This is the first in a series of postings on being a downtown change agent. It is not a nuts and bolts piece, but rather philosophical in tone. It is, however, a view that has been honed by over 30 years of “working in the trenches.”

A Process of Perpetual Positive Change

One need not be Noah Webster to understand that the term downtown revitalization implicitly means bringing a commercial district from an existing damaged state to one that is significantly improved. In other words, downtown revitalization implicitly means a significant amount of positive change.

It also can be argued that the need of downtowns for positive change is perpetual. The reason is simple: the socially, economically, politically, geographically and technologically defined environments in which they exist are themselves constantly changing, generating new competitive threats and altering consumer desires, expectations and behaviors. Think of how such things as the flight to the suburbs, urban crime, the creation of regional shopping malls, the appearance of big box value retailers, catalog sales and e-retailing have impacted downtowns over the past sixty years. Downtowns languished because they failed to adapt to these changing competitive threats and conditions; they began to succeed when they finally learned how to adapt.

Effective Downtown Leaders Must Be Change Agents

If their environments are in perpetual flux, then downtown leaders must assume the role of “change agent” if they want to be effective. Moreover, the changes that they usually must try to spark are on the order of large systemic changes — e.g., changing the business mix, reducing crime, creating more high quality commercial space, etc.— rather than smaller, incremental changes, such as improving a store facade or putting up Christmas lights. Whether lots of small incremental changes can add up to a significant systemic impact may be debatable, but, personally, I doubt it.

Big Changes Mean Conflicts

Large significant changes require lots of financial, political and organizational resources. They are usually beyond the power of one individual to bring about. Big downtown changes will require the involvement of lots of people, many of whom will be powerful, often egotistical and sometimes downright petty. As organizational theorists, sociologist and political scientists have long recognized, big changes in any social system are likely to arouse strong fears and intense opposition. Just think of the frequent opposition to proposed downtown redevelopment projects and the “not in my backyard” response syndrome. Downtown change agents must expect that they will generate conflicts and be prepared to deal with them.

In my experience, many downtown leaders, unfortunately, are conflict avoiders. I am not suggesting that good leaders should look for fights, just that they should not run from them if an important issue or outcome is at stake.

Downtown Revitalization Means Politics

The local political process is just one available structure for conflict resolution, but it is the most important. Unfortunately, I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard, over the past 30+ years, about significant proposals for downtown improvements being sidetracked because of fears that they might cause a “political problem.” Far too many downtown managers do not understand that their important programs and projects will generate conflicts that become political issues and that they will not only have to become involved in the local political process, but be very adroit at doing it.

Generating Broad Consensus Versus 50% +1
Many of the downtown leaders who are conflict adverse have strong needs to be liked and admired. When conflicts emerge they often seek solutions that can garner a broad consensus of support. They are often inclined to support planning efforts that have large public participation components.

While I certainly see how public input into the downtown revitalization policy/planning process can be valuable, I strongly dispute that the objective should be the creation of a consensus — the correct objective should be to garner enough support so an effective policy decision can be made and meaningful change can happen. In other words, you do not need to get 70% or 90% (or whatever the percentage that for you defines the existence of a consensus) of those involved to agree, just 50% +1. Everyone does not have to love you or your policy or your program — just your 50% + 1 supporters.

A broad consensus is much harder to create and to maintain than a smaller 50% +1 coalition. One of the other negative consequences, in my opinion, is that policy and planning processes that seek a broad consensus usually produce dumbed down policies, plans, strategies, etc., because so many competing interests and views have to be accommodated. Ironically, while the public input can really help inform the policy process about community needs and conditions and increase policy options, the consensus driven policy process then gives veto power to every small group and makes decision-making possible only on a few dumbed down points.

As may be obvious by now, my views about democracy are closer to those of Madison and Hamilton than Jefferson and Jackson.

Crisis Can Be Downtown Revitalization’s Friend
We use the term bureaucratic in a very derogatory way to describe a situation full of paralysis, inaction, system drift, numerous insufferable rules, and a stalemated decision-making process. Bureaucratic organizations and systems are the antithesis of change; instead they freeze and defend the status quo.

How many of us are in or have been in downtowns that are in a bureaucratic situation? How many of us have said to ourselves about our downtown, “Gee, we need a bomb to go off to make anything happen in this place?”

Downtowns in such a situation often can only be loosened from their inertia and power stalemate by encountering a crisis that shatters the existing decision-making structure and brings in new leadership having the desire for — and power to– bring about change.

For many downtowns, crisis can present enormous opportunities as well as enormous challenges.

Good downtown leaders shine during a crisis.

Some downtown leaders may even try to cause something of a crisis in order to bring about change. For example, I know one downtown district manager who was hired by a board that had no landlords or business operators from the district on it. (You read right.) The latter, because of their exclusion and the imposed district assessment resented and ignored the district organization. The district manager, after attempts at wooing failed, adopted a strategy of intentional antagonism and confrontation, hoping to thus stimulate the district’s business operators to become actively engaged and organized against him, when he hopefully would co-opt them into the downtown organization. This was exactly what happened.

The relatively simple addition of slot cars to the Bayonne Town Center’s Car Show clearly demonstrates this point. When a new hobby shop presented the Bayonne Town Center Management Corporation (BTCMC) with an idea for a model train exhibition, the BTCMC worked with the shop and ultimately was sufficiently flexible and patient to find that a slot car exhibition promoted through an existing car show event was a more viable plan. Persistence and an open-minded and flexible approach led to a successful downtown innovation.

