A committee of 25 community members in Cambridge worked for 6 months to develop recommendations for revitalizing their downtown area. They created subcommittees and researched ideas from other successful cities. The committee generated over 50 recommendations in areas like aesthetics, wayfinding, activities, and public spaces. These recommendations were presented to the community and city officials. An executive committee will now work to implement the strategic plan, while a community foundation is being established to support the efforts through additional funding and involvement. The goal is to ensure the downtown area better meets the needs of the future.

1. Cambridge
Downtown
Revitalization

3. Is the downtown of our past
meeting the needs of our future?

5. If not, what needs to change?

6. Downtown!

7. You can’t rely on bringing
people downtown, you
have to put them there.
-Jane Jacobs

8. Who has been working to put people
downtown?

10. A committee of 25 community members:
Worked together for 6 months to
revitalize downtown
Business Owners
Property Owners
City Officials
Residents

11. “Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.”
Henry Ford

12. We started with a kick-off gathering

13. Began bi-monthly
committee
meetings
Brainstormed all
the issues and
potential
opportunities

14. Created Subcommittees
• Community Connections
• Experience Downtown
• Destination Downtown
• Downtown Promotion
• Civic Support
• Community Funding Support

15. Researched the internet for
endless ideas from other cities
who have successfully revitalized
their downtowns

16. Experts presented important
concepts to our group

17. We mapped our ideas

18. We invited the community to comment
on our ideas and add more of their own

19. We presented our revitalization
recommendations to the community and
city officials

20. We generated more than 50 recommendations
supporting:
• Aesthetic Expectations
• Wayfinding
• Building Up-Lighting
• Façade Improvements
• Streetscape Improvements & Amenities
• Public and Building Art

21. • Events and Activities
• Sponsorship/Community Involvement
• Landscaping and Parklets
• Monumentation
• Public Gathering Locations
• Entertainment Venues
We generated more than 50 recommendations
supporting:

22. We are also creating a community
foundation to support our
recommendations
• Foundation assists in creating wider support for
community involvement and funding
• Formation steering committee has been established

23. • Securing additional community involvement
and funding
“Vision without execution is just hallucination.”
Henry Ford
Our Executive Committee will be working
to move our recommendations forward
• Continued recommendation assessments
• Strategic planning and staged implementation
• Community outreach and relationship building

24. Committee member comments

25. Melissa Bettendorf
Executive Director
Isanti-Cambridge Chamber of Commerce

26. Neil Johnson
Owner
The Leader

27. Bob Roby
Attorney
Chair, previous Downtown Task Force

28. Closing Comments
Lynda Woulfe
City Administrator

29. Committee Members

30. DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROJECT COLLABORATION
DISCOVER DOWNTOWN COMMITTEE
Becky Roby
Bob Roby
Brandon Grell
Chad Struss
Gayle Cupit
Gary Hawkins
Jeremy Ellingson
Jessica Harris
Judith Kissner
Julie Immel
Kathy Mell-Bowers
Kersten Conley
Kim Erickson
Larry Fredlund
Lisa Iverson
Lynda Woulfe
Mark Radeke
Melissa Bettendorf
Monte Dybvig
Neil Johnson
Pamela Streed
Rhonda Becker
Steve Crittenden

31. DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROJECT COLLABORATION
DOWNTOWN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Bob Roby
Carrie Gibbs
Greg Carlson
Lisa Iverson
Lynda Woulfe
Melissa Bettendorf
Monte Dybvig
Pamela Streed
Raymond Queener
Stan Gustafson
Steve Crittenden

39. DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROJECT COLLABORATION
PROJECT SPONSORS

40. Todd Streeter, Principal
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROJECT COLLABORATION
PROJECT FACILITATOR