One man's perspective on planning for a thriving downtown.

1. Strategic Overview
Downtown Chico
AxonoMetrix Partners ~ Planned Change Management
120 West Second Street, Chico, CA 95928
530-898-0815 www.axonometrix.com

2. Sheet 2 of
fourteen
Strategic Structure
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
Vision - Aspirational
Extravagant narrative
Imaginative stretch goals
Purpose - Directional
Definitional, specific
Pragmatic – product of compromise, negotiation
Principles - Functional
Practical priorities, not wishful thinking
Reflect what is, not what should be
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3. Sheet 3 of
fourteen
Strategic Structure (cont.)
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
Strategy
Program priorities
Goals
Measurable outcomes
Teams
Cross-functional accountability
Metrics
Incremental improvement
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4. Sheet 4 of
fourteen
Dimensions of Community
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
Interpersonal interaction
Neighbor-to-neighbor
Combined resources
Shared experience
Civic
Social Public Policy
City-to-citizen
Combined risk
Shared obligation
Economic
Value exchange
Provider-to-user
Combined rewards
Shared marketplace
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5. Sheet 5 of
fourteen
Vision 2012 - Social
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
The Chico Art and History Museum is slated to be constructed on the corner
of Fourth and Main, directly across from the City Council chamber, replacing
Duffy’s, Towne Lounge, and Mr. Lucky. Distillery stocks plummet.
The Chico Performing Arts Center, in the Senator Theater, opens with a
gala featuring appearances by Mother Hips, Mystic Roots, Spark & Cinder,
etc. The Center, a partnership between the City of Chico, Associated
Students, and the Chico Theater Coalition, provides an intimate venue for
music, theater, and variety programming.
The Chico Social Services Network establishes operations on the
southeastern edge of downtown, providing information and referrals to
public, private not-for-profit, and professional agencies and support
resources. This “one-stop-shop” is a partnership between the City of Chico
and a coalition of social services agencies including the Jesus Center, ARC,
WTC, Catalyst, Caminar, Enloe Hospital, Butte County Mental Health, etc.
Children’s Playground offers a fully-staffed summer day camp program
featuring athletics, arts and crafts, circus performance skills, nature study,
and collaborative team-building exercises. A partnership between City of
Chico and Boys & Girls Club.
The Saturday Farmer’s Market is relocated in the City Plaza, encircling the
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park with their exhibits, doubling the Market in size, and establishing a
complementary weekly arts, crafts, and performance festival unrivaled
throughout California.
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6. Sheet 6 of
fourteen
Vision 2012 - Civic
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
In partnership with, and using the facilities of, CSU-Chico, Phoenix
University, and the City of Chico, the Downtown Hospitality Association
launches the Chico Convention Center, attracting conferences, workshops,
seminar programs, and other large group affairs to Chico.
The inaugural conference at the new CCC is an urban planning program.
The cities of San Luis Obispo, Davis, and Eugene, OR, send delegates to
study Chico’s success and best practices in downtown revitalization.
The City of Chico breaks ground on the eastern parcel of the city hall
parking lot to construct a new administrative services building that will
house city, county, and CUSD offices, and integrate operations providing
citizens with streamlined government services.
The new parking structure on the lot at Second and Wall is officially
opened. With spaces for over 500 cars, it features pay-as-you-go metering,
video surveillance, solar energy collectors, and public art.
The Chico Planning Commission approves a proposal to construct three new
four-story multi-family residential projects at the intersections of Second
and Salem, First and Main, and Fourth and Main. The structures will reflect
design features of the historic buildings that had previously occupied those
parcels, including the Park, Oaks, and Butte hotels. These new projects,
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with the Diamond Hotel, will complete the “Four Corners” program of
renovating/replicating the historic buildings that once anchored the
downtown core.
Date:

