Harford County Living’s Business of the Week – Bel Air Downtown Alliance

Background:

At its infancy, the Bel Air Downtown Task Force was established to oversee development of a Downtown Market Study. This process helped to identify business types and locations that are successful in Bel Air.  From 1999 to 2001, under the directions of the Planning Director of the Town of Bel Air, the Task Force evolved into the Bel Air Downtown Revitalization Alliance, shifting its focus to supporting economic development in Downtown Bel Air.

In 2001, with the founding of the Bel Air Downtown Revitalization Alliance 501(c)3 as a Maryland Main Street program, real initiatives were taken and progress was made. The grandfather building of downtown, the Armory, was revitalized as an event center with offices and a garden music venue. This initiative prompted nearby property owners to revamp structures and a surge of revitalized facades followed. As new businesses, retail, services, and offices came back to downtown, so did visitors and employment. As employment returned, so did restaurants, with every restaurant in the district offering luncheon specials and after work incentives. Historic building tax credits and incentives, in addition to the town’s revolving loan fund, were enhanced through Community Development Block Grant and Department of Housing and Community Development and leveraged effectively to ignite the spark of redevelopment.

In 2003, having achieved great early success, the Alliance was renamed once again as the Bel Air Downtown Alliance.  The focus of the group is consistent with the four pillar structure of Maryland Main Street programs: Design, Organization, Economic Restructuring, and Promotion.

Our Vision:

We envision Bel Air’s future as a sustainable community in which people live, work, and play.  We attract and welcome diverse neighborhoods where our parks, schools, and commercial centers are vibrant assets that enrich our quality of life.  Our success is based on strong collaborations with our government and economic partners.

Our Mission:

The Bel Air Downtown Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community development organization whose mission is to mobilize stakeholders to invest in Bel Air’s neighborhoods, economy, and quality of life.

Our Committees at a Glance:

The Design Committee
The Design Committee improves the Downtown Bel Air image by enhancing its physical appearance – not just the appearance of buildings, but also that of streetlights, window displays, parking areas, signs, sidewalks, promotional materials and all other elements that convey a visual message about downtown and what it has to offer.

Organization Committee
The Organization Committee concentrates on building cooperation and participation among groups and individuals with a stake in Downtown Bel Air’s economic viability: bankers, property owners, town and county officials, merchants, professionals, residents, civic groups, historical societies, schools, consumers, real estate agents, local media, etc.

Promotion Committee
The Promotion Committee contributes to a positive image of Downtown Bel Air by building awareness of its unique characteristics among shoppers, residents, tourists, investors, businesses and others, and encouraging them to take advantage of them through retail promotions, special events and other programs.

Economic Restructuring Committee
The Economic Restructuring Committee works to strengthen the economic base of Downtown Bel Air by diversifying it. Activities include helping existing businesses expand, recruiting new businesses to provide a balanced commercial mix, converting unused space into productive property and sharpening the competitiveness of downtown merchants.

A Private – Public Partnership:

Under the auspices of Main Street Maryland and the Main Street Program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Alliance has formed a private-public partnership with the Town of Bel Air. They are working together to realize a shared vision of how the town will evolve and benefit through revitalization.