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Making the Golden Mile Shine

  • August 1, 2011
  • on 1/8/11
  • MoJo: want2dish

- Submitted by citizen journalist Richard Griffin, City of Frederick Department of Economic Development

The Golden Mile is one of the most important commercial corridors in Frederick, and city leaders along with residents, property owners, and businesses are focused on making it shine.

Last month over 80 interested individuals met to discuss the establishment of a Golden Mile Alliance. Those individuals nominated 25 people to be considered as board members for the new organization and gave invaluable feedback on mission, vision, structure, and priorities.  From those nominees, 15 will be appointed by the Mayor to serve on an official ad-hoc committee and will transition to become the new Alliance Board once it is incorporated as a 501(c)3. Local attorney David Severn is preparing the incorporating documents pro bono.

With 250 businesses occupying nearly 1.7 million square feet of space, the Golden Mile represents approximately 40 percent of the total retail square footage in the City.  Frederick residents depend heavily on the 61 restaurants, 23 healthcare service providers, 21 beauty salons and spas, 19 auto service centers, 18 fashion apparel stores, along with home improvement, furniture, and department stores.

Retailers need visibility, access, and proximity to residents and employees in order to be successful, and the Golden Mile has all those characteristics. The corridor has a tremendous primary and secondary retail market area with over 100,000 people living within five miles of the corridor and is in a residential growth area. There are more than 75,000 jobs within five miles of the corridor and in excess of 50,000 vehicles pass along the Golden Mile daily. 

Access to U.S. 15, I-270, and I-70 from the Golden Mile is terrific. Despite its strengths, we all know the challenges being faced by the aging strip and the new Alliance along with the Golden Mile Area Plan is part of a broad-based effort by the City and its partners to stabilize and strengthen the Golden Mile. Critical issues include redevelopment of Frederick Towne Mall, tenanting vacant commercial space, improved safe pedestrian and bicycle trails, marketing, public safety, and branding. Many of the commercial centers are dated and in need to capital improvements.

 

The Golden Mile is an important ingredient in the life of Frederick and is a major gateway community, which needs and deserves our attention. Together with our community partners, we will jointly rise to the challenge in part through an active new Alliance spearheading key projects and events. The City is still taking nominations to serve on the board of directors of the new Alliance until Aug. 12. Please send them to Donna Goff, Economic Development Specialist at dgoff@cityoffrederick.com or call (301) 600-6360 for more information. The City of Frederick Department of Economic Development is a full-service business development organization with the mission to create economic opportunity through job creation assistance, revitalization, and investment.  You can find out more by checking out our website at www.businessinfrederick.com.

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