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Call to Artists – Western Art Week

February 16, 2012 By BID

A goal of the newly adopted Downtown Master Plan is to work on promoting downtown during Western Art Week. In light of that goal the downtown community has come together to create an Art of Downtown day during Western Art Week on Thursday, March 15, 2012.

This day will focus on the art of up and coming artists in the community. It will be a juried art show. The deadline for art to be considered for this show will be March 1st. Artists are encouraged to submit multiple works of art.

Complete the below form and submit it with your art by March 1st to the Portal Gallery at 314 Central Avenue.
Click here: Artist Form

If you have any questions please contact the BID office at (406) 727-5430.

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Downtown Logo Hat & T-Shirt

December 21, 2011 By BID

The BID is selling Downtown logo hats & t-shirts for $20!

We’ve got limited quantities of Large and X-Large – give us a call if you are interested, 727-5430.

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Downtown Business Watch 1/10/12

December 21, 2011 By BID

Downtown Business Watch Program

WHERE:             NeighborWorks Learning Center at 509 1st Ave South

WHEN:               Tuesday, January 10th 5:30pm to 6:30pm

TOPIC:               Shoplifting and Identifying Perpetrators

SPEAKER:        Dorothy Nunez

SPONSOR:       William O. Bronson, PLLC

CATERER:       Charlie’s Coffeehouse

Come to the Downtown Business Watch program!

The Downtown Action Alliance has created a Downtown Business Watch program.  Meetings will be held every other month and will last one hour.  The meeting format has been established to allow for a 30-minute presentation on a specific topic, 15 minutes for questions & answers on that topic and closing with 15 minutes of discussion on current downtown issues.  Refreshments will be served, compliments of our monthly sponsor.  If you have any questions regarding this event please contact the BID office at 727-5430.

Business Watch Press Release – 1-10-12

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Holiday Open House

December 6, 2011 By BID

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Downtown Business Watch 11/8/11

November 3, 2011 By BID

Downtown Business Watch Program

WHERE:             NeighborWorks Learning Center at 509 1st Ave South

WHEN:               Tuesday, November 8th 5:30pm to 6:30pm

TOPIC:                Code Enforcement

SPEAKER:         Heather Rohlf, City of Great Falls

SPONSOR:        The Daily Grind

Come to the Downtown Business Watch program!

The Downtown Action Alliance has created a Downtown Business Watch program.  Meetings will be held every other month and will last one hour.  The meeting format has been established to allow for a 30-minute presentation on a specific topic, 15 minutes for questions & answers on that topic and closing with 15 minutes of discussion on current downtown issues.  Refreshments will be served, compliments of our monthly sponsor.  If you have any questions regarding this event please contact the BID office at 727-5430.

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Downtown Master Plan

October 19, 2011 By BID

In a unanimous vote of support the City Commission approved the Downtown Master Plan on October 18, 2011.

Downtown Master Plan 2011

 

 

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Traffic Signal Box Project 2011

August 24, 2011 By BID

The Great Falls Business Improvement District (BID) is pleased to announce the installation of its first Traffic Signal Box (TSB) Project.  The event began on Friday, August 19th and ended on Wednesday, August 24th.    The TSB’s on Central Avenue from Park Dr. to 7th St (with the exception of the corner of Central and 4th St S) and one additional TSB at the corner of 2nd Ave S and 2nd St were transformed into works of art by seven local artists. Within the BID boundaries there are 21 TSB’s; seven have been completed this season with the goal of completing the remaining 14 over the next few years.

There will be a reception held for the artists on Friday, September 2nd in the BID office at 13 5th Street North.  Everyone is welcome to attend the reception.

The artists chosen for the 2011 TSB Project, their locations and the title of their work:
Sheree Nelson – Central & Park Dr  “Electric City”
Halley Gallagher – Central & 2nd St N  “Emergence”
Alissa Nelson – Central & 3rd St N  “Take a Picture, It’ll Last Longer”
Vickie Meguire – Central & 5th St N  “Old Cascade County Courthouse”
Jennifer Mathson – Central & 6th St N  “Gibson Park”
Katy Lunstad – Central & 7th St N “Revamped”
Rachel Kaiser  – 2nd Ave S & 2nd St “Downtown Great Falls”
This program is part of our ongoing efforts to continue beautification in Downtown Great Falls. The Traffic Signal Box (TSB) Art Project enhances the pedestrian and driving experience by incorporating artwork directly into the streetscape.

The event coverage:

KFBB Coverage of the event

KRTV coverage of the event

Great Falls Tribune coverage of the event

Be sure to check out the photo album posted on our Facebook page as well – “Like” Destination Downtown Great Falls

Traffic Signal Box Art Project 2011

Of course we encourage you to come downtown and check out the artwork for yourself!

