Business Districts, Inc. is the premier provider of business district services for mid-sized municipalities. Business districts are as varied as the communities which create and benefit from them. Whether they are commercial cores, downtown's or retail corridors, business districts share characteristics with shopping centers but also announce and transmit the values of the communities they dwell in. Effective business district plans have always relied on analysis-based strategic plans affirmed by community groups, businesses and government. But with increasingly tight municipal budgets, growing citizen involvement and changing patterns of life, work and shopping today, an effective business district plan must be more; it must include organization structures--private public partnerships or designation of lead agencies--and reliable financing mechanisms. In other words, today, an effective business district plan must include implementation.

For a decade and a half, BDI has developed and implemented effective business district plans in top communities throughout the Midwest. We have created thriving, marquee projects which attest to both community resilience and BDI skill in ensuring long term results. With deep roots in urban planning, commercial development and business management, and a flexible, hands-on approach, BDI empowers those developing a business district to define, progress toward and realize their commercial aspirations. The results are often dramatic.

At the core of BDI’s services is the situation audit; a “where-do-we-go-from-here” diagnosis of a business district's economic and physical conditions as well as its market demographics, retail mix and prevailing codes. From this analysis, BDI constructs a strategic plan. Using "visioning" workshops with constituent groups and the public and also expert input, the community will create a fully implementable operation plan. Retailer support and developer recruitment are the cornerstones of the plan as are staffing, management and continuing services.

Developing a business district that answers community expectations and city revenue needs within municipal budget and scheduling parameters has never been more challenging. Yet never has it been more rewarding. Today's commercial district is not just an economic entity but an emotional and social one. It's a gathering place that connects a community's past and future and affirms its values and cultural identity. Let BDI help you develop yours.