The Initial Plan. When Pastime Hobbies opened in Bayonne, NJ about two and a half years ago, the BTCMC, a special improvement district, was very pleased. Hobby shops have very large market areas and their customers often make large dollar purchases. The BTCMC’s district could benefit from this drawing power.Furthermore, the BTCMC’s revitalization strategy called for establishing the district as the community’s central social district and envisioned the development of an entertainment niche as an important means of achieving that objective. The district currently has a number of strong restaurants and popular fast food operations. Unfortunately, it is without a movie theater, legitimate theater or concert hall , though redevelopment plans call for the eventual construction of such venues. In the interim, the BTCMC’s management is using events such as a film festival, car show, poetry contest and various Christmas activities to grow the entertainment niche. It is always looking to strengthen this niche, especially with activities where visitors can be both participants and observers, e.g. playing chess, riding a carousel, sailing a model boat, playing bocce, etc.

The BTCMC’s staff and Vinny Margiotta, the owner of Pastime Hobbies, began talking about a very large and sophisticated model train layout in Carlstadt, NJ, which regularly attracts lots of visitors. The initial plan was for the BTCMC and Pastime to work together to create a similar attraction in the Town Center. Pastime had helped form an embryonic model railroad club that would operate the venture, while the BTCMC would help find a location for it as well as lending a hand with promotions and marketing.

A field visit to the Carlstadt model railroad operation provided a reality check. It occupied a large amount of space — far more than the 450 SF to 1,000 SF that might be made available for the Bayonne model railroaders at the marginal amount they would have at hand for rent. In addition, the Carlstadt setup had taken years to build and was run by a strong club of avid adult model railroaders. Young people were mostly visitors.

While many toddlers are heavily into train sets by such manufacturers as Thomas, Whittle Shortline and Maple Landmark, interest in model railroading seems to diminish as children pass through their preteen years. Adult men have the greatest interest in electrified model trains.

Adaptation 1. With space being a constraining variable, Vinny came up with the idea of slot car racing, which would require a much smaller setup board than the model railroad. The model racetrack board also could be put together and then taken down with comparative ease. Depending on the gauge of the cars, a good racing board can vary in size from 4’ by 8’ to 7’ by 12’. The costs are also reasonable, ranging from $400 to $800.

From the BTCMC’s standpoint the slot cars offered several advantages over the model trains. It would attract pre-teen youngsters and teenagers as well as adults, which would reinforce the district’s Kids Row niche. It also would be easier to find venues for the slot car setup board.

The BTCMC suggested “a test of concept” — the BTCMC would arrange for a community center located in the district to provide space for the slot car racing on a Sunday afternoon and promote the event through newspaper ads and fliers. Pastime Hobbies would form a slot car racing club that would put together the racing board and manage its use at the event.

This event had mixed outcomes. It did not attract as large a crowd as hoped. But, those who did attend really enjoyed it. In addition, the racetrack board worked and it was put up and taken down with comparative ease. The overall assessment was that the “product” was good, but a way had to be found to tap a bigger audience for it.

Adaptation 2. Rich Martin, a BTCMC board member, attended the event. He remembered fondly that when he was younger there was Dobbs, a store in Bayonne where kids and adults raced slot cars. He also was motivated to build his own slot car racetrack in his basement. He became very committed to creating a successful BTCMC event around the slot cars.

Then, talking to the BTCMC’s staff about how to find this wider audience for the slot cars, he stimulated Cathy Jakubowski, the BTCMC’s executive director, to come up with what turned out to be a very viable idea — Rich and Vinny would setup their slot car racetracks at the four old car shows the BTCMC runs over the summer. As can be seen in the photos , the slot cars attracted lots of people, including both kids and adults. Many of the adults also remembered Dobbs.

The BTCMC is considering looking for a location for a more permanent installation of these slot car racetracks. However, their ease of installation and consequent mobility suggests that plugging them into other events held in the district may be more cost effective.

Some Observations.

1. The BTCMC was persistent in trying to leverage the potential assets provided by Pastime Hobbies to achieve its strategic objectives.
2. The BTCMC’s staff did not quit: it continued to provide motivational and advertising support even when plans fell apart or appeared somewhat disappointing. It played a catalytic role in this process. It also was flexible and not committed to just one idea, e.g. a permanent model railroad setup.
3. The innovative ideas did not come just from the BTCMC’s staff, but also from other key players the staff involved into the process. The staff’s prime role was to keep “stirring the pot” until something viable happened.
4. Using the BTCMC’s car shows as a venue for the slot car racing strengthened both
5. In this innovation process the adaptations were made to fit with the district’s characteristics (the unavailability of large spaces) and to take advantage of one of its assets ( the car shows).
6. This approach is reminiscent of the way great chefs behave. They prefer to use the best possible ingredients and base their recipes on them. When some ingredients are unavailable they do not leave the kitchen, but adapt their recipes to take advantage of those that are on hand. This is precisely what Vinny Margiotta, Rich Martin, Cathy Jakubowski and the rest of the BTCMC’s staff did in this case study.
7. The BTCMC has not given up on the idea of creating a model railroading setup and continues to look for a venue where such an installation would be possible, afforable and visitor friendly.