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As
with marketing, the management of this plan has two primary components.
The first involves the redesign and redevelopment efforts, such
as the following: seeking grants and other funding; and, serving
as the liaison between the Town, the businesses and property owners.
This would also include the various day to day management responsibilities
such as initially overseeing festivals, promotions or other downtown
events. While the Town of Oakland(7) would ultimately be responsible
for implementing the plan, particularly the public improvements
such as sidewalks, municipal parking and a proposed public green,
cooperative efforts (including investments) are required of area
businesses and property owners. In this manner the second component
of management arises which includes maintaining the interest and
involvement of the affected private sector, such as assisting
business, property owners in securing matching funds (possibly
through a challenge grant) in order to improve, redesign their
properties.(8)
This second
management component also includes a "self-help" clause in that
downtown (commercial) property owners(9) should consider forming
a marketing cooperative (an expanded role/mission for the Downtown
Business Association). In essence, revitalization efforts for
the downtown Oakland commercial district should include marketing
the Town, its character and its potential. From a brokering perspective,
the issue should not be that any one property is for sale or is
vacant and why it is a "good deal", but rather that Oakland is
a "good deal". To further facilitate tenant and targeted business
acquisitions a marketing and retail recruitment package for the
downtown is required. This package should include:
- incorporating
multiple properties (either vacant or for sale), which are available,
into a single listing portfolio;
- a summary
of the sales potential and leakage analysis (developed as a
component of this research) for the Oakland market area;
- links
to the Town's website and information (with visuals) of the
proposed streetscape and downtown improvements; and,
- promotional
information about downtown activities and/or events.
Initially
this cooperative would be responsible for brokering all vacant
or "for sale" properties under one centralized entity (such as
an area realtor). Property owners might consider establishing
a voluntary rent moratorium in order to foster downtown tenant
leasing and new business "start-ups." As the properties are re-tenanted
and consumer activity is improved it becomes a logical transition
to have the responsibility for overseeing festivals, promotions
or other downtown events shift to this marketing cooperative.
In this manner downtown properties are no longer being marketed,
but rather downtown Sights, Sounds and Smells throughout
the day and evening are being marketed.
7. At the
public design workshop and in conversations with the Town Manager,
consideration has been given to having the Town Recreation Department
assume the day to day management responsibilities, however this
has not been finalized.
8. Some of
the property owners interviewed in this process indicated their
willingness and desire to improve their properties (facade treatments,
signage, etc.) and were looking for guidelines, themes, potential
costs and any financial assistance available.
9. An emphasis
is placed on owner-occupants and "home grown" entrepreneurs rather
than real estate developers, in part, because commercial rent
levels in Oakland are generally not high enough to justify significant
new investment in the existing building inventory. Real estate
developers generally seek a higher, and more timely, return on
their investment, where an owner-occupant is likely to be more
patient. Additionally, a real estate developer would look for
a long term lease from prospective tenants in order to provide
cash flow stability. As such, this would imply a more regional
or national tenant base which, with some exception (such as Rite-Aid),
is not likely for the Oakland downtown given building size, visibility
and other locational factors. In developing a greater potential
for such national tenants, Oakland would then diminish its small
town quality which is considered to be one of its assets.
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A. 
