CRT 2017 #10 · Communication to the City Council · Mar 20 2017

Cambridge Retail Strategy

Project Objective & Scope Develop best practice policies and programs that will support and enhance the ground level active use and retail environment in Cambridge. • EXAMINE overall state of the City’s current retail • IDENTIFY unmet retail needs for each of the City’s nine commercial districts • HIGHLIGHT the City’s strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities related to recruitment/retention ANALYSIS ACTION PLAN • PUBLIC POLICIES/INVESTMENTS: Short and long term strategies for how to meet City’s unmet retail needs • MARKETABILITY/VISIBILITY: Actions and best practices that the City might consider to enhance marketability and visibility to retailers • TENANT MIX: Recommendations for appropriate retail mix for each commercial district • ADMIN CAPACITY: Determine roles and responsibilities for advancing retail initiatives

Our Team Larisa Ortiz Associates & Michael J. Berne – Special Advisor • 20 yrs. of downtown experience • Author, “Improving Tenant Mix” • Former National Director, LISC Commercial Corridor Program • NYC City Planning Commissioner • PhD, Planning, Rutgers University • Masters Degree, Landscape Architecture (SUNY Syracuse) • Bachelors Degree, Architecture • Eight yrs. of research experience • Masters, City Regional Planning, Pratt Institute • B.S. Urban Planning, Design and Management, University College London, England

Our Philosophy Informed Decision Making Our Mission Communities reap significant rewards when they take the time to accurately understand their stakeholders and local market dynamics before leaping into action. This allows them prioritize a set of solutions that temper market realities with the interests of diverse voices within the community. Our Track Record Best practices: LOA has worked in over 100 communities nationwide Local knowledge: MJB Associates served as retail advisor to the City of Cambridge

Our Process Commercial-DNA Methodology • Residential demand • Employee demand • Visitor demand • Leadership • Funding • Partners • Zoning & Regulatory • Retail nodes • Business mix • Public realm • Private realm • Access/visibility Physical Environment Business Environment Market Data & Demographics Adminstrative Capacity

Discussion Questions • Citywide Conditions and Trends • District-level Conditions and Trends • Structural Challenges – policies, incentives, regulatory issues • Administrative Capacity – partners, roles and responsibilities