Old Buildings, New Attitudes

Ed and Wanda Fisher of Gladstone, Missouri, are the proud winners of an all-inclusive trip for two to the Riviera Maya, Mexico. The trip was part of Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street’s holiday promotional campaign, and was sponsored by The Travel Source in conjunction with Karisma Hotels & Resorts and Funjet.

Upon the announcement of their win, the Fishers fondly recalled the evening they spent in Lee’s Summit. Along with their children and nine grandchildren, they took Amtrak from Union Station in Kansas City, MO, into Lee’s Summit to celebrate Ed’s 60th birthday and retirement from the Santa Fe Railroad. After dinner in the party room at Maxwell’s, they spent the evening shopping with their family and signed up to win the trip after a purchase in Cameron’s Home Furnishings. They had almost forgotten about their entry until Vicki Hedberg of The Travel Source called them on December 26th to congratulate them on their big win.

Wanda Fisher will be celebrating her 60th birthday later this year, so the Fishers plan to celebrate their birthdays together when they travel to Mexico. They will enjoy a four day/three night all-inclusive stay at the five star Azul Sensatori resort in the Riviera Maya.

Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, Inc., is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the revitalization of Downtown Lee’s Summit. For more information about other Downtown Lee’s Summit events and promotions, please visit www.downtownls.org.

Save these dates in 2010 for Downtown Lee’s Summit special events!

February

6: Chocolate Crawl

March

5-7: Spring Open House

13: Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Day Parade

April

3: Downtown Bunny Hop

24: Farmers Market Begins

May

28: Music in the Park Begins

June

4-6: Downtown Days

10: Ladies Night Out

July

24: Sidewalk Sale

August

27-29: Fall Open House

September

16: Piccadilly Gala

24-25: Chamber’s Oktoberfest

October

15-17: Sneak Peek Holiday Open House

30: Halloween Parade

November

5-7: Traditional Holiday Open House

19: Mayor’s Tree Lighting

December 2009 marks the twenty-year anniversary of Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was first incorporated on December 20, 1989. Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, Inc., is an accredited Main Street program through the National Trust Main Street Center®. The organization follows the Main Street Four-Point Approach® to commercial district revitalization with a focus on design, economic restructuring, organization and promotions. The twenty-year anniversary will be celebrated throughout the next twelve months by honoring volunteers, partners, and City leaders, and educating the public about the organization and downtown revitalization.

Lee’s Summit began its Main Street program in 1989 after a cycle of disinvestment left the downtown commercial district with vacancies, declining property values and aging infrastructure. Visionary leaders came together to determine how to make the historic downtown thrive once again, and formed the organization after learning of the Main Street program. These same leaders recognized that downtown would need basic infrastructure improvements if it were to remain viable. Aging and deteriorating infrastructure was a threat to the historic building inventory, and to business development. Persistent and frequent flooding was not only an annoyance, but deterred investment in downtown buildings and required frequent maintenance by property owners. Cracked sidewalks, overgrown trees, and lack of lighting were not only unpleasant aesthetically, but also created safety hazards. The Vision of the Heart plan created in 1992 was a significant step in gaining improvements for the downtown core. It also led to a proposed no tax increase bond issue in 2002, which was ultimately passed by the citizens of Lee’s Summit. This bond issue provided funds for the new City Hall, parking garage, and much needed downtown street reconstruction and streetscape improvements. The Old Lee’s Summit Development Master Plan, adopted by the City Council in February 2004, integrated the much needed infrastructure improvements with basic revitalization strategies for a complete downtown improvements package. Construction began in Spring of 2006 and ended the Summer of 2008.

Today, the downtown vacancy rate is low at approximately 6%, property values have soared, and over 180 businesses are located within 8 square blocks. Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, Inc., has recently been honored with the Greatest Achievement Award by Missouri Main Street Connection for the best downtown revitalization organization in the state. Downtown Lee’s Summit has also been selected as a semi-finalist for a Great American Main Street Award, honoring five communities in the United States for achievements in downtown revitalization.

While much has been achieved over twenty years, the work of Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, Inc., and its partners is not done. Revitalization strategies will continue, with a focus on business retention and expansion, business recruitment, parking strategies, and sustainable funding for increased services.

Jeanine Rann, Executive Director of Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, reflects on twenty years of revitalization: “The success downtown Lee’s Summit has enjoyed in the revitalization effort is due to an incremental approach, a clear vision and the dedication of many. One of the key factors is the broad-based community support and the belief that downtown is truly the heart of our community.”

