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Downtown Reno Partnership Year Five
Dear Downtown Stakeholders,
Looking back on our fifth year as a Business Improvement District (BID) from July 2022 to June 2023, the Downtown Reno Partnership (DRP) takes immense pride in our accomplishments. With an expanded focus on transforming Downtown Reno into a safe, clean, and thriving destination, we have introduced new equipment, events, and initiatives that have significantly increased the value for our stakeholders.
Our dedicated Ambassador team has been instrumental in maintaining the safety and cleanliness of the BID. Their unwavering commitment resulted in nearly 42,000 stakeholder check-ins, collecting over 19,000 pounds of trash, completing 1,433 pressure washes, and more than 1,000 social services referrals such as shelters, detox facilities, clothing, and housing. Their positive impact in Downtown is undeniable, and we wholeheartedly appreciate their tireless efforts. We are overjoyed to see the continuous praise they receive from our stakeholders and visitors alike.
To further enhance our operations throughout the 110 blocks of the BID, the team has acquired three new pieces of equipment. Thanks to the generous funding from the City of Reno, we have added a dedicated truck that facilitates transportation for individuals seeking services and assists in removing debris from abandoned encampments. Additionally, a state-of-the-art sidewalk sweeper/scrubber is now deployed daily on Virginia and Sierra Streets, and a T3 mobile unit named MARV (Mobile Ambassador Rapid Response Vehicle) is now at the Ambassador’s disposal thanks to funding from Washoe County, ensuring an extra level of cleanliness and maintenance.
During the year, we elevated our partnership with the City of Reno by implementing daily walks with City personnel to address and correct real-time issues. From removing graffiti and collecting trash to interacting with individuals needing services or requesting maintenance issues requiring attention, these walks have proven to positively and immediately impact our mission’s safe and clean element. Additionally, The DRP team documented a 50% reduction in nuisance calls to the Reno Police Department. We have also played a vital role in decreasing the number of unsheltered homeless individuals on the streets by an impressive 58% since the opening of the
Cares Campus. These statistics highlight our efforts’ positive impact on the shared vision for downtown revitalization.
The dynamic DRP team has successfully transformed a once-neglected space into a vibrant hub with a series of captivating events known as Downtown Tuesdays. This initiative aimed to draw in residents, locals, and visitors to the area, igniting a renewed sense of community spirit. Partnership Plaza, the epicenter of these free community events, exuded an inviting atmosphere enriched with live music, food, drinks, enticing vendors, and engaging games. All these attractions are nestled amidst a lush, tree-covered landscape. Taking inspiration from successful endeavors in other cities, the DRP team further pushed the boundaries of rejuvenation by launching the “Vacant Storefront Beautification Program” and the groundbreaking “Blue Carpet Treatment” program. These innovative endeavors welcome new businesses and highlight our commitment to fostering a flourishing business environment and removing blight.
In the realm of Economic Development, the Downtown Reno Partnership (DRP) has established itself as a crucial partner in shaping the trajectory of Downtown. Through a thorough analysis of the Truckee River Path’s relation to Downtown, we identified a pressing need for a significant transformation. In collaboration with the esteemed consultants at Dig Studio, we worked to generate conceptual renderings that envision an elevated river path experience, delivering a remarkable makeover that will captivate visitors.
In close coordination with the City of Reno Revitalization Department, we actively identify vital opportunities, strategies, and priorities that will unlock the true potential of downtown properties, ensuring their long-term success.
As we progress, the Downtown Reno Partnership is proud to be at the forefront of the city’s revitalization journey. Together with our stakeholders and community members, we will continue to shape Downtown’s future, making it a vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous destination for all.
Sincerely,
Neoma Jardon & Chris Shanks
Partnerships With The Partnership
Partners
- National Automobile Museum
- Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation
- Nevada Small Business Development Center
- Northern Nevada Hopes
- Pacific Development
- REMSA Health
- Reno Aces / Greater Nevada Field
- Reno Brewery District
- Reno Fire Department
- Reno Housing Authority
- Reno Police Department
- Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitor Authority
- National Automobile Museum
- Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation
- Nevada Small Business Development Center
- Northern Nevada Hopes
- Pacific Development
- REMSA Health
- Reno Aces / Greater Nevada Field
- Reno Brewery District
- Reno Fire Department
- Reno Housing Authority
- Reno Police Department
- Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitor Authority
Ambassador Program
Daily City Walks – A Piece to Ensuring a Safe and Clean City Core
Since October, the Ambassadors and DRP team have been actively involved, in collaboration with the City of Reno, in conducting patrols across various zones within the BID. These daily walks involve the DRP team, Ambassadors, and several city departments, including City Management, Code Enforcement, Public Works, Clean and Safe, and more. The objective of these patrols is to ensure prompt resolution of any issues and provide necessary assistance to those needing services. In addition, the team picks up trash, takes note of any graffiti to remove, and records any code enforcement issues, among other things.
