Macon Magazine

LOCAL BUZZ Macon BIDS on another five years The Downtown Macon Business Improvement District initiative has been approved and expanded for another five-year term, making downtown streets cleaner, visitors happier, and sales higher. YOU MAY HAVE seen them downtown: blue polos, orange vests, their friendly faces smiling out from under sun hats. They're hard at work improving downtown with tasks including keeping the streets and curbs clear, pressure washing, and greeting locals and visitors alike, always ready with a recommendation or directions. These are the Downtown Macon Business Improvement District (BID) Ambassadors. These folks are the face of an incredibly successful initiative introduced in 2017. ESTABLISHING THE BID In 2017, a coalition of property and business owners in cooperation with NewTown Macon established a self-taxing district directed by a board of elected property owners. Their goal was to improve Downtown Macon's image, attract new customers, increase sales, improve occupancy, and increase property values by providing enhanced services like cleaning, maintenance, beautification projects, and increased security measures supplemental to those provided by local government. To administer these services, they partnered with Block by Block, a company that manages BID operations in hundreds of cities including New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. The BID was authorized by a Macon-Bibb County ordinance as a complementary part to government services, with taxes from stakeholders collected by Macon-Bibb's tax commissioner. Stakeholders in the BID have been able to design, create, and govern the BID, allowing them to flexibly provide additional services where Downtown Macon's exponential recent growth needs them most. The inaugural district had a six-year lifespan. It officially commenced on July 1, 2017, and matured June 30, 2023. After the initial end date, the petition process was repeated to renew the BID. In other words, the BID just ended its trial run. And the results were phenomenal. RESULTS The total value of the district has surged from $180 million to an impressive $330 million in just five years, reflecting an astounding 83% increase. While this rise has been achieved by a coalition of government, nonprofit, and private actors who have invested in Downtown Macon's success, the ambassadors of the BID have been a front-line face to make the district feel welcoming to visitors and become safer and cleaner for residents. Since its establishment in 2017, the BID has become an essential force behind downtown Macon's resurgence; the district has remained an inviting and attractive destination for visitors, residents, and businesses alike. RENEWAL As a result of this success, downtown property owners elected to reinstate and expand the BID for another five years. Macon's BID is one of over 400 in the nation. Atlanta, Columbus, Rome and Madison, Georgia, all have at least one BID, and each of those Georgia cities have renewed their BID at least once. "As a validation of success, BIDs are rarely if ever disbanded, showing that property owners realize real value from BID services," according to Georgia Main Street, a historic preservation and business development nonprofit. Macon's BID is in good company, and is a great example of the kind of success these programs can generate. "We are thrilled to see the BID continue its mission of promoting a dynamic downtown," said Erin Keller, Chief of Staff and Vice President for Development of NewTown Macon. "This renewal marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for downtown Macon, and we are committed to working hand in hand with the BID board of directors and BID Ambassadors to ensure its continued success." The 2017 district, which was once bounded by New Street to the north, Fifth Street to the south, Riverside to the east, and Plum to the west, contained 500 parcels. That number has now grown to 804 parcels. The 34 maconmagazine.com | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2023

• Cover