For more information about Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, Inc., please visit www.downtownls.org.

Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street will host the Mayor’s Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, November 20, 2009, at 6:30 pm in Howard Station Park at the corner of Third and SE Main. The event is sponsored by Bank of Lee’s Summit.

The Mayor will light the downtown with over 100,000 SPARKLING lights. Free hot chocolate and cookies, musical performances and a visit from Santa, Mrs. Claus and his elves will get you in the holiday spirit! Bring your camera and snap photos with Santa, then stay awhile and visit businesses open late until 9 pm.

New this year is the Snowball Drop, where 2,000 white ping pong balls will fall from the sky. Each snowball will list a great discount at a participating downtown store. The discounts may be used throughout the weekend, November 20-22.

Visitors are encouraged to find on-street parking, or to park in the parking garage located at the corner of 2nd and Green by City Hall.

For more information about Downtown Lee’s Summit, please visit www.downtownls.org.

Downtown Lee’s Summit, Missouri, has been chosen as a semi-finalist for the 2010 Great American Main Street Award® (GAMSA). Award winners will be announced in May 2010 at the National Main Streets Conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, Inc. (DLSMS), a 501c3 non-profit and the nominating organization, is a nationally-accredited Main Street program through the National Trust Main Street Center, a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The GAMSA® Award recognizes communities that are implementing successful downtown revitalization strategies, and all communities selected must have accredited Main Street programs that follow the Main Street Four-Point Approach® to commercial district revitalization. One of ten semi-finalists selected in the United States, downtown Lee’s Summit will complete a rigorous final application process. A panel of downtown revitalization professionals will select five communities to win the GAMSA® Award.

Lee’s Summit’s Mayor Karen Rose Messerli released a statement after the selection was announced. “Congratulations to Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street on the great honor of being chosen as a semifinalist for the 2010 Great American Main Street Award. Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street’s inclusion among this list of semifinalists, across the country, is evidence that our beautiful downtown is quickly emerging from a local treasure and the heart of our community into a much deserved national spotlight. I couldn’t be more proud.”

According to Jeanine Rann, Executive Director of Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, their organization has been implementing downtown revitalization strategies for twenty years “I am thrilled that we have been recognized at the National level for all of the hard work and investment our community, volunteers, partners and staff have put into the downtown revitalization effort. This reinforces what we have believed all along, that great strategic planning that is incremental and focuses on quality will result in great community pride and an economically healthy business district”.

The 2009 GAMSA® Award winners were: Livermore, California; Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; El Dorado, Arkansas; Federal Hill – Baltimore, Maryland; and Broadway District – Green Bay, Wisconsin.

DLSMS is one of only four nationally-accredited Main Street programs in the state of Missouri. There are over 1,200 regional, state, and local programs in the United States. DLSMS was recently honored with the Greatest Achievement Award for best downtown revitalization organization by the Missouri Main Street Connection, the state Main Street coordinating program. DLSMS has been implementing revitalization strategies for twenty years.

For more information about Downtown Lee’s Summit, please visit http://www.downtownls.org. For more information about the GAMSA® Awards, please visit http://www.preservationnation.org/gamsa.

 

Downtown Lee’s Summit is proud to present the Whoville Kids Area. Located in the Vogue retail space, 315 SE Douglas, the Whoville Kids Area is an indoor wonderland of activities and crafts unlike any holiday attraction in the metro area. It will be open on Saturday, November 7th from 10 am to 4 pm. An admission donation is requested.

The Whoville Kids Area will recreate the land of the Whos, from Dr. Seuss’ popular holiday story How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Kids can make Grinch masks, do puzzles, complete Whoville coloring pages, enjoy holiday treats, and much more. At the Sparkle Station, kids can make sparkly ornaments to help decorate the Mayor’s Tree in Howard Station Park. Kids can even get their picture taken with The Grinch, so parents should be sure to pack cameras.

“We wanted to create a unique holiday attraction for kids and families in downtown Lee’s Summit,” says Shannon Fossnight, chairperson of the event and owner of downtown Lee’s Summit business Green Beauty Salon & Day Spa. “Whoville will bring this beloved holiday story to life for kids. It will be unlike anything they have seen before!”

An admission donation of $5 is requested, with half going to Lee’s Summit Social Services to help support the needs of families in Lee’s Summit. Parents are asked to stay and supervise their children while they participate in the activities.

Whoville is presented by the Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street’s Promotions Committee in partnership with Pycior + Co. For more information about holiday events in downtown Lee’s Summit, visit www.downtownls.org.

