community groups, non-profits, and others in our community to share in all facets of the downtown experience strengthens our role as advocates and heightens our district’s standing in the community. I am excited about a number of the partnerships we are currently working on.

• BIFF - As you know, we have expanded our partnership with the film festival. They are hosting their box office at our Visitor Information Center. The box office is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 12pm-6pm. Stop by and grab your tickets!

• Bridge House - We are in conversations with the Ready to Work team to enhance our operations team’s efforts of keeping downtown clean. We are looking to introduce a pilot program working with a half dozen or more Ready To Work team members on special projects.

• EcoCycle - We are in conversations about partnering on a pilot poly-bag recycling program for downtown retailers. There is currently no means to recycle poly-bags in Boulder.

• CU Boulder Leadership Program - Our pilot mentorship program is underway and the students are working with their assigned mentors. This is a great step in strengthening our tactical partnership with CU.

Additionally, we have many ongoing partnerships with the City’s Community Vitality Department, Parks and Rec., Boulder Police Department and more. We are engaged and exploring partnerships with the Boulder Chamber, the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau, Boulder Arts Week, Attention Homes, World Singing Day, and many more.

All of these partnerships expand our community and grow support for Downtown Boulder in significant ways.

Downtown and Homelessness in Boulder

In response to a number of reported incidents downtown involving unsafe behavior from people coming into stores and threatening employees, the Downtown Boulder Partnership scheduled a meeting with representatives from Boulder Police Department to provide information on how employees should respond to troublesome situations. We also invited representatives from the Bridge House, Boulder Shelter and Attention Homes, as well as city council.

Notice of the business meeting, which was sent to our business list, was posted by someone on Nextdoor, where it was promoted as a public meeting about homelessness. We learned the day before the event that someone, outside of our organization, had invited members of the press to cover the meeting.

Understanding that excluding anyone from the meeting would not be a good idea, and that not addressing the issue of homelessness in some measure would also not be acceptable, we restructured the meeting to accommodate.

Mayor Pro Temp Yates presented an update as to the city’s current efforts and programs regarding homelessness, as well as illuminating some of the legal restraints that local municipalities face.

Acting Police Chief Weinheimer provided a wealth of information about statistics, PD's efforts, staffing and constraints.

The meeting was challenging. Residents and businesses alike are feeling frustrated, afraid and frankly not overly hopeful about how we as a community are currently addressing the complex issues around homelessness. And of course, no one is able to provide comprehensive answers.

Homelessness affects everyone in our community, and many of the aspects of homelessness have a direct affect on our downtown businesses and the downtown district. The Downtown Boulder Partnership must play a leadership role, advocating for solutions that are prompt, compassionate and effective. We must be advocates for our businesses, and for the public space in downtown and around Boulder. I am aware of no community that can honestly say it has solved this issue, however many have employed programs and initiatives that have led to some successes. There is much we can do, and there is much we must do.

The conversation was put upon us by members of the community who are feeling angry and demanding that action be taken. It will not be in our best interest to be backed into this conversation in the future. We must work with our businesses, with enforcement, with service providers and with city leadership to lead the conversation and work towards ongoing management and effective solutions.

I welcome any thoughts that you have on this matter.

SAVE THE DATE - March 16th Inclusivity Training with Dr. Nita Mosby-Tyler

We are excited to be partnering with the Boulder Chamber to host a training with Dr. Mosby-Tyler from 3:00-5:00 pm on March 16th, at the Boulder Chamber Offices, Pearl St and Folsom.

The general focus will be on inclusivity, along with definitions of key terms including diversity, inclusivity, equity and equality. There will be both lecture and small group opportunities. The small group work be within an organization, and some cross organization so that we get a chance to have more of a community dialog and learn from each other.

This workshop is being specifically designed for the boards and staff of the Downtown Boulder Partnership and the Boulder Chamber.

Dr. Mosby-Tyler is an extraordinary educator, and I strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. We will be sending invites out soon.

As always, thank you for all that you do.

Chip

01.15.20

Hello all,

You were given a brief introduction to the Board Portal at the various board meetings over the last week.

Here you will find board rosters, meeting agendas, financial reports and a range of information that will support you in your role as a board member. Please let us know if you have any difficulties accessing any part of the portal. We are doing our best to work the bugs out so that you have access to everything you need.

I recommend bookmarking the site for easy access:

Awards Luncheon

Join us at Downtown Boulder Partnership's Annual Luncheon as we recognize and celebrate the downtown business owners who contribute to the economic vitality of the district through hard work and community service with our annual awards. 

• And the winners are...

• Business of the Year - Pedestrian Shops

• The Rising Star Award - Rosetta Hall

• The Non-Profit of the Year Award - Attention Homes

• The George Karakehian Community Service Award - The City of Boulder Police Department's Homeless Outreach Team

• The Ron Porter Achievement Award - Sean Maher

This event will sell out so please don't delay in purchasing your ticket today!

