Hillsborough Street | Raleigh | North Carolina | USA

 

Hillsborough Street BID Approved

 

On July 15, 2008, the Raleigh City Council voted unanimously to establish a Municipal Service District (MSD) — or Business Improvement District — for Hillsborough Street. The objective of the MSD is to help revitalize areas along Hillsborough Street.

 

MSDs are a funding mechanism used to provide revenue for a variety of services that enhance existing municipal services within the defined district. Additional revenue collected from special assessments on property owners in a MSD is used for maintenance, business recruitment, advocacy, management, marketing, security and other services. The special assessment for property owners in the Hillsborough Street MSD will be 0.10 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation. The special tax rate will take effect on July 1, 2009. It will expire on June 30, 2014 unless extended by the City Council.

The Hillsborough Street MSD will run east-to-west along the street from St. Mary’s School to Meredith College. The MSD’s southern boundary will follow the railroad right-of-way that crosses the N.C. State University campus. The northern boundary is generally includes areas one block north of Hillsborough Street. The MSD contains 123 acres of land and more than 2 million square feet of built space. There are approximately 210 businesses in the Hillsborough Street MSD.

 

Background

 

The City of Raleigh, North Carolina hired Downtown Professionals Network to manage the Hillsborough Street BID Formation Study. The study area, contextually associated with North Carolina State University, contains a mix of commercial, institutional, and some residential property.

 

Planning to conduct a BID study began following a presentation made by the Department of City Planning at the February 2007 meeting of the Raleigh City Council which sought to identify complementary actions that may spark real estate investment and revitalization along Hillsborough Street.

 

A BID was suggested for the area because it could potentially provide the resources needed to improve the perceptions of cleanliness and safety, conduct on-going public realm maintenance, and enhance economic development efforts for the area through coordinated marketing and tenant recruitment.

 

Another benefit of the BID will be its ability to "speak for the street" by providing a unified voice for merchants and property owners. Over the past few years, the surrounding community’s focus for Hillsborough Street has been directed towards the transformation into a "great street and public realm," the enhancement of the street’s retail appeal, and improvements in vehicular and pedestrian safety.

 

Additionally, The Hillsborough Street Partnership brings together leaders from the City of Raleigh, North Carolina State University, the business community and the surrounding neighborhoods  to lend their collective vision and hard work to efforts to re-energize the Street - and give back to a community that gives so much. The Partnership is working effectively to catalyze both public and private investment within the area, and the formation of a BID will help formalize and further enhance these and other advocacy-related initiatives.

 

The suggestion of the BID followed a major transportation planning effort for the Hillsborough Street corridor that evolved over several years. The Hillsborough Street Transportation Improvement Program includes a menu of planning, construction, and street enhancement items. Among those improvements is a series of roundabouts and medians coupled with two miles of reconstructed street and streetscape.

 

A formal Request for Proposals was issued in July 2007 seeking professional consulting services to assist the City of Raleigh in completing a BID study. Downtown Professionals Network was ultimately selected to facilitate the study and worked closely with City Staff and the local BID Steering Committee toward the district's establishment.
 
 

Hillsborough Street BID Formation Study

Raleigh, North Carolina
 

 

Project Information and Downloads
 

Stakeholders Set Direction

Input and ideas provide by Hillsborough Street area stakeholders during a series of public events provided the basis for the development of a preliminary BID "Action Agenda." Findings from workshop exercises, visual assessments and stakeholder interviews were analyzed in order to identify priorities within the scope of possible BID operations, summarized in "Strategy Concepts" displayed at an open house event.

 

"Strategy Concepts" provided the framework for a preliminary "Action Agenda" that outlined ideas and suggestions for potential BID services and projects in five "Priority Areas" identified by community leaders, area business persons and residents.

 

► Download Strategy Concepts [PDF_531 KB]
 

Newsletter #1

The first of two special informational mailings prepared and distributed by DPN to publicize the process.

Click here to download and view the newsletter. [PDF_431 KB]
 

BID Boundaries Map

 

 

Click to Download

The Hillsborough Street BID boundaries were the product of extensive research and discussions.

Download the Hillsborough Street BID Boundaries map. [PDF_880 KB]
 

BID Study Report
The Hillsborough Street BID Formation Study Report was prepared by DPN for the Raleigh City Council.

Click here to download a copy of the final report. [PDF_2.7 MB]
 

Newsletter #2

The second of two special project mailings prepared by DPN was distributed just prior to the City Council's consideration and action to establish the Hillsborough Street MSD.

Click here to download and view the newsletter. [PDF_327 KB]
 
 
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