Ambassador Roscoe Earns REMA Recognition
Ambassador Roscoe was alerted about an unconscious community member. Roscoe’s first-aid training kicked in, and he recognized this as a likely drug overdose. He dialed 911 and administered Naloxone. Crews arrived and were able to assess the situation further and provide care. There’s no doubt that Roscoe’s quick-thinking, fast-acting, and willingness to intervene during a medical emergency made the difference for that individual. REMSA recognized Roscoe for his efforts and presented him with a Community Caregiver award.
Ambassadors Proud to Support Downtown Events
The Ambassadors take pride in the Downtown area daily and during the many special events and parades that take place throughout the year. The team always enjoys providing extra support and presence at these events, ensuring the area is safe and clean while interacting with visitors and those attending the events. The Ambassador team has provided support at the Women’s March, Veteran’s Day Parade, the USBC Bowling Championships, Reno Aces games, BBQ, Blues and Brews Festival, Wing Fest, Hot August Nights,the Italian Festival, and many more.
New Pieces of Equipment Allow
Ambassadors to Elevate their Efforts
The team added Scrubs, a sidewalk sweeper scrubber on loan from the City of Reno. Our Ambassadors run Scrubs daily up and down Virginia Street and Sierra Street.
The team also uses MARV daily. MARV, our mobile ambassador rapid response vehicle, is a three-wheeled unit with a trash picker and can, a first aid kit, Narcan, and an AED. MARV was secured thanks to funding from Washoe County.
Thanks to funds from the City of Reno, the Ambassador team secured a second transport vehicle. The truck allows for an additional way to transport people to services and the new option to haul away debris from encampments or collect shopping carts.
Ambassadors By The Numbers
The Downtown Reno Partnership ambassadors were trained by Reno Police, Northern Nevada HOPES, The Life Change Center, Advantage CPR Instruction and toured numerous service organizations in downtown. They use this training to keep downtown safer by approaching everyone with kindness and administering CPR or Narcan in life-threatening situations. They keep downtown cleaner by alerting City of Reno Public Works and Code Enforcement to problem areas that need immediate attention. They track those interactions as they happen.
Stakeholder Check-Ins
990
+
Bags of Trash Collected
1000
+
Hotline Calls Taken
0
+
Stakeholder Check-Ins
990
+
Pounds of Trash Removed
1000
+
Hotline Calls Taken
0
+
Social Service Referrals
0
Pressure Washes Completed
0
Social Service Referrals
0
Van Rides to Services/Shelters
0
+
Van Rides to Services/Shelters
0
+
Shopping Carts Recovered
0
Syringes Removed
0
Pieces of Graffiti Removed
0
Pressure Washes Completed
0
Shopping Carts Recovered
0
Feces, Urine & Syringes Removed
0
Pieces of Graffiti Removed
0
Downtown Engagement
Vacant Storefront Beautification Program
A proven method in other cities to help secure new tenants of vacant properties, the DRP launched the Vacant Storefront Beautification Program and completed its first two murals on the former Horseshoe and Little Nugget locations on Virginia Street. Painted by local artist Iain Harrison, he incorporated pieces of the location’s history into this artwork while installing a light element to help further create a sense of vibrancy and draw attention to these locations.
First-time Event, Downtown Tuesdays, Proves Popular and Activates Previously Blighted Space in the Heart of Downtown Reno
The Downtown Reno Partnership created Downtown Tuesdays to engage the residents, community, and visitors and to activate a previously underutilized space in Downtown Reno – Partnership Plaza at 40 E 4th Street (the former RTC bus station.) Held the second Tuesday of each month from May until September, Downtown Tuesdays was a free event that featured live music, food and drinks, shopping vendors, and yard games. The plaza has been secured and cleaned up, with new landscaping installed along with up lighting on the 40+ trees that adorn the plaza.
Blue Carpet Treatment Celebrates New Businesses in Downtown Reno
The Downtown Reno Partnership created the Blue Carpet Treatment, a special way to celebrate new businesses or businesses celebrating a milestone downtown. The DRP and Ambassadors roll out a blue carpet and stanchions for new businesses and invite representatives from the City of Reno, EDAWN, the Lt. Governor’s Office, and the Office of Small Business Administration to celebrate. The DRP has held Blue Carpet Treatments for Marcolino’s Italia, Bridgepointe Technologies, and Vistro.