Policy Letter to City Council

Below is the text of the letter sent to city council in advance of their upcoming retreat outlining the policy priorities of the Downtown Boulder Partnership.

As always, thank you for all that you do.

Chip

DOWNTOWN BOULDER PARTNERSHIP - 2020 INPUT ON CITY COUNCIL GOALS 

Downtown Boulder remains the social, cultural and economic center of Boulder. Much of the identity of this great city is derived from the illustrious Pearl Street Mall and the surrounding area. Thanks, in no small part, to a well established relationship between the Downtown Boulder Partnership, City Council and staff, our downtown is a national model of success and a strong source of pride among residents. 

That success, however, is threatened, as many of the small independent businesses, upon which our culture and identity are built, face increased fees and taxes, growing competition and in many cases inhibiting regulatory process. Small businesses and downtown districts nationwide are facing unprecedented changes and challenges. It will be vital for the sustained success of Downtown Boulder that local policies are crafted to support rather than hinder our commercial centers citywide. 

As you map your priorities for 2020, we ask that you please consider the following values to support the vibrancy of our downtown and of all of Boulder.

Always Consider Policy Impacts on Small Local Businesses. As you consider new policies, new funding mechanisms and priorities, be diligent and thorough in studying and understanding the potential impacts to small local businesses in Boulder. Consumer fees, minimum wage structures, head tax, planning processes, zoning regulations, and development fees, all impact local business. We ask that the city take advantage of the Downtown Boulder Partnership, the Boulder Chamber and the Small Business Development Center to understand the benefits and the consequences, intended or not, before implementing new regulatory policies or fees.

Support Innovative Transportation and Access Pilots. Downtown must be accessible for a range of transportation modalities. We commend the city's Community Vitality department’s efforts to increase garage usage among the evening workforce with the 3pm to 3am for $3 parking program and we encourage continued and increased innovation. Successful programs like the Door to Downtown (D2D) pilot should be continued and expanded upon. We must work together to create efficiencies for ride share use, integrating shared micro mobility and supporting enhanced public transit options while not detracting from our visitors’ ability to find and access appropriate parking options.

Support City-Wide Transportation Linkages and Connections. We enthusiastically encourage development opportunities around the city such as the proposed Alpine-Balsam project, the CU Conference Center, Hill Hotel and Boulder Junction. We ask that the Council focus on creating strong and meaningful connections between these emerging projects. We are excited to play an active role in re-imagining the East Bookend. As the city invests in each of these commercial centers, we anticipate and expect to be active partners in the conversation as we plan for a connected city.

Earnestly Address Homelessness and Related Issues. We understand the complexities around the causes and challenges, as well as the constraints regarding addressing homelessness. We also feel the urgency in developing new initiatives that support and connect individuals experiencing homelessness while maintaining the integrity of our city’s public space and commercial districts. Please consider the Downtown Boulder Partnership your partner in this work. Homelessness affects everyone in our community and we are dedicated to continue supporting effective, evidence based and innovative solutions. 

Support Boulder’s Visitor Economy. As was amplified in the 2019 Resident Perception Survey, it is widely held that our community derives great benefit from our visitors. Nowhere is that more the case than in our downtown. Supporting and managing the impacts of our visitors, as well as the events and attractions that bring their dollars to Boulder, is an investment that has a direct return like no other city investment. We encourage continued Council support. 

New Year Update

12.30.19

Hello and Happy New Year to each of you. 

It's a new day, a new year, a new decade and new chapter for Downtown Boulder and the Downtown Boulder Partnership. As the final hours of the twenty teens slip by, and we roar into the twenties, I am reminded of how Downtown has changed and how the very role of Downtown Business Districts evolved to meet new challenges and new opportunities. 

In 2010, we were very much recovering from a recession, many of our phones still flipped, we didn't know what an emoji, an Uber or a selfie was, and to find Google in Boulder you would have needed to search on Yahoo. Another significant change over the past decade is the increased role of Business Districts to provide vision, resources, and solutions to today's challenges. In addition to managing the built environment, the visitor experience and the public perception of our district, there is a growing necessity for the Downtown Boulder Partnership to play a leadership role in equity and inclusivity, to be at the forefront of climate adaptation, sustainability and energy policy, to be nimble and bold with transportation and access solutions. In the decade ahead we will face issues that we can't yet imagine. 

Fortunately, the Downtown Boulder Partnership is poised to successfully face these challenges and more. We have a solid and thoughtful organizational structure that provides a solid and dedicated funding mechanism, a strong advocacy structure and a charitable arm with tremendous potential. Additionally and importantly, we have a tremendous wealth of knowledge, experience and perspective among our boards, committees and staff. I look forward to forging ahead into a new year, a new decade and a new chapter in Downtown Boulder. Working together today's challenges are nothing but tomorrow's opportunities. It is a pleasure to work with all of you. 

Happy New Year

Chip