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  • Daily Sun photo/Michael Kormos Downtown Corsicana business owners will be the focus of a new study being conducted by the Main Street Program and the Small Business Development Center. The study is seeking ways to initially help enhance the economic health of the downtown district, and eventually, all of Navarro County.

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  • Daily Sun photo/Michael Kormos The downtown business district will be surveyed through a new program being launched by the Main Street Program and the Small Business Development Center.

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Discussion

September 4, 2010

Main Street launches new survey

Study aims to enhance vibrancy, economic health downtown

By Oliver Sheehan Corsicana Daily Sun

Corsicana — Businesses in downtown Corsicana will soon have a special opportunity to be heard. The Corsicana Main Street Project, in cooperation with the Small Business Development Center, Chamber of Commerce and the city and county economic development department, is unveiling a new business owner survey.

The survey is one part of a comprehensive market analysis currently underway that will help downtown businesses be more successful and improve the quality of retail and service opportunities available to area residents and visitors. The analysis will help all key stakeholders better understand the changing marketplace and identify business and real estate development opportunities that are realistic and make sense for Corsicana. It will also assist the Main Street Advisory Board with future design, promotion and economic restructuring projects in the downtown district.

“This is a great opportunity for us to assess the needs of the downtown business community and work towards meeting those needs,” said Main Street Director Steve Dieterichs. “We want to know their thoughts on owning a business in downtown Corsicana and to gauge the local business climate.”

The three-part survey has three major sections. The first section is a needs and opportunities assessment.

“We want to focus our resources on the products and services these businesses find most useful,” said Robin Lasher, chair of the Main Street Advisory Board’s economic restructuring committee and director of the SBDC at Navarro College.  “We want to help them identify and capitalize on additional opportunities.”

The second section, to follow later this fall, will cover business and workforce data, including comparing the supply of commercial space to demand and identifying what types of businesses might be recruited downtown to complement existing products and services.

“The downtown district plays a unique role within the city of Corsicana,” said Lee McCleary, Economic Development Director. “The purpose of the study is to better understand the current needs of the district and allow us to focus our resources toward specific areas that will enhance their success and the vibrancy and economic health of the downtown district.”

The third and final section will cover market and marketing data such as comparing when businesses are busiest with when local consumers typically like to shop. This exercise is designed to uncover opportunities for reaching more customers.

A similar survey is being planned in the near future for the entire Navarro County business community, according to Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Paul Hooper.

 “The downtown district includes a significant number of Chamber members and reflects a microcosm of our business community,” Hooper explained. “The concentration of businesses located there makes it a logical point to begin an overall needs assessment of the community.”

Hooper said Chamber members outside of the downtown district should expect a similar survey in the coming months.

The downtown survey will be distributed this week and analysis will begin within 30 days. Key findings will be reported to the survey participants as soon as they are available.

Interested parties may volunteer for the downtown market analysis team by calling Steve Dieterichs at (903) 654-4851 or emailing mainst@ci.corsicana.tx.us.

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Want to “Soundoff” on this story? E-mail: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com

 

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