7. Sheet 7 of
fourteen
Vision 2012 - Economic
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
Commercial occupancy is consistently at 95%, with new properties being
developed to service increasing demand. New buildings are fully leased
before they are even finished, and many have waiting lists.
The Chico Collaboratory technology incubator is home to over a dozen
early-stage emerging growth companies, and has graduated five that have
operations in the greater downtown area.
Tot Village, a daycare and preschool service in southwest downtown
expands operations, and begins offering after-school recreational programs,
tutoring services, and assisted study halls for K-8 students.
The Downtown Fitness Center, a co-ed gym with cardio machines, weight
training facilities, yoga and dance classes, launches a new racquet sports
center.
City Center Concierge, a personal services firm serving the growing
downtown workforce, announces a partnership with a major dry-cleaning
firm, expanding its portfolio of outsourced support services.
The Upstate Wine Center, a tasting room featuring wines from the Nuovo
Toscano Winegrowers and Vintners Association, celebrates the tenth winery
to produce award-winning vintages in the Tri-County terroir.
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Nordstrom Rack celebrates its first anniversary of operations in the old
Oser’s building at Third and Main.
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8. Sheet 8 of
fourteen
Purpose of Downtown
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Chico’s historic, cultural, and
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
commercial center integrates the
social, civic, and economic domains
to connect enterprise, the academy,
and city government with the
residents of the city and region.
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9. Respect
Integrity
Excellence
Communication
Principles - Aspirational
…from Enron’s corporate values statement!
Sheet 9 of
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
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fourteen
17-Jan-07 AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management

10. Customers
Leadership
Operations
Principles - Functional
Specific, practical, comprehensive
Sheet 10 of
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
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fourteen
17-Jan-07 AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management

11. Sheet 11 of
fourteen
Principles – Customer Expectations
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
Downtown Chico is customer-friendly:
Social Integration
Shared commons (plaza, playground, etc.)
Events (TNM, FNC, seasonal, etc.)
Inclusion (racial, ethnic, religious, economic, ability, etc.)
Civic Integration
Infrastructure (streets, storm drains, lighting, sidewalks, parking,
transit, bike lanes, etc.)
Cultural resources (museum, art center, performance arts, public art,
etc.)
Civic services center (city hall, county offices, school board offices,
public safety resources, etc.)
Economic Integration
Affordable housing, multi-family residential, live-work space, etc.
Diverse community of working families, students, seniors, artists, etc.
Commercial corridor (retail, food & beverage, personal and professional
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services)
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12. Sheet 12 of
fourteen
Principles – Leadership
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
Downtown Chico is a center for community leadership:
Social Initiatives
Programs (workshops, seminars, conferences, debates, etc.)
Institutional collaboration (city, commerce, campus, churches, etc.)
Adhocracy (social networks, personal relationships, one-on-one; “retail
politics”)
Civic Initiatives
Seat of city government
Media presence
University involvement
Economic Initiatives
Central location for community action organizations (BEC, CEPCO,
Chamber, CCV, DCBA, HOA, P&JC, etc.)
Fundraising and awareness events
Healthy and growing commercial sector
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13. Sheet 13 of
fourteen
Principles – Operations
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
Downtown Chico is a well-managed community resource:
Social Process
Access, accommodation, assistance resources available
Rescue, rehabilitation, and recovery resources available
Intervention and support resources available
Civic Process
Public safety a top priority
Infrastructure development, maintenance, and improvement
Pedestrian-centric, transit-concentrated, bicycle-friendly, and motorist-
convenient
Economic Process
Strong social networks
Collaboration, partnering, association, affinity
Sustainable balance of interdependent commercial entities
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14. Sheet 14 of
fourteen
Strategy
AxonoMetrix Partners: Planned Change Management
Strategic Overview ~ Downtown Chico
Partnership
Alliances between affinity-based businesses and agencies
Integration and alignment of services and resources
Public/private programs
Policy
Clear priority to support downtown
Continuing expansion of city offices
Construction/maintenance of infrastructure
Investment
New development projects
Renovation, replication, restoration
Multi-use; combined commercial, residential, professional
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