Mayor: Jennifer P. Dougherty

Contact: Kate Shiflet
Phone: 240-629-6360
Date: March 14, 2005

DED Spearheads Downtown Business Survey

The City of Frederick Department of Economic Development (DED) and Downtown Frederick Partnership have undertaken a major survey of the approximately 700 businesses and organizations in Downtown Frederick, in an effort to better understand Downtown’s unique economy.

Currently, batches of surveys have been mailed to approximately 500 Downtown entities. By late March, all organizations should have received the survey, which collects confidential data on employment, products, and services.

“This survey is meant to give us a picture of the Downtown economy, and help us understand strengths and opportunities there,” says Kate Shiflet, the survey project manager for the Department of Economic Development.

The survey updates baseline data from a 2002 Main Street business inventory, and collects new information like square footage amounts, business types, employment and revenue figures. The survey also attempts to verify anecdotal notions about Downtown, as noted by Richard Griffin, director of the Department of Economic Development.

“We know that Downtown has a strong retail base and a large number of professionals like attorneys,” says Griffin. “We also believe it has a growing number of information technology firms, and this survey will quantify such trends.” Griffin also expects the survey to show a high density of jobs and gross revenues per square foot.

Kara Norman, director of the Downtown Frederick Partnership, looks forward to survey results that she believes will help attract new businesses. “Having solid numbers on downtown businesses will aid us in marketing the area’s strengths, and help our Main Street continue to thrive,” says Norman.

The project has received a strong initial response rate, and both DED and the Partnership greatly appreciate respondents’ time and effort on the survey. Shiflet, Griffin, and Norman encourage businesses that have not completed their surveys to do so in order to boost the accuracy of survey findings, and remind them that responses will be kept strictly confidential. Only aggregate totals will be identified in a June report.

Businesses interested in returning completed surveys may do so by mail, by fax (240-629-6363), by email, or online at www.cityoffrederick.com/econdevsurvey/register.htm.