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CONNECT
GROW
SUSTAIN
LIVE IT UP
A Day at the Beach
THANK YOU to our DDA Team and Board, and downtown merchants, “Delray Beach is one of the top five downtown
businesses, property owners, and residents for your tremendous support shopping districts in the US. It is filled with an
and engagement throughout the past year. Our merchants are driven and exciting collection of restaurants, specialty shops and
unique and with a team effort, we have all worked together to generate direct hotels all clustered around beautiful, walkable streets
economic impact for our downtown. and squares. Delray has the rare X-Factor desired by
many millennials, young families, empty nesters and
A few highlights:
• We kicked off the year with an aggressive marketing and promotional tourists.”
Robert J. Gibbs, AICP, ASLA
campaign to combat the loss of merchant revenue before, during and President, Gibbs Planning Group
after Hurricane Irma.
• The Board advocated for the return of the Safety Ambassador Program to Appointed Board Members - FY 17/18 Team
downtown and committed the DDA to fully fund this program. Peter Arts, Chairperson
• Construction cranes continued to dot the skyline throughout downtown.
Development projects – from retail and office to hotels, condominiums Dr. Alan Costilo, Vice Chairperson
and a movie theater – will add to the economic vitality of our community. Mavis Benson, Secretary
• The DDA commissioned a Downtown Delray Beach Downtown Retail
Market Study and a Downtown Shopability Analysis by the renowned Bonnie Beer, Treasurer through June 30, 2018
Gibbs Planning Group. The research was completed and presented Mark Denkler, Treasurer beginning July 1, 2018
in February to the City Commission and in March at the Town Hall
Meeting. Since then, the City, the Dr. John Conde, Member
DDA and downtown merchants Pamela Ramsey, Member
have worked together to
implement many of the short-term Staff
recommendations for downtown Laura Simon – Executive Director
from the report. Lauren Lyall – Operations Manager
Richalyn Miller – Marketing Coordinator
The DDA Board and Staff cannot do Kellie Ames – Program Manager
their jobs without the property and BJ Sklar – Visitor Information Center Coordinator
business owners as part of our team –
we are only as successful as you are!
See you DOWNTOWN!
Peter Arts Laura Simon
Board Chair Executive Director
Annual Report | 2017–2018 3