Over 40 FREE holiday-themed classes will be offered this weekend during the Traditional Holiday Open House (Friday, November 6 – Sunday, November 8).  Classes range from “Happy Hour Holiday Hair” to “Making the Perfect Bow.” You can attend as many classes as you like, and no advanced registration is necessary.

Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street will kick off the holiday season with its Traditional Holiday Open House November 6-8, 2009. Over 40 free classes, extended shopping hours, a Whoville Kids Area and a chance to win a variety of downtown gift certificates make this a holiday celebration worth experiencing.

Over 40 classes will be offered over the three days, on topics such as holiday door swags, making the perfect bow, holiday scrapbook pages, happy hour holiday hair, and more.  All classes are free, and no advanced registration is necessary. Many products used in the classes will be available for purchase.  A complete class schedule can be downloaded from the “downtown events” tab at www.downtownls.org.

Kids can also join in the fun at the Whoville Kids Area. Located in the Vogue retail space, 315 SE Douglas, it will be open on Saturday, November 7th from 10 am to 4 pm. A $5 admission donation is requested to benefit Lee’s Summit Social Services.   Whoville Kids Area will recreate the land of the Whos, from Dr. Seuss’ popular holiday story How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Kids can make Grinch masks, do puzzles, complete Whoville coloring pages, enjoy holiday treats, and much more. At the Sparkle Station, kids can make sparkly ornaments to help decorate the Mayor’s Tree in Howard Station Park. Kids can even get their picture taken with The Grinch, so parents should be sure to pack cameras.

Downtown businesses will also feature new holiday merchandise, and kick off the holiday shopping season with extended hours. Over 30 businesses will be open Fridays from 10:00 am – 9:00 pm and Sundays from Noon – 4:00 pm beginning Friday, November 6^th until Sunday, December 20^th.  While shopping, be sure to enter to win a variety of downtown gift certificates. Customers may also enter to win an all-inclusive trip to the Riviera Maya throughout the holiday shopping season, November 6^th – December 23^rd.

For more information about the Traditional Holiday Open House, or other holiday activities in Downtown Lee’s Summit, please visit www.downtownls.org or call 816-246-6598.

Put on your best Halloween costume, it is time for a parade! A costume parade and trick-or-treating will be held from 9:30 am to noon on Saturday, October 31, in Downtown Lee’s Summit.

Any child with a costume is invited to join the fun! Parade line-up will begin at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall Plaza, 220 SE Green Street.  At this time judges will present awards for Favorite Boy, Favorite Girl, Favorite Family/Group, and Most Unique.

The parade will start at 10:00 a.m. at City Hall and march down Third Street to Howard Station Park on SE Main Street.  After the parade, it is time for candy!  Parade participants are encouraged to trick-or-treat at downtown businesses handing out candy from 10:00 a.m. to noon.  A map of participating downtown businesses will be provided.  Donations will be accepted for the Mayor’s Care Fund, and the money collected will be presented to the Mayor during the Mayor’s Tree Lighting Ceremony to be held on Friday, November 20, 2009.

The Halloween Costume Parade and Trick-or-Treating is presented by the Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street Promotions Committee. The mission of this committee is to promote downtown as the center of commerce, culture, and community life for residents and visitors alike.

For more information about this event or other upcoming Downtown Lee’s Summit events, please visit www.downtownls.org or call 816-246-6598.

Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street, in partnership with the Saint Luke’s East Center for Breast Care, will present the United We Cure shopping event on Friday, October 9^th from 5 pm – 9 pm.  Businesses encourage you to shop downtown and support breast cancer awareness.

Cosmetic bags filled with items and discounts are on sale now at A Thyme for Everything and Finishings for Her in downtown Lee’s Summit. Shoppers can purchase a bag for $5 and use the promotions and discounts the night of the event.  Participating businesses will be donating 5% of their pre-tax sales to the Saint Luke’s East Center for Breast Care.  The Center for Breast Care is a comprehensive screening and diagnostic facility providing the most up-to-date screening and diagnostic procedures, surgical intervention, as well as risk assessment and education.  The center has the only dedicated breast MRI available in the community and designed specifically to provide superior image quality and maximize patient comfort.  Additionally, the center has specially trained radiologists dedicated to interpreting breast images and performing breast procedures.

 

Customers will also be able to enter to win a $100 downtown shopping spree, hang pink ribbons on the dedication area in Howard Station Park, and view specially decorated bras by downtown businesses which will be on display the evening of the event.

For more information about the United We Cure shopping event, please visit www.downtownls.org.