Marketing & Media
DRP Grows its Social Media Presence
The DRP has actively been working to create and share engaging social media content. Whether it’s sharing DRP-hosted events, the work our Ambassador team does on a 24/7 basis to keep our BID safe and clean or other fun and exciting events taking place downtown, our social channels give followers a great glimpse into all that happens in Downtown Reno.
DRP Offices Re-Branded Partnership Plaza
In an effort to connect with the community and beautify the plaza, the Downtown Reno Partnership has branded its plaza Partnership Plaza. The DRP team secured the plaza, planted landscaping with nearly 1,000 plants on the plaza, installed uplighting on the 40+ trees, added signage, and has a local artist paint seasonal murals on the pavilion.
DRP Partners With the RSCVA to Promote Local Businesses to Bowlers
The 2023 USBC Open Bowling Championships came to Reno in March for its four-month stay at the National Bowling Stadium in Downtown Reno. As a special treat for all participants, the DRP partnered with the RSCVA to create a coupon book for all participants to enjoy exclusive access to the ‘Reno Discovery Guide.’ This guide provides exclusive discounts to over 30 businesses in Downtown Reno.
Let it Glow, Reno!
The DRP partnered with Pineapple Pedicabs to create Let it Glow, Reno, a free, fun, and friendly light competition between several districts in Reno, including Downtown, Brewery, Midtown, Riverwalk, and Wells. Businesses in those locations hosted parties to celebrate and offered deals to customers as part of the festivities. And the public voted for their favorite light displays.
Marketing By The Numbers
Media Mentions
0
Publicity Value
0
Audience
0
Media Mentions
0
Publicity Value
$
0
Email Subscribers
0
Economic Development
Mission:
Continue to transform downtown into a more vibrant community that is economically diverse, equitable, inclusive, sustainable, dynamic, beautiful, and resilient.
Our mission within economic development aligns with the values of our organization to help build a downtown that has something for everyone. We have identified the core competencies of our department to include three goal areas as our core categories.
Goals:
Data & Information – Collect it, manage it, analyze it, be a strong resource for it.
Community Organizing – Facilitate meetings, make connections, collaborate, and be available.
Main Street – Be involved, support entrepreneurship, small business, beautification, placemaking, and activitation.
In our fourth year of fostering economic development in Downtown Reno, we’ve solidified our position as the leading authority on downtown data and information. We’ve also spearheaded initiatives to enhance activation and aesthetics while maintaining unwavering support for downtown businesses.
Leveraging data for measurement and reporting across various downtown areas empowers us to diligently monitor evolving metrics and indicators. To propel these metrics forward, our efforts now encompass placemaking, programming, beautification, and activation as we tirelessly work to enhance and enrich our downtown environment.
We sustained our commitment to the Truckee River Path 1 Mile Makeover initiative, actively seeking grants and securing support from numerous regional stakeholders and partners. Our partnership with Nevada Main Street has additionally garnered support from the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation for planning, outreach, and coordinating river path enhancements across diverse groups and agencies.
To strengthen our ties with the University of Nevada, Reno, we maintained our advocacy for the cleanup and beautification of the Walgreens parking lot. This transformation aims to create a safe and inviting route for students crossing Interstate 80. The dedicated efforts of City of Reno staff have set the stage for promising future property enhancements.
In addition to utilizing foot traffic data to assess event impact, patterns, and trends, we fulfilled data report requests from property owners, businesses, and brokers. They utilized this data to discover new opportunities and gain valuable insights into their prospective customers.
Throughout the City of Reno-funded Virginia Street Placemaking Study, our organization played a pivotal role in collaboration with the consultant, Gehl. We supplied initial data, survey results, contacts, and knowledge to facilitate a pre-assessment, which enabled a smoother transition into their information gathering and outreach efforts.
The Downtown Reno Partnership’s economic development endeavors remain a driving force for transformation. Our commitment to fostering vibrancy, collaborating with property owners and businesses, serving as the foremost authority on downtown data, and maintaining an ongoing dialogue with stakeholders and regional partners all contribute to our vision of creating an urban environment in which people truly love to live, work, and play.
By The Numbers
Number of Housing Units
0
in Total Property Sales From Year 22/23
$
10000
Total Businesses in Downtown
0
Workers in Downtown
0
Development Activity
COVID-19 Recovery: Returned to Work
Tracking employee visits is crucial for gauging downtown recovery post-pandemic. Reno’s exceptional performance, shown in our data, reflects minimal disruption to local office space demand due to the work-from-home trend. National economic factors, rather than local conditions, have primarily constrained expansion.
