Downtown Fresno Partnership wins big at the International Downtown Association annual conference in Atlanta

FRESNO, CA, September 8, 2016 — During its 62nd Annual Conference and Tradeshow in Atlanta this week, the International Downtown Association recognized three Downtown Fresno Partnership programs as best practice in urban renewal strategies.

“We are thrilled to see downtown Fresno recognized on an international stage. It speaks to the quality of work and to the strength of our partnerships with downtown businesses and community organizations,” said Aaron Blair, CEO of the Downtown Fresno Partnership. “We are honored to accept these awards on behalf of all of the people who worked to make these projects possible.”

Fresno is the only city to receive recognition for three awards, with Seattle, Baltimore, and Vancouver each winning two awards.

As the team from the Downtown Fresno Partnership picked up their third award, Kathleen Rawson, CEO of Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. and emcee at the awards ceremony remarked “Downtown Fresno is on a roll!”

“The Downtown Fresno Partnership received these awards for conducting innovative best practice work in the industry of urban place management,” said David Downey, IDA President and CEO. “The Downtown Fresno Partnership is a shining example of excellent downtown management delivering real value to the city.”

The Awards:

Restaurant Makeover was awarded a Downtown Achievement Award of Excellence in the category of Economic and Business Development. This category features unique and creative projects that support local businesses and economic development projects.

Restaurant Makeover is a 2015 competition among five downtown restaurants to win a makeover valued at $25,000. The competition winner, Kikku Japanese Food, located at 2336 Tulare St., underwent a makeover which included new paint, new flooring, new décor, updated website and signage, and production and airing of a commercial. The prize package was comprised of goods and services donated by ten local businesses.

Kiku Japanese Food, a downtown lunchtime staple, opened 15 years ago by Silvia and Andri Wahyudi. Since winning the competition, Kikku has sustained a 10% increase in sales, has hired two new employees, expanded hours to include dinner, and is applying for a beer and wine license to enhance their evening operations.

“Thanks to the Downtown Fresno Partnership’s Restaurant Makeover Competition, we were able to give our restaurant the improvements it wanted so we can continue giving our customers the service they deserve,” said Silvia Wahyudi, owner of Kikku Japanese Food.

Downtown Academy was awarded a Downtown Achievement Award of Excellence in the category of Downtown Leadership and Management. This category features comprehensive and unique organizational approaches to improving the effectiveness of downtown management organizations.

Downtown Academy was launched in 2010 by Fresno’s Leading Young Professionals (FLYP), operated in collaboration with Downtown Fresno Partnership. The successful program is a 10 month class where 30 young professionals meet one evening each month to explore downtown businesses, meet community leaders, and learn firsthand about urban redevelopment in our city.

Now in its fifth iteration, Downtown Academy boasts over 100 graduates who have learned firsthand about downtown issues including economic development, urban design, the role of arts in the community, historic preservation, city planning, downtown neighborhoods, residential options, entertainment and events, and upcoming development projects. Downtown Academy alums have gone on to be some of the most active and engaged leaders in the downtown revitalization effort, and have contributed in many ways including donating many of the prizes to the Restaurant Makeover competition.

“Downtown Academy brings together like-minded individuals and changemakers to collaborate on ways to make Downtown Fresno a better place to live, work, and play,” said Ellena Woodhams, Chair, Fresno’s Leading Young Professionals (FLYP).

The Investment Flyover video was awarded a Downtown Achievement Award of Merit in the category of Marketing and Communications. This category features projects that use print, electronic media, or multimedia to promote downtown.

The Investment Flyover video was released at the 2015 State of Downtown event at Warnors Theatre. The Downtown Fresno Partnership worked with Meza Films to capture the visual impact of $100 million of downtown investment in a one minute video.

The Investment Flyover video has been viewed over 50,000 times and has attracted the attention of investors and entrepreneurs to downtown Fresno. The International Downtown Association recognized this video as a best practice for sharing investment data in a unique and easily-shareable format that other cities can emulate.

Washington, D.C.-based IDA is the premier organization for urban place professionals who are shaping and activating dynamic city center districts. This year is the 62nd annual conference bringing together representatives from downtown organizations throughout the world. This year’s conference theme, Progress Through Partnerships, embodies the approach to achieving impact, embracing trends, and solving problems that face downtowns and urban districts around the globe. Seventy projects were selected as finalists for awards in six categories.