 

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Rocky Mountain Building art project

July 12, 2011 By BID

The Great Falls Business Improvement District (BID) is pleased to announce another downtown art project.  To continue our beautification efforts downtown the BID has partnered with local artist Julia Becker to paint the boardwalk around the Rocky Mountain Building on the corner of 6th Street and Central Ave.  Julia is coordinating with nine additional artists; each artist will work on a 26-foot long area of the boardwalk as well as collaborate together and with additional artists/participants.  The finished project will be a celebration of community and art and improve the appearance of the Rocky Mountain Building.

The event is scheduled to take place all day on Sunday, July 10th.

The event coverage:

KFBB coverage of the event

Great Falls Tribune coverage of the event

KRTV coverage of the event

Be sure to check out the photo album posted on our Facebook page as well – “Like” Destination Downtown Great Falls

When all was said and done, 21 artists participated in the process!

Of course we encourage you to come downtown and check out the artwork for yourself!

Update: 7/13/11 Our little story got picked up by a national blogger -

The Commercial District Advisor

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Downtown Business Watch 7/12/11

July 5, 2011 By BID

Downtown Business Watch Program

WHERE:             NeighborWorks Learning Center at 509 1st Ave South

WHEN:               Tuesday, July 12th 5:30pm to 6:30pm

TOPIC:                Cybercrime

SPEAKER:         Justin Jones, Certified Ethical Hacker

SPONSOR:         Charlie’s Coffeehouse

Come to the Downtown Business Watch program!

The Downtown Action Alliance has created a Downtown Business Watch program.  Meetings will be held every other month and will last one hour.  The meeting format has been established to allow for a 30-minute presentation on a specific topic, 15 minutes for questions & answers on that topic and closing with 15 minutes of discussion on current downtown issues.  Refreshments will be served, compliments of our monthly sponsor.  If you have any questions regarding this event please contact the BID office at 727-5430.

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The Tribune’s recent editorial on Downtown Great Falls

June 29, 2011 By BID

Have you been working out?

It’s the kind of thing anyone who’s spending time at the gym or pounding the pavement is usually pleased to be asked.

It confirms that the Zumba class, an extra mile on a daily walk or new weight-lifting routine is making some improvement and that people notice the difference.

So it’s with admiration that we say: Downtown Great Falls, you’re looking good.

Certainly the construction of a new Public Drug building in the 300 block is the most noticeable. It’s great to see framework beams going up in what had been a vacant lot after the B&B Loan fire several years ago.

The Tap House Grill is almost ready to reopen and The Crooked Tree Coffee & Cakes over on 1st Avenue North will be a nice addition.

But there’s a lot going on downtown in addition to the aforementioned brick and mortar projects.

We take issue with critics, including those who have recently expressed such opinions on this page, who say the city’s core is letting itself go.

So does a longtime downtown business owner Rick Enge, whose shop, The World of Time, opened downtown 33 years ago.

“I’m an old time downtown person,” he said. “I started working at Kaufmans (Menswear Centre) when I was in high school. We call ourselves the Kaufmans alumni.”

He’s earned his stripes when it comes to pitching in to make downtown great. He runs a business, owns the building it is in and even plants and cares for flowers front of World of Time every year.

“I do think downtown looks nicer now than it did, say, 10 years ago, with the streetscape projects,” he said. “Last year the Business Improvement District replaced some of the trees that had died, which is great.”

The BID also is paying for a downtown ambassador, Justin Redeen, to help out this summer. In addition to helping direct people to places to shop, dine and recreate downtown, Redeen is charged with keeping the area’s sidewalks clean and watering the flowers in hanging pots and planters in the district.

The latter hasn’t been the easiest task — the BID is working to remedy a lack of portable equipment available to water the flowers, but in the meantime Redeen fills a plastic trash container with water that sits in the back of a pickup and drives around downtown to nourish the plants.

“I told my mom I probably will never plant flowers at my own place,” said Justin, who will be a senior at the University of Montana-Missoula this fall majoring political science. His mom, Joan, is the office manager for the BID.

Although it’s understandable that Justin is a little watering weary, we’re pretty sure he’ll rescind his vow to ban flowers from his future abodes. For one thing, he’s darn good at caring for the ones he’s charged with summer. They are beautiful.

Enge will give the hanging basket of flowers placed near his store by BID a drink when he’s watering his own planters, “but more often than not just when I think they look like they need one, I look out and there’s water dripping from the basket on the sidewalk because Justin’s been by. He’s got a little bit of a height advantage on me, too, so it’s easier for him.”

Justin’s tall stature also came in handy last week when he led a team of 15 Boys & Girls Club members and their two counselors through downtown to weed, water flowers and sweep sidewalks.

Member of the Club called the BID to volunteer to do community service projects.

“I thought it was great to see them all working downtown in their blue and green T shirts, with the downtown Great Falls logo,” said Enge. (The shirts were provided by BID, and the kids were thrilled.) “I think it helps make them all more aware of what downtown has to offer and the kind of work it takes to keep downtown looking nice.”

It takes a lot of collective effort by property owners, business proprietors, downtown promoters, public servants and community volunteers.

So again, to downtown and all of your vested partners, we say, you are looking good and we appreciate and notice the work you put in to make that happen.

To view the article click here

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