Employee Visits
Employee Visits Trend
Downtown Reno’s employee visits for the recent fiscal year, are at 90% of pre-pandemic levels, with June 2023 down only 8.8% from June 2019, which shows a remarkable recovery compared to other urban areas. This positive trend demonstrates our strength as an emerging vibrant city center.
Staff
Neoma Jardon
Executive Director
Chris Reardon
Operations Manager (Ambassadors)
Brian Bosma
Marketing Manager
Kristen Saibini
Strategic Operations Manager
Nathan Digangi
Economic Development Manager
2022-2023 Budget
The overall budget for 2022-23: $3.2 million
$1.37 million of that paid for 25 ambassadors, their manager and equipment.
$810,000 paid for supplemental Reno Police officers.
$632,000 paid for staff, operations, economic development, and marketing programs.
$403,000 paid for the City of Reno staff who performed additional maintenance and cleaning throughout the district and for improvements along Virginia Street.
$35,000 paid for premium services for beautification and improvements on Virginia Street.
The overall budget for 2022-23: $3.2 million
$1.37 million of that paid for 25 ambassadors, their manager and equipment.
$810,000 paid for supplemental Reno Police officers.
$632,000 paid for staff, operations, economic development, and marketing programs.
$403,000 paid for the City of Reno staff who performed additional maintenance and cleaning throughout the district and for improvements along Virginia Street.
$35,000 paid for premium services for beautification and improvements on Virginia Street.
Board Members
Board Chair Chris Shanks
Dickson Commercial Realtor, owner of The Depot Craft Brewery-Distillery and Louis Basque Corner
Vice Chair Tony Marini
Vice President of Casino Operations, Community Relations, Midway & Caesars Sports Book
Secretary Jim Gallaway
Resident of the Palladio Condominium Tower
Treasurer Mike Rossman
Director of Development,
Reno Basin Street Properties
Past Chair Par Tolles
President of Tolles Development Company
Jonathan Boulware
Vice President of Nevada Operations at Jacobs Entertainment
Daniel Brown
Acquisition Director at CAI Investments
Jeff Siri
President and CEO of Club Cal Neva
Sharon Chamberlain
CEO of Northern Nevada HOPES
Tiffany Coury
CEO of Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center
Mark Reece
Director of Business Development, Marketing and Communications at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center
Eric Edelstein
President at Reno Aces Baseball
Chris Phillips
GM / Chief Operations Officer at Reno Aces Baseball
Britton Griffith
Vice President of Reno Engineering & President of the Riverwalk District
Courtney Meredith
Co-Owner of Design on Edge, Marketing Director of the Reno Riverwalk District
Alexis Hill
Washoe County Commissioner
Mariluz Garcia
Washoe County Commissioner
Neoma Jardon
Reno City Council Member
Kathleen Taylor
Reno City Council Member
Eric Lerude
Downtown Reno resident at The Montage
Troy Miller
Assistant Vice President of Community and Real Estate at the University of Nevada, Reno
Steve Polikalas
Ltd. Attorney at Law
Kaya Stanley
Co-Owner of Old Granite Street Eatery
Board Chair Chris Shanks
Dickson Commercial Realtor, owner of The Depot Craft Brewery-Distillery and Louis Basque Corner
Vice Chair Tony Marini
Vice President of Casino Operations, Community Relations, Midway & Caesars Sports Book
Secretary Jim Gallaway
Resident of the Palladio Condominium Tower
Treasurer Mike Rossman
Director of Development,
Reno Basin Street Properties
Past Chair Par Tolles
President of Tolles Development Company
Jonathan Boulware
Vice President of Nevada Operations at Jacobs Entertainment
Daniel Brown
Acquisition Director at CAI Investments
Jeff Siri
President and CEO of Club Cal Neva
Sharon Chamberlain
CEO of Northern Nevada HOPES
Tiffany Coury
CEO of Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center
Mark Reece
Director of Business Development, Marketing and Communications at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center
Eric Edelstein
President at Reno Aces Baseball
Chris Phillips
GM / Chief Operations Officer at Reno Aces Baseball
Britton Griffith
Vice President of Reno Engineering & President of the Riverwalk District
Courtney Meredith
Co-Owner of Design on Edge, Marketing Director of the Reno Riverwalk District
Alexis Hill
Washoe County Commissioner
Mariluz Garcia
Washoe County Commissioner
Neoma Jardon
Reno City Council Member
Kathleen Taylor
Reno City Council Member
Eric Lerude
Downtown Reno resident at The Montage
Troy Miller
Assistant Vice President of Community and Real Estate at the University of Nevada, Reno
Steve Polikalas
Ltd. Attorney at Law
Kaya Stanley
Co-Owner of Old Granite Street Eatery